The Diocese of San Marco Argentano-Scalea (Latin: Dioecesis Sancti Marci Argentanensis-Scaleensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in Italy. Its episcopal see is Cosenza, Calabria. The diocese existed as the Diocese of San Marco since at least 1171, when the name of Bishop Ruben appears in a document.[1] It is now a suffragan in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Cosenza-Bisignano.[2][3]
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The historical Diocese of San Marco was created in the twelfth century,[4] out of the remains of the diocese of Malvito.[5] From its beginning, the diocese of San Marco was directly dependent on the Roman See, and was not (unlike Malvito) part of any metropolitan province.[6]
Bishop Ruben (Radulfus Melfensis) of San Marco was present at the III Lateran Council of 1179, signing last among the bishops directly dependent upon the Holy See.[7]
In April 1275, Pope Gregory X, who had completed the II Council of Lyon and was still in Lyon organizing the next Crusade, was impelled to issue a mandate to the Archbishop of Capua to investigate the situation of the Church of San Marco, which was involved in a contested episcopal election. The Pope's stated causa (reason for acting) was that the diocese was attached to the Roman Church, ad Romanam ecclesiam nullo medio spectare dignoscitur.[8] In other words, Pope Gregory was the immediate ecclesiastical superior, with no other authority intervening, not even a metropolitan archbishop.[9]
The seminary of San Marco was established by Bishop Giovanni Antonio Grignetti (1578–1585), in accordance with the decrees of the Council of Trent.[10] The new seminary buildings were built by Bishop Greco in the nineteenth century.[11] Up until the mid-eighteenth century, the seminaries were simple schools of grammar, practical mathematics, ecclesiastical computations, Christian doctrine (as prescribed by Roberto Bellarmine), and Gregorian chant.[12]
In 1818, in accordance with the terms of the Concordat between the Holy See and the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies,[13] the diocese of San Marco was combined with the diocese of Bisignano, becoming the diocese of San Marco e Bisignano and was ranked as immediately subject to the Holy See.[14] In 1834 the territory of Cetraro on the Tyrrhenian coast was added to the diocese of San Marco e Bisignano. Certraro had been founded as a monastery by Robert Guiscard and his wife Sigelgaita and given to the Monastery of Montecassino in 1086; its first abbot was Desiderius, who became Pope Victor III. Since Cetraro was too far distant from Montecassino for effective administration, the Benedictines of Montecassino had assigned the administration of Cetraro to the bishops of San Marco.[15] In 1411 Pope Gregory XII sold Cetraro to King Ladislaus of Naples.[16]
In 1912, the diocese contained 64 parishes, 256 priests, 110,000 inhabitants, some convents of religious, and a house of nuns.[17]
On February 13, 1919, congregations within the diocese were transferred to form the Eparchy of Lungro in the Italo-Albanian Catholic Church.[18] On April 4, 1979, Bisignano passed to Cosenza and the Diocese was renamed to San Marco Argentano–Scalea.[14] On January 30, 2001, the Archdiocese of Cosenza-Bisignano was elevated to a metropolitan see, with the Diocese of San Marco Argentano-Scalea as a suffragan.[19]
The Cathedral of Saint Nicholas in San Marco had a Chapter composed of six dignities and twelve Canons.[20] The dignities were: the Archdeacon, the Dean, the Cantor, the Treasurer, the Archpriest, and the Primicerius. One of the twelve Canons, called the Canon of S. Marco, was the Theologian of the Chapter.[21] The Chapter currently (2017) has six dignities (Dean, Primicerius, Theologian, Treasurer, Penitentiary, and Cantor), seven Canons, and four honorary Canons.[22]
The Cathedral of Bisignano, which was dedicated to the Bodily Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven, also had a Chapter. It was composed of eight dignities and twenty Canons. The dignities were: the Archdeacon, the Dean, the Cantor, the Treasurer, the Sub-Cantor (Succentor), the Archpriest, the Penitentiary, and the Theologian.[21]
There was only one Collegiate Church in both of the dioceses, Santa Maria del Popolo in Belvedere Marittimo. It had four dignities (Archdeacon, Archpriest, Dean and Treasurer). It was founded in 1608 and lasted only thirty years.[23]
