Roman Catholic Diocese of Ostuni

The Diocese of Ostuni (Latin: Dioecesis Ostunensis or Hostuniensis) was a Roman Catholic diocese located in the town of Ostuni in the province of Brindisi in the region of Apulia in southern Italy. The diocese was in existence by the mid-11th century. In 1818, the diocese was suppressed, and its ecclesiastical territory assigned to the Archdiocese of Brindisi.[1][2] In 1821, the diocese was revived, but the archbishops of Brindisi were made its perpetual administrator. From 1980 to 1986, Brindisi and Ostuni were suffragans of the ecclesiastical province of Lecce. In 1986, the diocese of Ostuni was completely suppressed and united to the archdiocese of Brindisi.

Cathedral of the Assumption, Ostuni

History

A bishop of Ostuni in 596, named Melatius, is reported by Pius Bonifacius Gams.[3] It has been shown by Francesco Lanzoni, however, that Melatius was a French bishop of "Rotumo", not a bishop of Ostuni.[4]

From 1250 to 1258, Ostuni belonged to the principate of Taranto, under Manfred, the son of Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor.[5]

A diocesan synod was held in Ostuni by Bishop Giulio Cesare Carafa in 1586.[6]

After the French

Following the extinction of the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy, the Congress of Vienna authorized the restoration of the Papal States and the Kingdom of Naples. Since the French occupation had seen the abolition of many Church institutions in the Kingdom, as well as the confiscation of much Church property and resources, it was imperative that Pope Pius VII and King Ferdinand IV reach agreement on restoration and restitution. Ferdinand demanded the suppression of fifty dioceses.[7]

A concordat was finally signed on 16 February 1818, and ratified by Pius VII on 25 February 1818. Ferdinand issued the concordat as a law on 21 March 1818.[8] On 27 June 1818, Pius VII issued the bull De Ulteriore, in which, the decision was made to suppress permanently the diocese of Ostuni, and to incorporate its territory into the diocese of Brindisi.[9]

The loss of their political status, as well as their bishop and their cathedral, pleased no one in Ostuni. A delegation of clergy and laity was immediately sent to Rome to complain to Pope Pius and to petition him to rescind the losses they had suffered because of "De Ulteriori'.[10] Impressed by their statements, Pius authorized consultations with the SC Consistorial and with the Commission for the Implementation of the Concordat, and other advisors. This led to the issue, on 14 May 1821, of the bull "Si Qua Prae Ceteris."[11] The bull cancelled all the arrangements since 1818 to suppress the diocese of Ostuni and subject its institutions to the diocese of Brindisi; it re-erected the diocese, the bishopric, the cathedral, and the cathedral Chapter of Ostuni. It appointed the archbishops of Brindisi to be the perpetual administrators of the diocese of Ostuni.[12]

New metropolitan archdiocese and suppression of others

In accordance with the decrees of the Second Vatican Council, the Episcopal Conference of Apulia petitioned the Holy See (Pope) that Lecce, which had seen a tremendous increase in population and had become the capital of an Italian civic province, be made a metropolitan and that a new ecclesiastical province be created. After wide consultations among all affected parties, Pope John Paul II issued a decree on 20 October 1980, elevating Lecce to the status of metropolitan see. He also created the new ecclesiastical province of Lecce, whose constituent bishoprics (suffragans) were to be: Brindisi (no longer a metropolitanate, though the archbishop allowed to retain the title of archbishop), Otranto (no longer a metropolitanate, though the archbishop allowed to retain the title of archbishop), Gallipoli, Nardò, Ostuni, and Uxentina-S. Mariae Leucadensis (Ugento).[13]

Diocesan Reorganization

Following the Second Vatican Council, and in accordance with the norms laid out in the council's decree, Christus Dominus chapter 40,[14] Pope Paul VI ordered a reorganization of the ecclesiastical provinces in southern Italy. Pope Paul VI ordered consultations among the members of the Congregation of Bishops in the Vatican Curia, the Italian Bishops Conference, and the various dioceses concerned.

