The seven 'suburbicarian dioceses' are
Roman Catholic dioceses located in the
suburbs that surround
Rome, reserved for the highest order of
Cardinals.
A
Cardinal Bishop is named
titular bishop of each of the
sees, which have varied slightly in history but are now ''
Velletri-Segni'', ''
Porto-Santa Rufina'', ''
Frascati'', ''
Palestrina'', ''
Albano'', ''
Sabina-Poggio Mirteto'', and ''
Ostia''; the
see of Ostia is conferred on the
Dean of the College of Cardinals in addition to his other see; the Dean is chosen by and from the six cardinal bishops of the suburbicarian dioceses, with the approval of the
pope (formerly the dean was always the longest-serving cardinal bishop).
However, since the
1960s, six of the dioceses have had their own substantive
bishop, pursuant to a decree of
Pope John XXIII titled ''Suburbicarii Sedis'', with the exception of ''Ostia'' which was merged with the diocese of Rome and is administered by Rome's
Cardinal Vicar General.
The
titular bishops still formally "take possession" of the dioceses but the substantive bishops exercise all
ordinary jurisdiction.
List of Cardinal-Bishops of Ostia
See
Dean of the College of Cardinals
Cardinal-Bishops of Velletri-Segni
Cardinal-Bishops of Porto-Santa Rufina
Cardinal-Bishops of Frascati
Cardinal-Bishops of Palestrina
Cardinal-Bishops of Albano
Cardinal-Bishops of Sabina-Poggio Mirteto
Notes
External links
★
Listings with some minor sees