Pescasseroli... L'Aquila...Abrruzo

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ashlandlee

Pescasseroli... L'Aquila...Abrruzo

Post by ashlandlee »

I understand there is a Parish with records in this town that go back to 1540 A.D. How do I find someone to check the files?

I know the years of birth and marriage but not months or days.

Thank you

T
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Re: Pescasseroli... L'Aquila...Abrruzo

Post by PeterTimber »

I suspect you are talking about the Book of souls which churches were supposed to maintain as per the council of Trent when the parish system of churches was developed in 1545. These books were parish census directories and recorded for births,marriages and deaths,but their matinenance was spotty, many were lost in the mist of the times or simply disintegrated due to climactic conditons where they were housed. There are some of these records available I suspect but I am uncertain as to the who,what, where of their location. I do hope your church is one of them.

The church (one and only) is Sants Peter & Paul in Pescasseroli (www.. There is no telephone listed for the c hurch indicating that the church does not house a priest and may be one of those closed churches served by a circuit priest from an adjoing town.

May I sugges that you contact the Bishop of Aquila which has jurisdiction for Pescasseroli by letter His Name is Bishop Pietro Santoro, Cattedrale San Bartolomeo Apostolo 67051 Avezzano, (AQ) Abruzzo and ask for his advice and information. I would offer to pay someone in Pescasseroli to conduct the research of the church archives and an offering toward the maintenance of the church in that town leaving the amounts open to his "guidance".

If you can write the letter in Italian then go to www.mangeruca.com for form letters in Italian that you can tailor to your needs or have translated by www.freetranslations.com. =Peter=
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Re: Pescasseroli... L'Aquila...Abrruzo

Post by nuccia »

Peter,

May I ask how you know this? Have you dealt with the Bishop before? Inquiring minds want to know.... :D
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ashlandlee

Re: Pescasseroli... L'Aquila...Abrruzo

Post by ashlandlee »

I am very grateful for this information.

It did feel like I was hitting a wall. And it will be at least 3 years before I can visit Italy again.

I can get the letter translated.

Here is an interesting piece of info...a hundred years ago 200 Pescasseroli people left Italy and come to Buffalo, NY. We have a Black Madona here too. They probably missed home.
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Re: Pescasseroli... L'Aquila...Abrruzo

Post by PeterTimber »

Nuccia when you say this, what are you referring to? =Peter=
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Re: Pescasseroli... L'Aquila...Abrruzo

Post by nuccia »

I have been told its very hard to get a hold of priests, much less Bishops and you seem to know this mans names so I was wondering, do you know him? If so, is it really that hard to make contact?
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Re: Pescasseroli... L'Aquila...Abrruzo

Post by PeterTimber »

Dera Nuccia i would not know much about that but between the inquire,my response and your question, I returned to my research and came across the startling fact that the church in pescasseroli is acutally open and thriving with a resident priest Rev. Romolo Mariani, telefono: 0863-912565, San pietro & Paolo, Il Traversa Corso Plistia, Pescasseroli so th einquirer can have a direct link to the church.

Whether to go thru the Bishop or to go thru the resident priest for research inquiries first is open to question. Iwould go thru the Bishop first myself because if he says no you can always go around him and appeal directly to the Priest since he is the person you want to keep on your side. =Peter=
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Re: Pescasseroli... L'Aquila...Abrruzo

Post by PeterTimber »

I was referring tothe establishment of a new parish system in 1545 and at that time the Book of souls was implemented to act as a census of parishoners and a record of all births, marriages and deaths. I recall in my reading that many churches were lax after a number of years when the new system of recording the parish census was implemented since many attempts to locate this record in individiaul was less than successful.

I can assure you that my readings of the present state of Book of Souls over the past decade as it relates to their being maintained and housed as part of the church archives is more meaningful to me. I do agree however, that at its incpetion, the establishment of new parish rules, regulations, policy and procedures were zealously implemented but like most things human fell into mediocrity and worse over the past 400 years and evidenced by the paucity of such books encountered by reserachers in Italy which we are both familiar with. =Peter=
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Re: Pescasseroli... L'Aquila...Abrruzo

Post by PeterTimber »

I was referring tothe establishment of a new parish system in 1545 and at that time the Book of souls was implemented to act as a census of parishoners and a record of all births, marriages and deaths. I recall in my reading that many churches were lax after a number of years when the new system of recording the parish census was implemented since many attempts to locate this record in individiaul was less than successful.

I can assure you that my readings of the present state of Book of Souls over the past decade as it relates to their being maintained and housed as part of the church archives is more meaningful to me. I do agree however, that at its incpetion, the establishment of new parish rules, regulations, policy and procedures were zealously implemented but like most things human fell into mediocrity and worse over the past 400 years and evidenced by the paucity of such books encountered by reserachers in Italy which we are both familiar with. =Peter=
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Re: Pescasseroli... L'Aquila...Abrruzo

Post by PeterTimber »

DearNuccia my last input here was in response to james Lo Bianco 's observations about the Council of Trent and the Book of souls which appears to have been withdrawn rather hastily. The readers are now faced with my comments based upon an unknown input but no harm done. =peter=
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Re: Pescasseroli... L'Aquila...Abrruzo

Post by elba »

"....Whether to go thru the Bishop or to go thru the resident priest for research inquiries first is open to question. Iwould go thru the Bishop first myself because if he says no you can always go around him and appeal directly to the Priest since he is the person you want to keep on your side. =Peter="

Living, as I do, in a small Italian village community, I would suggest that this approach might be somewhat risky.

I'm certain that if a Vescovo (Bishop) said "No" to any request for archivial research then no 'local' priest would dare (or risk) going against a decision from that level.

So, in my opinion (for what it's worth), I would approach the local priest FIRST and ask him for help. Many are very willing to help, but equally - some are NOT. Then if you are refused at the local level, then would be the time for your plea for help to the Bishop!
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Re: Pescasseroli... L'Aquila...Abrruzo

Post by PeterTimber »

Dedar Elba perhaps your right since you are in Italy and I am in NYC but it would be nice to know in advance the extent of the cooperation you are likely to get from the Priest in advance by approaching him informally first. This is called positive paranoia in NYC=Peter=
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Re: Pescasseroli... L'Aquila...Abrruzo

Post by Italysearcher »

I'm in Italy too, and Elba is right, go first to the priest, then the Bishop if you get no response.
Priests are very protective of their records and even if the Bishop says OK! if they don't want to, they will find some excuse not too.
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Re: Pescasseroli... L'Aquila...Abrruzo

Post by Italysearcher »

http://www.parrocchie.it/index
You can find information on many parishes at this site. SOme churches even have their own websites.
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Re: Pescasseroli... L'Aquila...Abrruzo

Post by pesca »

Mi dispiace ma non parlo e non scrivo l'inglese però me la cavo a leggerlo.
Sono di Pescasseroli, ma non riesco a capire la tua richiesta.
Se vuoi vivendo a Pescasseoroli casomai ti posso dare una mano.
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