On 18 February 1984, the Vatican and the Italian State signed a new and revised concordat. Based on the revisions, a set of Normae was issued on 15 November 1984, which was accompanied in the next year, on 3 June 1985, by enabling legislation. According to the agreement, the practice of having one bishop govern two separate dioceses at the same time, aeque personaliter, was abolished. The Vatican continued consultations which had begun under Pope John XXIII for the merging of small dioceses, especially those with personnel and financial problems, into one combined diocese.

On 30 September 1986, Pope John Paul II ordered that the archdiocese of Brindisi and the diocese of Ostuni merged into one diocese with one bishop, with the Latin title Archidioecesis Brundusina-Ostunensis. The seat of the diocese was to be in Brindisi, and its cathedral was to serve as the cathedral of the merged diocese. The cathedral in Ostuni was to have the honorary titles of "co-cathedral"; the cathedral Chapter was to be a Capitulum Concathedralis. There was to be only one diocesan Tribunal, in Brindisi, and likewise one seminary, one College of Consultors, and one Priests' Council. The territory of the new diocese was to include the territory of the suppressed dioceses of Ostuni.[15]

Bishops of Ostuni

Erected: 11th Century
Latin Name: Ostunensis
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Brindisi (until 1980), then Lecce.

to 1370
  • Deodatus (Datto) (attested 1059, 1098)[16]
...
  • Robertus (attested 1120? – 1137)[17]
...
  • Joannes Mammuni (attested 1140 – 1160)[18]
  • Petrus (attested 1169)[19]
...
  • Maroldus (attested 1182 – 1185)[20]
  • Ursileo (attested 1188 – 1208)[21]
...
  • Raynaldus (attested 1217)[22]
  • Thaddeus (attested 1220 – 1225)[23]
...
  • Petrus de Sabastiano (attested 1236 – 1267)[24]
Sede vacante (attested 1272 – 1274)[25]
  • Robertus (attested 1275 – 1297)[26]
...
  • Nicolaus (attested 1306)
  • Philippus
  • Aegidius de Altrachia, O.P. (1329 – 1336)[27]
  • Francesco Cavalleri (1337 – 1362)[28]
  • Pietro Calici, O.P. (1362 – 1370)

1370 to 1818
  • Hugo da Scuria, O.Min. (1370 – 1374)
  • Bartolommeo Mezzavacca (1374 – 1378)[29]
  • Nicolaus de Severola, O.Min. (1380 – ? ) Avignon Obedience
  • Joannes Picolbassis (c. 1380 – 1383) Roman Obedience[30]
  • Joannes (1383 – 1412) Roman Obedience"[31]
  • Antonio Palucci, O.Min. (1413 – 1423?) "Pisan Obedience"[32]
  • Joannes de Pede (1423 – 1437)[33]
  • Nicolaus de Arpono (1437 – 1470)[34]
  • Bartholomaeus Antonii (1470 – 1478)[35]
  • Francesco Spalluci (1478 – 1484)[36]
  • Carlo Gualandi (1484 – 1498)[37]
  • Francesco Riccardi (1499 – 1504) Bishop-elect[38]
Ascanio Sforza (1504 –1505) Perpetual Administrator[39]
Sede vacante ? (1505 – 1509)[40]
  • Corrado Caracciolo (1509 – 1517)[41]
  • Giovanni Antonio Ruggieri (1517 – 1530)[42]
  • Pietro Bovio (1530 – 1557)[43]
  • Giovanni Carlo Bovio (1557 – 1564)[44]
  • Vincenzo Cornelio Cajetani (1564 – 1578)[45]
  • Giulio Cesare Carafa (1578 – 1603 Died)[46]
  • Giovanni Domenico d'Ettore (1604 – 1606 Died).[47]
  • Vincenzo Meligne (1606 – 1639)[48]
  • Fabio Magnesi (1640 – 1659)[49]
  • Carlo Personè (1660 – 1678)[50]
  • Benedetto Milazzi (10 Apr 1679 – Nov 1706)[51]
  • Bisanzio Fili (11 Apr 1707 – Apr 1720)[52]
  • Conus Luchini dal Verme (16 Dec 1720 – 12 Apr 1747)[53]
  • Francesco Antonio Scoppa (15 May 1747 – 25 Feb 1782)[54]
  • Giovanni Battista Brancaccio (1792 – 1794)[55]
[Dionysio Izzo (1797)][56]
Sede vacante (1794 – 1818)[57]