The Diocese has a Minor Basilica, the Basilica of the Blessed Mary of Pettoruto in San Sosti, Cosenza, Calabria.[18]
Diocese of San Marco (Argentano)
Erected: before 1171
Latin Name: Sancti Marci
Immediately Subject to the Holy See
to 1400
- Ruben (attested 1171 – 1183)[24]
- Hunfredus (attested 1195 – 1199)[25]
- Nicolaus (1205), Bishop-Elect[26]
- Ignotus (1216)
- Ignotus (1218)
- Andreas (attested November 1220 – September 1236)[27]
- Fabianus (18 July 1256 – ?)[28]
- Francesco da Taverna, O.Min. ( ? )[29]
- Marbellus (attested 29 August 1272 – July 1274)[30]
- Sede vacante
- Pietro de Morano, O.Min. (April 1275? – ? )[31]
- Marcus (21 January 1283 – 25 February 1286)[32]
- Manfredus (28 January 1287 – )[33]
- Thomas, O.Cist. (26 August 1323 – 1348)[34]
- Bertucio de Citrano, O.Min. (3 October 1348 – 1349)
- Giovanni (18 May 1349 – 1374?)[35]
- Nicolaus (30 October 1374 – )[36]
- Petrus Roncella (24 October 1379 – ) (Avignon Obedience)
- Philippus de Legonio (?) (Roman Obedience)
- Tommaso Mari (c. 1397 – c. 1399)
- Dominicus de Sora (30 July 1399 – 1400)[37]
1400–1600
- Ma(i)nerius, O.S.B. (11 June 1400 – 1404) (Roman Obedience)[38]
- Ludovicus Imbriacus, O.S.B.Casin. (17 March 1404 – 1435)[39]
- Antonio Calà (26 October 1435 – 11 February 1446)[40]
- Goffridus de Castro de Cola (11 February 1446 – 1483?)[41]
- Rutilius Zenonis (26 January 1484 – 1514, resigned)[42]
- Luigi de Amato (26 Jan 1515 – 1530 Died)[43]
- Coriolanus de Martyranis (20 Jun 1530 – 1551 Died)
- Giovanni Antonio della Tolfa (15 Dec 1557 – 1562 Resigned)
- Pietro della Tolfa (17 Apr 1562 – Jul 1562 Died)
- Fabrizio Landriani (31 Aug 1562 – 1566 Died)
- Guglielmo Sirleto (6 Sep 1566 – 27 Feb 1568 Appointed Bishop of Squillace)
- Organtino Scaroli (Scazola) (1 Apr 1569 – 1572 Died)[44]
- Ippolito Bosco (16 Jun 1572 – 30 Jan 1576 Appointed Bishop of Foligno)
- Matteo Andrea Guerra (30 Jan 1576 – 1578 Died)[45]
- Giovanni Antonio Grignetta (2 Jun 1578 – 1585 Died)
- Marco Antonio del Tufo (10 May 1585 – 21 Oct 1585 Appointed Bishop of Mileto)
- Francesco Antonio D'Affitto (21 Oct 1585 – 1586 Died)[46]
- Antonio Migliori (13 Oct 1586 – 1591 Resigned)
- Ludovico Alferio (20 Mar 1591 – 26 Mar 1594 Died)
- Giovanni Girolamo Pisano (3 Oct 1594 – 6 Jun 1602 Died)[47]
Diocese of San Marco e Bisignano
United: 27 June 1818 with the Diocese of Bisignano
Latin Name: Sancti Marci et Bisinianensis
Immediately Subject to the Holy See
- Pasquale Mazzei (27 Sep 1819 Confirmed – 16 Feb 1823 Died)[63]
- Felice Greco (3 May 1824 Confirmed – 22 Feb 1840 Died)[64]
- Nicola Majerà Mariano Marsico (22 Jul 1842 Confirmed – 14 Oct 1846 Died)
- Livio Parlandore (Parladore; Parlatore) (28 Sep 1849 Confirmed – 19 Sep 1888 Died)
- Stanislao Maria de Luca (19 Sep 1888 Succeeded – 18 May 1894 Appointed Bishop of San Severo)
- Luigi Pugliese (5 Jun 1895 – 22 Jun 1896 Appointed Bishop of Ugento)
- Carlo Vincenzo Ricotta (22 Jun 1896 – 14 Jan 1909 Died)
- Salvatore Scanu (30 Jun 1909 – 22 Jan 1932 Died)
- Demetrio Moscato (24 Jun 1932 – 22 Jan 1945 Appointed Archbishop of Salerno)
- Michele Rateni (6 Jun 1945 – 7 Jul 1953 Died)
- Agostino Ernesto Castrillo, O.F.M. (17 Sep 1953 – 17 Oct 1955 Died)[65]
- Luigi Rinaldi (22 Feb 1956 – 1977 Retired)
The notion espoused by David M. Cheney, that San Marco was formed within the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Rossano is contrary to the evidence and to scholarly opinion, and cannot be maintained. In the Diatyposis of Leo the Wise (c. 900), an official list of episcopal Seats, the diocese of Rossano is entered as a suffragan of the Metropolitan of Reggio Calabria, both of whom are subordinate to the Patriarch of Constantinople (L. Duchesne, p. 9). In the Liber Censuum (c. 1192) Rossano is listed as a See dependent upon the Holy See, along with four other bishoprics in northern Calabria: Cassano, Bisignano, Cosenza, and Malvito. Bisignano, Cosenza and Malvito were suffragans of the Archbishop of Salerno. Paul Fabre, Le Liber Censuum de l'Église romaine I (Paris: Fontemoing 1905), p. 243 and 247. Malvito was not suffragan to Rossano. Louis Duchesne, Melanges Paul Favre, p. 14, points out that, if Rossano were an archdiocese, it was an autocephalous Greek archdiocese.
