Roman Catholic Diocese of Nicotera-Tropea

The former Italian Catholic diocese of Nicotera-Tropea, in Calabria, existed until 1986. In that year it was united into the diocese of Mileto, to form the diocese of Mileto-Nicotera-Tropea. It was a suffragan diocese of the archbishopric of Reggio di Calabria.[1][2]

Tropea Catehdral

History
Co-cathedral of the Assumption, Nicotera

Nicotera, the ancient Medama, is in the Province of Catanzaro; it was destroyed by the earthquake of 1783.

Its first known bishop was Proculus, to whom, with others, a letter of Pope Gregory I was written in 599; the bishop had been absent from his diocese for some time, doing penance for various crimes and misdemeanors.[3] In 596, Pope Gregory had written to the bishop of Vibo (Valentia) that the bishop of Nicotera had been ordered to do penance, and that the bishop of Vibo should appoint a priest to conduct a formal visitation of the diocese of Nicotera.[4] The pope also wrote in 599, to the subdeacon Sabinus, his Regionarius, that Bishop Proculus, having done his penance, had returned.[5]

The Diatyposis of the Emperor Leo VI (c. 900) lists the Greek Metropolitan of Reggio and his suffragans: the dioceses of Vibona, Tauriana, Locri, Rossano, Squillace, Tropea, Amantea, Cotrone, Cosenza, Nicotera, Bisignano, Nicastro and Cassano.[6]

In 1304, Nicotera was deprived of its bishopric, because of the murder of its bishop, and the cathedral was reduced to the status of a parish church.[7] Its diocesan territory was handed over to the diocese of Mileto.[8] On 16 August 1392, Pope Boniface IX issued a bull which reestablished the diocese of Nicotera.[9]

In 1565, Archbishop Gaspare del Fosso held a provincial synod in Reggio. Among the suffragans in attendance was Bishop Giulio Cesare de Gennaro (1542–1573) of Nicotera.[10]

Under Bishop Luca Antonio Resta (1578–1582), the diocese of Nicotera held its first diocesan synod.[11]

In 1638, under Bishop Carlo Pinto (1616–1644), the city was pillaged by the Ottoman Turks.[12]

Bishop Pinto, however, held a diocesan synod. Bishop Antonio Mansi (1703–1713) held a diocesan synod. In 1772, Bishop Francesco Franco (1745–1777) presided over a diocesan synod.[13]

The seminary of the diocese of Nicotera was established by Bishop Ercole Coppola (1651–1658)[14]

Bishop Domenico Taccone-Gallucci (1889-1908) was a distinguished researcher, author, and historian of the churches of Calabria.

Post-Napoleonic restoration

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 most Church property and resources, it was imperative that Pope Pius VII and King Ferdinand IV reach agreement on restoration and restitution. Ferdinand, however, was not prepared to accept the pre-Napoleonic situation, in which Naples was a feudal subject of the papacy. Neither was he prepared to accept the large number of small dioceses in his kingdom; following French intentions, he demanded the suppression of fifty dioceses.[15] Lengthy, detailed, and acrimonious negotiations ensued.[16] On 17 July 1816, King Ferdinand issued a decree, in which he forbade the reception of any papal document, including without prior reception of the royal exequatur. This meant that prelates could not receive bulls of appointment, consecration, or installation without the king's permission.[17]

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.[18] The re-erection of the dioceses of the kingdom and the ecclesiastical provinces took more than three years. The right of the king to nominate the candidate for a vacant bishopric was recognized, as in the Concordat of 1741, subject to papal confirmation (preconisation).[19] On 27 June 1818, Pius VII issued the bull De Ulteriore in which the metropolitan archdiocese of Reggio Calabria was restored, and among its suffragans were included the dioceses of Nicotera and Tropea.[20] The dioceses of Nicotera and Tropea, however, were united aeque personaliter, with the bishop of the two separate dioceses to reside in Tropea.[21]

Diocesan reorganization

The Second Vatican Council (1962–1965), in order to ensure that all Catholics received proper spiritual attention, decreed the reorganization of the diocesan structure of Italy and the consolidation of small and struggling dioceses. It also recommended the abolition of anomalous units such as exempt territorial prelatures.[22] These considerations applied to Mileto and to Nicotero e Tropea.