27 June 1818: diocese of Ostuni suppressed, and its territory assigned to the Archdiocese of Brindisi.
14 May 1821: diocese of Ostuni restored, but assigned to the Archdiocese of Brindisi in perpetual administration

See also

References
  1. "Diocese of Ostuni" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved February 29, 2016
  2. "Diocese of Ostuni" GCatholic.org. Gabriel Chow. Retrieved February 29, 2016
  3. Gams, p. 910 column 1.
  4. Lanzoni (1927), Le diocesi d'Italia dalle origini al principio del secolo VII (an. 604), (in Italian), (Faenza: F. Lega), p. 318: "nel Registrum Gregorii, a cui pare ci richiami l'an. 596, si trova nel 601 {J-L, 1831) un « Melantio Rotumo » o Rotumensi e Rotomagensi, evidentemente un vescovo gallo, non di Hostunum."
  5. Kamp, p. 681.
  6. Constitutiones editae in dioecesana synodo Hostuneensi. Anno Domini 1586. (in Latin). Romae: apud Iacobum Ruffinellum, 1588.
  7. Francesco Scaduto (1887). Stato e chiesa nelle due Sicilie dai Normanni ai giorni nostri (in Italian). Palermo: A. Amenta. pp. 42–58, 74–78.
  8. F. Torelli (1848), La chiave del concordato dell'anno 1818 I, second edition (Naples: Fibreno 1848), pp. 1-19.
  9. Pius VII, Bullarii Romani Continuatio Tomus 25 (Rome 1853), p. 58 § 15: "Archiepiscopalis ecclesia Brundusina nullam habebit suffraganeam. Supprimendo tamen episcopalem ecclesiam Ostunensem illius civitatem ac dioecesim praedictae archiepiscopali ecclesiae Brundusinae in perpetuum adjungimus atque incorporamus."
  10. Collezione degli atti emanati dopo la pubblicazione del Concordato dell'anno 1819, Parte terza (1820 a 1825) (Napoli: De Turchini 1830), pp. 78-79: "Cum autem hujusmodi suppressione, et unione, ex eo tempore humiles et iteratae nobis a dilectis filiis modernis Capitulo, et Canonicis infrascriptae Collegiatae Ecclesiae, nec non Clero etiam per deputatos ad urbem mossos, nec non Communitate, et hominibus Civitatis Ostunensis delatae sint preces, quibus iidem reintegrationem Episcopalis illius Cathedrae sub eodem saltem Antistite, qui territorio nuper suppressae Dioecesis preest, incenso studio postularunt...'"
  11. Collezione degli atti ... Vol. 3, pp. 76-90. Pepe, pp. 189-194.
  12. Collezione degli atti ... Vol. 3, p. 81: "... restituimus, reponimus, et plenarie reintegramus, Illamque quatenus opus sit, Ostunensem Episcopalem nuncupandam Ecclesiam cum sua congrua donatione et in ea sedem Episcopalem cathedram et dignitatem, ita tamen, ut hujusmodi de novo ut infra erigenda et instituenda Episcopalis Ecclesia et dioecesis ab uno eodemque tempore existente Archiepiscopo Brundusinensi, qui simul hujusce Episcopalis Ecclesiae Ostunensis perpetuus administrator existat, eidem Ecclesiae ejusaque civitati et Dioecesi Ostunensi praesit...."
  13. Acta Apostolicae Sedis 72 (Città del Vaticano 1980), pp. 1076-1077.
  14. Christus Dominus 40. Therefore, in order to accomplish these aims this sacred synod decrees as follows: 1) The boundaries of ecclesiastical provinces are to be submitted to an early review and the rights and privileges of metropolitans are to be defined by new and suitable norms. 2) As a general rule all dioceses and other territorial divisions that are by law equivalent to dioceses should be attached to an ecclesiastical province. Therefore dioceses which are now directly subject to the Apostolic See and which are not united to any other are either to be brought together to form a new ecclesiastical province, if that be possible, or else attached to that province which is nearer or more convenient. They are to be made subject to the metropolitan jurisdiction of the bishop, in keeping with the norms of the common law. 3) Wherever advantageous, ecclesiastical provinces should be grouped into ecclesiastical regions for the structure of which juridical provision is to be made.
