Verden (state)

The diocese of Verden was a Roman Catholic diocese in today's Lower Saxony. It was founded around 800 in the course of Saxony mission of Charlemagne in the town of Verden and belonged to the ecclesiastical province of Mainz. The first bishop was probably Suitbert the Younger. Three early bishops, Spatto, Tancho and Harud were, at the same time abbot in the monastery Neustadt am Main and in Amorbach monastery and bishop of Verden on the Aller.

Most bishops were chosen from among the monks of the Abbey of Corvey. Main church was the cathedral of Verden.

Cathedral chapter

Its members completed the chapter independently. The capitular included as a special public official provost, dean, Scholaster, waiters, Kantor and Thesaurar. As of 1275, the number of chapter members to 16 was determined, of which have the five oldest priestly ordination, the five middle the diaconate and the five youngest had the Subdiakonenweihe. Had a special status. Become the 16th member of the provost of St. John in Lüneburg Came to no less than 48 Domvikare, at whose head stood the two Episcopal Vicars end of the 15th century.

Of the eight Archidiakonaten more the cathedral chapter were incorporated.

Development

End of the 10th century, the bishop was given the diocesan territory a worldly possessions in Sturmigau, the later the Bishopric of Verden. The rest of the diocesan territory belonged predominantly to the Principality of Lüneburg, smaller parts of Altmark (eg Arendsee ) and about 10% of the diocesan area for the archbishopric of Bremen ( 3 miles of the old country and Buxtehude hinterland ).

Strengthened since 1558 occurred reformatory influences. By adopting a church order by the administrator Eberhard von Holle, the Reformation was first completed in 1568.

The following six Lutheran bishops in Verden carried the title of Prince-Bishop. By the Peace of Westphalia, the bishopric of Verden fell as an imperial fief to the Swedish crown.

In the Thirty Years' War there were in Verden 1630 to 1634 as a result of the controversial Restitution Edict with Franz Wilhelm von Wartenberg again a short interlude as a Roman Catholic diocese before the area finally became Lutheran.

The care of the Roman Catholic Christians in the area of the then defunct Catholic Diocese of Verden went first since then to the Apostolic Vicariate of the North, from 1824 to the bishopric of Hildesheim. In 1894, the Parish Church of St. Joseph was ordained a year after.