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. Instead, 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 dioceses of Mileto, Nicotero and Tropea be merged into one diocese with one bishop, with the Latin title Dioecesis Miletensis-Nicotriensis-Tropiensis. The seat of the diocese was to be in Mileto, and the cathedral of Mileto was to serve as the cathedral of the merged dioceses. The cathedrals in Nicotero and Tropea were to become co-cathedrals, and the cathedral Chapters were each to be a Capitulum Concathedralis. There was to be only one diocesan Tribunal, in Mileto, 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 former dioceses of Mileto, Nicotero and Tropea.[23]

Bishops of Nicotera

Erected: 6th Century
Latin Name: Nicotriensis
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Reggio Calabria

to 1500
  • Proclus (attested 596)[24]
...
  • Sergius (attested 787)[25]
...
  • Caesareus (attested 884)[26]
...
  • Pellegrinus (attested 1173)[27]
...
  • [Anonymous] (attested 1304)[28]
Diocese suppressed (1304–1392)
  • Jacobus d'Ursa da S. Angelo (attested 1392–1405)[29]
  • Petrus (attested c. 1415)
  • Clemente da Napoli, O.Carm. (1415–1423)[30]
  • Floridassius Suprandus (Seriprando) (1423–1443/1444)[31]
  • Giovanni (1444–1452)[32]
  • Francesco Brancia, O.Cist. (14 Jun 1452–c.1479)[33]
Pietro Barbo (1462)[34]
  • Nicolaus Guidiccioni (1479–1487)[35]
  • Antonius Sicardus (Lucido) (1487–1490)[36]
  • Arduino Pantaleoni (1490–c.1517)[37]

1500 to 1818
Giulio Cesare Gennaro (1517–1523?) Administrator[38]
Giulio Cesare Gennaro (1523– ? ) Bishop-elect[39]
Andrea della Valle ( ? –1528?)[40]
Pompeo Colonna (1528–1530) Administrator[41]
  • Princivalle Gennaro (1530–1539)[42]
  • Camillo Gennaro (1539–1542)[43]
  • Giulio Cesare de Gennaro (1542–1573)[44]
  • Leonardo Liparola (1573–1578)[45]
  • Luca Antonio Resta (1578–1582)[46]
  • Ottaviano Capece (21 May 1582 – 1616 Died)
  • Carlo Pinto (1616 Succeeded – 26 Jul 1644 Died)
  • Camillo Baldi (1645–1650)[47]
  • Lodovico Centofiorini (2 May 1650 – 1651 Died)
  • Ercole Coppola (22 May 1651 – 1658 Died)
  • Francesco Cribario (6 May 1658 – 3 Mar 1667 Died)
  • Giovanni Francesco Biancolella (22 Aug 1667 – 5 Feb 1669 Died)
  • Francesco Arrigua, O.M. (6 Oct 1670 – 12 Nov 1690 Died)
  • Bartolomeo Riberi, O. de M. (12 Nov 1691 – 8 Dec 1702 Died)
  • Antonio Manso, O.M. (1 Oct 1703 – Nov 1713 Died)
  • Gennaro Mattei, O.M. (10 Jan 1718 – 25 Jan 1725 Died)
  • Alberto Gualtieri, O.F.M. Disc. (21 Feb 1725 – Oct 1726 Died)
  • Paolo Collia, O.M. (23 Dec 1726 – 27 Jul 1735 Died)
  • Francesco De Novellis (2 Dec 1735 – 27 Jan 1738 Appointed, Bishop of Sarno)
  • Eustachius Entreri, O.M. (3 Mar 1738 – 11 Mar 1745 Died)
  • Francesco Franco (10 May 1745 – 20 Apr 1777 Died)
  • Francesco Antonio Attaffi (23 Jun 1777 – 4 Mar 1784 Died)
  • Giuseppe Marra (27 Feb 1792 Confirmed – 16 Jan 1816 Died)

Bishops of Nicotera e Tropea

United: 27 June 1818 with the Diocese of Tropea
Latin Name: Nicotriensis et Tropiensis
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Reggio Calabria

  • Giovanni Battista Tomasuolo (21 Dec 1818 Confirmed - 21 Jun 1824 Resigned)
  • Nicola Antonio Montiglia (27 Sep 1824 Confirmed - 30 Nov 1826 Died)
  • Mariano Bianco (9 Apr 1827 Confirmed - 30 Sep 1831 Confirmed, Archbishop of Amalfi)
  • Michele Franchini (2 Jul 1832 Confirmed - 24 May 1854 Died)
  • Filippo de Simone (23 Mar 1855 Confirmed - 13 Dec 1889 Died)
  • Domenico Taccone-Gallucci (13 Dec 1889 Succeeded - 21 Jul 1908 Resigned)
  • Giuseppe Maria Leo (23 Jun 1909 - 17 Jan 1920 Appointed, Archbishop of Trani e Barletta e Nazareth e Bisceglie)
  • Felice Cribellati, F.D.P. (9 Jun 1921 - 1 Feb 1952 Died)
  • Agostino Saba (25 Aug 1953 - 16 Mar 1961 Appointed, Archbishop of Sassari)
  • Giuseppe Bonfigioli (29 Mar 1961 - 9 Nov 1963 Appointed, Coadjutor Archbishop of Siracusa)
  • Vincenzo De Chiara (11 Jul 1973 - 5 Mar 1979 Retired)
  • Domenico Tarcisio Cortese, O.F.M. (15 Jun 1979 - 30 Sep 1986 Appointed, Bishop of Mileto-Nicotera-Tropea)