  15. Acta Apostolicae Sedis 79 (Città del Vaticano 1987), pp. 668-670.
  16. Kehr IX, p. 404: "inde a saec. XI med. proprios episcopos habuisse videtur, quorum primus Deodatus chartae Eustasii Orietan. archiep. a. cr. 1059 datae (A. Gallo, ed. Codice diplomatico normanno di Aversa I 16 n. 11 ad a. 1098." A bishop of 'Stunensis' was present when Pope Alexander II consecrated the principal church at Montecassino on 1 October 1071: Leo Marsicanus, "Chronicon Casinensis", in: Monumenta Germaniae Historica Scriptorum Tomus VII (Hannover: Hahn 1846), p. 720, line 4. Pepe, p. 8.
  17. Robertus: Pepe, pp. 11-12.
  18. Joannes Mammuni: Pepe (1891), pp. 12-18.
  19. Petrus: Gams, p. 910, column 1. Pepe (1891), pp. 19-23. Kamp, p. 682, note 9.
  20. Maroldus: Pepe (1891), pp. 23-26. Kamp, p. 682.
  21. Ursileo (not Ursiolus): Pepe (1891), pp. 26-38. Kamp, pp. 682-684.
  22. Raynaldus: Kamp, p. 684.
  23. Thaddeus: Eubel I, p. 381. Kamp, p. 685.
  24. Petrus: Eubel I, p. 381. Kamp, pp. 685-687.
  25. Kamp, p. 687.
  26. Robbertus: Kamp, p. 687.
  27. While Bishop Petrus was still alive, Pope John XXII had interposed a reservation on the appointment of his successor. Perhaps unaware of this, the Chapter met and in disagreement chose two different bishops, Simon the Archdeacon of the Church of Ostuni and Angelo the Cantor in the same Church. Pope John rejected both candidates, and, on 19 July 1329, appointed the Franciscan priest, Aegidius de Altrachia. G. Mollat, Jean XXII. Lettres communes, Vol. 8, p. 327, no. 45770. Eubel I, p. 381.
  28. In another contested election following the death of Bishop Aegidius, Francesco Cavalleri and Francesco de Vena of Teramo were both chosen. The election was voided, and Pope Benedict XII appointed Francesco Cavalleri on 24 March 1337. Benoît XII. Lettres communes Tome 1 (Paris: Fontemoing 1903), p. 378, no. 4059. Eubel I, p. 381.
  29. Bishop Bartolommeo was transferred to the diocese of Rieti in 1378. Eubel I, pp. 381, 416.
  30. Giovanni was provided (appointed) by Urban VI. Eubel I, p. 381.
  31. This Giovanni was also provided (appointed) by Urban VI. Eubel I, p. 381.
  32. Bishop Antonio had been appointed by Pope John XXIII on 13 February 1413. Eubel I, p. 381.
  33. Giovanni was appointed bishop of Ostuni by Pope Martin V on 25 October 1423. On 25 February 1437, Bishop Giovanni was appointed Bishop of Cefalonia e Zante by Pope Eugenius IV; he made his arrangements to pay for his bulls on 25 February 1437. He died late in 1442 or at the beginning of 1443. Pepe, p. 65. Eubel, Hierarchia catholica I, p. 381; II, p. 125.
  34. Nicola di Arpone had been Archdeacon of Taranto. He constructed a great part of the cathedral church of Ostuni, but, due to continual shortage of funds, it was not completed until 1495. In the meantime, the bishop's throne was in the Chapel of S. Thomas the Apostle. In 1450, with his cooperation, the convent of the Carmelites was founded. His latest document was signed on 4 March 1470. Pepe, pp. 65-77. Eubel II, p. 208.
