Cis et ultra montes – Quellenforschung zur Geschichte des ersten ladinischen Dekanats

Abstract

According to the prince­bishop’s court the Ladin valleys, thanks to their peripheral location and linguistic peculiarities, called for founding a separate deanery. The vicar general who resided in Bressanone/Brixen was no longer able to meet the increasing demands. It also turned out to be impossible to keep the corrupt behavior of the clergy and the negligence in terms of pastoral care under control without permanent supervision. Owing to the analysis of written sources, it is possible to put the circumstances eventually leading to the creation of the Ladin deanery in a historical context. The Ladin deanery, initially called Decanatus Livinalislongi or Puechenstain, was ratified by the bishop on 11.02.1597 and confirmed on occasion of the synod in 1603. The deanery included all Ladin valleys except Ampezzo and Moena because the latter belonged to the Patriarchate of Aquileia. The situation remained unchanged until a first reorganization in 1667 when Val Gardena/Gröden was moved to the deanery of Laion/Lajen. The new division was based on practical and logistical considerations, with no evidence of linguistic or ideological reasons. Colfosco/Kolfuschg rejoined the Ladin deanery in 1668 and was made part of the parish of Fodom/Buchenstein, owing to its more fitting location and linguistic affinity. Until 1688 the dean lived in the parish of Fodom/Buchenstein. During the 100 years that followed the dean’s seat took turns between Marebbe/Enneberg and Val di Fassa/Fassatal. The expression Cis et ultra montes seems to have emerged for the very first time during this period but has not yet been discovered in the ecclesiastical documents of the 18th century. The end of the deanery was followed by a phase of transition characterized by recurring changes and adjustments of the deanery’s classification before the deaneries currently existing in the Ladin valleys began to emerge. It remains to be debated whether it makes sense to speak of a dean’s seat rather than a deanery seat. In any case it is a fact that every time the dean changed residence the name of the deanery changed accordingly. Hence the officeholder’s residence always corresponded to the residence of the church district.