L’importanza delle visite pastorali dal punto di vista storico

Abstract

Visit records are a historical source which are able to provide information on the ecclesiastical, pastoral and legal organisation of the diocese, as well as on the economic activity and property status of the parish churches and the clergy overall, but also on other aspects of the community life of worshippers such as social, cultural and moral aspects. Although the pastoral visit represents the “bishop's point of view” and therefore is a “biased” source, but not necessarily “static”, it frequently becomes essential to search for the information that other sources are not able to supply. The study and use of the visitationes might be facilitated through the computerization of the data contained therein, taking advantage of a tool of knowledge and guidance in order to ease the research, leaving to the researcher the task of verifying and interpreting historical data throughout a direct analysis of the documents.