30 September 1986 - Suppressed and United with the Diocese of Mileto to form the Diocese of Mileto-Nicotera-Tropea

See also

References
  1. "Diocese of Nicotera e Tropea" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved March 23, 2016
  2. "Diocese of Nicotera" GCatholic.org. Gabriel Chow. Retrieved February 14, 2016
  3. Taccone-Gallucci, Regesta, p. 33 no. xxix: "Pervenit ad Nos reverendissimum fratrem et coëpiscopum nostrum Proculum ita (quod dici grave est) Ecclesiae suae vel parochiarum causas et utilitates negligere, ut non solum res aliquas vel mancipia earum, sed etiam et ministeria apud diversos esse incaute patiatur."
  4. Kehr X, pp. 45-46, nos. 1–3.
  5. Taccone-Gallucci, Regesta, p. 33 no. xxviii: "Quare venerabilis frater noster Proculus Episcopus ab Ecclesia sua diu abfuerit, experientia tua non ignorat. Ad quam quoniam Deo propitio, habita nunc ut oportuit satisfactionis purgatione, reversus est."
  6. H. Gelzer, ed. (1890). Georgii Cyprii descripto orbis Romani: accedit Leonis imperatoris Diatyposis genuina adhuc inedita (in Greek and Latin). Leipzig: B.G. Teubner. p. 77, line 1632.
  7. Taccone-Gallucci also states, p. 362, that the cathedral became a collegiate church under the title of S. Maria de Romania.
  8. Taccone-Gallucci (1902), Regesta pontificum, p. 362; 188: "Sane praesentata Nobis ex parte tua petitio continebat, quod cum nonnulli laici de castro Nicoterae, Miletensis dioecesis...."
  9. Taccone-Gallucci (1902), Regesta pontificum, p. 217.
  10. Domenico Spanò Bolani, Storia di Reggio di Calabria Vol. 2 (Napoli: Del Fibreno 1857), p. 139. Taccone-Gallucci (1902), Regesta pontificum, p. 415.
  11. Taccone-Gallucci (1902), Regesta pontificum, p. 416.
  12. Taccone-Gallucci (1902), Regesta pontificum, p. 416.
  13. Taccone-Gallucci (1902), Regesta pontificum, p. 416.
  14. Taccone-Gallucci (1902), Regesta pontificum, p. 416.
  15. Francesco Scaduto (1887). Stato e chiesa nelle due Sicilie dai Normanni ai giorni nostri (in Italian). Palermo: A. Amenta. pp. 42–58, 74–78.
  16. F. Artaud de Montor, Histoire du Pape Pie VII (in French) Vol. II, second edition (Paris: Adrien Leclerc 1837), pp. 507-509.
  17. Vito Giliberti (1845), Polizia ecclesiastica del regno delle due Sicilie (in Italian), (Napoli: F. Azzolini), pp. 399-400.
  18. F. Torelli (1848), La chiave del concordato dell'anno 1818 I, second edition (Naples: Fibreno 1848), pp. 1-19.
  19. Torelli I, p. 9.
  20. Bullarii Romani Continuatio Tomus decimus quintus (Vol. 15) (Rome 1853), p. 58, § 19: "Ecclesia archiepiscopalis Rheginensis suffraganeas habebit episcopales ecclesias Hyeracensem, Bovensem, Oppidensem, Cathacensem, Cotronensem, Tropiensem, Nicoterensem, Squillacensem, Neocastrensem, et Cassanensem."
  21. Torelli I, pp. 117-118. Bullarii Romani Continuatio Tomus decimus quintus (Vol. 15) (Rome 1853), p. 59, § 19: "Episcopalem autem ecclesiam Nicoterensem, concathedralem declarantes, antedictae episcopali ecclesiae Tropiensi aeque princicipaliter perpetuo unimus atque aggregamus."
  22. In its decree Christus Dominus, section 22, it stated: "Concerning diocesan boundaries, therefore, this sacred synod decrees that, to the extent required by the good of souls, a fitting revision of diocesan boundaries be undertaken prudently and as soon as possible. This can be done by dividing dismembering or uniting them, or by changing their boundaries, or by determining a better place for the episcopal see or, finally, especially in the case of dioceses having larger cities, by providing them with a new internal organization.... At the same time the natural population units of people, together with the civil jurisdictions and social institutions that compose their organic structure, should be preserved as far as possible as units. For this reason, obviously, the territory of each diocese should be continuous."
  23. Acta Apostolicae Sedis 79 (Città del Vaticano 1987), pp. 744–746.
  24. Taccone-Gallucci (1902), Regesta pontificum, p. 415.