  35. Bartolommeo had been a Canon of S. Maria de Boiano in Valva. He was appointed bishop of Ostuni on 24 September 1470, by Pope Paul II. On 9 January 1471, the new bishop was presented with an ounce of gold by the cathedral Chapter. Pepe, pp. 77-78. Eubel II, p. 208.
  36. Spalluzzi: Pepe, pp. 78-80. Eubel II, p. 208.
  37. Gualandi died on 24 March 1498, while serving as Majordomo of Cardinal Ascanio Sforza. Pepe, pp. 80-82. Eubel II, p. 208, with note 2.
  38. Rizzardi (Riccardi) was a secretary of Cardinal Ascanio Sforza, and a protonotary apostolic. He was only 18 when appointed bishop, and required a dispensation. He did not visit Ostuni (Pepe: "Se ritenne il de Rizzardis l'ufficio di Segretario, è lecito credere per ciò solo ch ' egli non venne a governare la Chiesa di Ostuni." He was still only bishop-elect when named bishop of Pesaro on 27 March 1504. The actual administrator of the diocese was a Vicar General, Gerolamo de Aprilis of Aversa. Pepe, pp. 82-86. Eubel II, p. 265; III, p. 274.
  39. Cardinal Sforza was the brother of Ludovico "Il Moro" of Milan. He died in Rome on 28 May 1505. Pepe, pp. 86-87.
  40. Pepe (p. 87) remarks: "E noi perciò non troviamo altri documenti, e non sappiamo se nella Commenda perpetua vi sia stata successione alla morte di Ascanio, o se fu sede vacante. Certo è che non troviamo altro Vescovo, dopo il Commendatario, prima dell' anno 1509."
  41. Caracciolo was appointed bishop on 5 December 1509, but did not come to Ostuni immediately. He governed through a procurator and Vicar General, Canon Paolo Ferro. Bishop Corrado was in Rome for the Fifth Lateran Council of Pope Julius II in 1512. He finally arrived in Ostuni in January 1516. His successor was appointed on 11 May 1517. Pepe, pp. 87-91. Eubel III, p. 265.
  42. Ruggieri: Pepe, pp. 92-98. Eubel III, p. 265.
  43. Bovio held the degree of Doctor in utroque iure. He was appointed bishop of Ostuni by Pope Clement VII on 11 May 1517. In his senility, in 1545 Bovio was assigned a coadjutor bishop with the right to succeed him, his nephew Giancarlo Bovio. Pepe, pp. 98-102. Eubel III, p. 265.
  44. Bovio was born in Brindisi in 1522. He studied at the University of Bologna. He succeeded his uncle in the bishopric in 1557, though he had been governing the diocese since 1545. On 1 May 1558, he began a diocesan Visitation, discovering many clergy who had concubines, children, or adulterous relationships. From 1560 to 1563 he participated in the Council of Trent. On 21 June 1564, Bovio was appointed Archbishop of Brindisi by Pope Pius IV. He died in September 1570. Pepe, pp. 102-107. Eubel III, pp. 142, 265.
  45. During the Sede Vacante of June–October 1564, the diocese was administered by the Vicar Capitular, the Archdeacon Francesco Bisantizzi. On 25 October 1564, Caetani's bulls were signed by Pius IV, and on February 1565, he took his oath of fidelity to the King of Naples, Philip II of Spain. He died in 1578; his successor was appointed on 5 November 1578. Pepe, pp. 107-124. Eubel III, p. 265.
  46. Carafa was born in Naples, He held the degree of Doctor in utroque iure. He was appointed bishop on 5 November 1578, by Pope Gregory XIII. He died in 1603. Pepe, pp. 125-130. Eubel III, p. 265.
