I very clearly remember back in the middle of the last century
the Roman bishop of this city, placed a theater under
interdict for showing a movie to which he had an
extreme objection: "Lolita". The theater closed immediately
for want of patronage, was torn down and today is a parking
lot. These bishops had that sort of power. Seems very
medieval but it was the 20th century: the Interdict was posted
everywhere.

While during the small hours the bishop read Nabokov.
link

Isn't that probably the truth. I forgot it was Nabokov, thanks.

You make this sound as if the Bishops closed down the theater themselves ("these Bishops had that sort of power") and yet the theater closed not because bishops demanded it but because patrons in the community decided not to frequent the business anymore. I'm sure the Catholics honored the Bishops' interdict but was this some sort of 100% Catholic town? There must have been more here than indicated.

I don't consider this incident medieval, I consider it Jeffersonian thinking at its finest (let the community decide what is and is not acceptable to its citizens) and a fine example of capitalism as well (businesses that fail to consider the ethics and morals of their communities will fail themselves). Survival of the fittest as Darwin-followers would say.

At the time the city was over 50% Roman. And I do think that
bishops had that kind of power at one time. However, even in
the 1950's is was somewhat outdated. Fear, perhaps, on the
part of the congregations? This was pre-Vatican II and all.
But I think bishops had that power centuries back.
I like your thoughts on the Jeffersonian and capitalist
thinking. Thanks for your comments.

If the townsfolk stopped going to the theater because it offended their moral values they didn't need the bishops to tell them that it was a bad place. If they stopped going to the theater because they were afraid of the reaction of the church to their continued patronage of the theater then it is not Jeffersonian democracy but theocracy.

I agree. But I think in past ages fear kept them obedient to
these bishops. Theocracy is the word all right.