  25. Bishop Sergius was present at the Second Council of Nicaea in 787. J.D. Mansi (ed.), Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio, editio novissima, Tomus XIII (Florence: A. Zatta 1767), p. 543. Cappelletti XXI, p. 214. Ughelli IX, p. 413.
  26. Bishop Caesarius was killed by the Saracens in 884. Taccone-Gallucci (1902), Regesta pontificum, p. 316.
  27. Pellegrinus: Taccone-Gallucci (1902), Regesta pontificum, p. 362.
  28. In 1304, Nicotera was deprived of its bishopric, because of the murder of its bishop, and the cathedral was reduced to the status of a parish church. Taccone-Gallucci (1902), Regesta pontificum, p. 362.
  29. Taccone-Gallucci (1902), Regesta pontificum, p. 415. Eubel I, p. 366.
  30. Clemente was appointed bishop of Nicotera by Pope John XXIII. Eubel I, p. 366.
  31. Floridassius: Eubel I, p. 366; II, p. 203.
  32. Giovanni (Franciscus?), Giovanni De Brancha: Taccone-Gallucci (1902), Regesta pontificum, p. 415. Eubel I, p. 366; II, p. 203.
  33. Francesco Scattaretica had been a canon of the cathedral of Amalfi. Taccone-Gallucci (1902), Regesta pontificum, p. 415. Eubel II, p. 203.
  34. A Venetian, related to Pope Paul II (Barbo), Petrus was named Bishop of Tropea on 27 December 1465. Taccone-Gallucci (1902), Regesta pontificum, p. 415. Eubel II, pp. 203, note 1; 257.
  35. Guidiccioni had been Archdeacon of Lucca. Taccone-Gallucci (1902), Regesta pontificum, p. 415.
  36. Bishop Antonio was transferred to the diocese of Nicastro on 8 February 1490, by Pope Innocent VIII. Eubel II, pp. 201, 203.
  37. Arduinus Santaleoni had been a canon of the cathedral of Capua. He was appointed bishop of Nicotera on 8 February 1490 by Pope Innocent VIII. On 2 December 1517, at the age of 75, he was assigned a coadjutor bishop with right of succession, Giulio Cesare di Gennaro, by Pope Leo X. Eubel II, p. 203 with note 2; III, p. 258.
  38. Gennaro, a native of Naples, was only 19 years old at the time of his appointment, and could not expect to be consecrated a bishop until he was 27. When he resigned, he was still bishop-elect. Taccone-Gallucci (1902), Regesta pontificum, p. 415. Eube III, p. 258 with note 3.
  39. Taccone-Gallucci (1902), Regesta pontificum, p. 415, appears to assign the date of the beginning of his episcopacy to 1523, which would then also be the date of the death of Bishop Arduino Pantaleone.
  40. Eubel III, p. 258, note 4.
  41. Colonna was appointed Administrator by Pope Clement VII in the consistory of 30 October 1528. His administratorship ended upon the appointment of a new bishop on 5 December 1530. Eubel III, p. 258.
  42. Princivalle was the brother of Bishop-elect Giulio Cesare Gennaro. Taccone-Gallucci (1902), Regesta pontificum, p. 415. Eubel III, p. 258.
  43. Camillo was appointed bishop of Nicotera in the consistory of 12 December 1539. He died in 1542. Eubel III, p. 258.
  44. Giulio Cesare was the brother of Bishop Camillo. He was appointed bishop in the consistory of 15 March 1542 by Pope Paul III. He required a dispensation because he had earlier committed bigamy. He died early in 1573. Taccone-Gallucci (1902), Regesta pontificum, p. 415. Eubel III, p. 258.
  45. Liparola was appointed in the consistory of 30 Mar 1573, by Pope Gregory XIII. He died in 1578. Taccone-Gallucci (1902), Regesta pontificum, p. 415. Eubel III, p. 258.
  46. Resta was named bishop of Nicotera in the consistory of 11 August 1578. On 27 April 1582, Resta was appointed bishop Bishop of Andria by Pope Gregory XIII. Taccone-Gallucci (1902), Regesta pontificum, p. 415. Eubel III, p. 258.
  47. In Rome Baldi was a Procurator Causarum (prosecuting attorney), and an acquaintance of Pope Innocent X. He was appointed bishop of Nicotera in the consistory of 6 March 1645, by Pope Innocent. He died in 1650, and was buried in the cathedral of Nicotera. Ughelli IX, p. 416. David M. Cheney, Catholic-Hierarchy.org, "Bishop Camillo Baldi"; retrieved July 15, 2016.

Bibliography

Reference works for bishops

Studies

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