  47. D'Ettore was born in the town of Reggiano (San Marco). He was a doctor of theology, and had been the theologian of Archbishop Carlo Borromeo of Milan. He was named bishop of Ostuni on 28 January 1604, and took possession in April 1604. He proposed the erection of a seminary for priest training, after the archbishop of Brindisi asked for donations for his own seminary, in exchange for which he would reserve three positions for students from Ostuni. The bishop was unable to fulfill his desire, since he died in 1606, after only 22 months as bishop. Pepe, pp. 130-131. Gauchat, Hierarchia chatholic IV, p. 267 with note 2. David M. Cheney, "Bishop Giovanni Domenico d'Ettore" Catholic-Hierarchy.org; Retrieved March 21, 2016.
  48. Maligne was appointed bishop of Ostuni on 17 May 1606, and consecrated by Cardinal Roberto Bellarmine, S.J. on 28 May. He attempted to advance the idea of his predecessor for a seminary for clerics, but was also unable to raise the funds. He requested permission from the Congregation of the Council in Rome to open a school of humanities and music, which was approved on 25 September 1609. He was a noted discoverer of relics and miraculous objects. He died on 13 (or 15) September 1639. Pepe, pp. 131-141. Gauchat IV, p. 267 with note 3.
  49. Magnesi had previously been bishop of Trevico (1638–1640). He was transferred to Ostuni on 9 January 1640. He died in August 1659, and on 27 August the Chapter of the cathedral elected Abbot Ferdinando Bisantizzi as Vicar Capitular. Pepe, pp. 141-145. Gauchat IV, pp. 267, 346.
  50. Persone belonged to the family of the Barons of Cannole in the area of Otranto. He was appointed on 26 January 1660, by Pope Alexander VII, and took possession of the diocese in mid-May. He was firm in excommunicating nobles and officials who violated the rights of the church, including the second duke of Ostuni, Francesco Zevallos (1669). In 1663, he opened the new parish church of the Holy Spirit, which had been begun by Bishop Magnesi. He reconsecrated the cathedral on 28 September 1668. He died on 22 August 1678. Pepe, pp. 146-153. Gauchat IV, p. 267 with note 5.
  51. Milazzi belonged to a patrician family of Bisceglie. He Pepe, pp. 153-154. Ritzler & Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica V, p. 299 with note 3.
  52. Fili (Filo): Pepe, pp. 154-162. Ritzler & Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica V, p. 299 with note 4.
  53. Dal Verme: Pepe, pp. 162-167. Ritzler & Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica V, p. 299 with note 5.
  54. Scoppa: Pepe, pp. 167-186. Ritzler & Sefrin VI, p. 321 with note 2.
  55. Brancaccio was born in Torre del Greco in 1730. He held the degree of Doctor in utroque iure from the University of Naples (1758), and the degree of master of theology (Naples, 1791). He had been Vicar General of several dioceses. He was nominated bishop of Ostuni by King Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies on 16 November 1791, and approved by Pope Pius VI on 27 February 1792. He was consecrated in Rome on 4 March by Cardinal Zelada. He died on 15 October 1794. Pepe, pp. 186-188. Ritzler & Sefrin VI, p. 321 with note 3.
  56. Izzo was nominated by King Ferdinando I on 31 October 1797, but was not confirmed by Pius VI. Ritzler and Sefrin VI, p. 321, note 3 (on p. 392).
  57. Pepe, p. 189.

Bibliography

Reference for bishops

Studies

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