Kehr, p. 88. Kamp, p. 824 note 5. There was a long controversy as to whether San Marco immediately replaced Malvito, or whether Malvito continued on for a time after the establishment of San Marco. The former position is more favored by the current state of the evidence.
Kehr, X, p. 88, points out that Bishop Ruben, who attended the Lateran Council of 1179, was seated with the bishops immediately subject to the Holy See.
J-D. Mansi (ed.), Sacrorum conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio, editio novissima (Venice 1778), pp. 214 and 459. Kamp. p. 823 note 5.
August Potthast, Regesta pontificorum Romanorum, II (Berlin: Decker 1875), p. 1695, no. 21023.
It is claimed by Taccone-Gallucci, who publishes the text of the mandate at pp. 168-169 (wrongly dated to 1276), that San Marco had always been directly dependent upon the Holy See: pp. 326 and 350.
Taccone-Gallucci, p. 391.
Luigi Tosti, Storia della Badia di Monte-Cassino Tomo II (Napoli 1842), pp. 5-6. Taccone-Gallucci, p. 321. Luigi Mezzadri; Maurizio Tagliaferri; Elio Guerriero (2008). Le diocesi d'Italia (in Italian). Vol. 3. Cinisello Balsamo (Milano): San Paolo. p. 1117. ISBN 978-88-215-6172-6.
Gauchat, IV, p. 231, note 1. Ritzler-Sefrin, VI, p. 275, note 1.
Ughelli, I, p. 877. Kehr, X, p. 88. Kamp, p. 823.
Ughelli, IX, pp. 198-200; 344. Kamp, p. 824.
Nicholas was elected by September 1205. Kamp, p. 824.
Ughelli, pp. 877–878. Kamp, pp. 825–826.
A document states that Francesco was Marbello's immediate predecessor: Taccone-Gallucci, p. 440.
Marbellus had been a Canon of San Marco. Though elected in 1268 or 1269, he could not obtain bulls of consecration or installation during the long papal Sede Vacante of 1268–1271. Kamp, p. 827. Eubel, I, p. 325.
Pietro had been elected before April 1275, when Pope Gregory X issued a mandate to have the election examined. The examiner was the Archbishop of Capua, Marino Filomarino (1252–1285). The election may have been uncanonical or defective, since there were several candidates (the Archdeacon, the Treasurer and a Canon) and it was unclear how a successful election of a fourth party had been achieved. The Pope mentions that the Provincial of the Franciscans had given his support to the candidacy of Pietro. The Pope's letter was dated 7 April 1275, and therefore Pietro was only Bishop-elect.
Marcus was transferred to the diocese of Sorrento on 25 February 1286. Eubel, I, p. 325, 469.
Manfred had been a Canon of Cosentino. Eubel states that he had gone into exile. He became Apostolic Administrator of Bisaccia on 2 June 1291. Eubel, I, pp. 136, 326.
Thomas had been the Abbot of the monastery of S. Maria de Matina. His appointment to S. Marco was approved by Pope John XXII. Gams, p. 850. Eubel, I, p. 326. On S. Maria de Matina see: Kehr, X, pp. 89–92.
Giovanni had been a Canon of the Cathedral of Cassano. Eubel, I, p. 326.
Nicolaus was transferred to S. Marco from the diocese of Umbriatico by Pope Gregory XI. Eubel, I, p. 326, 507.
Dominicus: Ughelli, p. 879.
Mainerius had been Abbot of the Monastery of S. Sebastiano (Naples). He was offered the diocese of Nola on 15 February 1400, but he declined the appointment. He accepted S. Marco. Ughelli, p. 879. Eubel, I, p. 326, with note 6.
Ludovico Embriaco-Brancaccio was a Neapolitan aristocrat. Ughelli, p. 879. Eubel, I, p. 326, with note 7.
Antonio had been Canon of Rossano. Antonio was transferred to the diocese of Martorano on 11 February 1446. Ughelli, p. 879. Eubel, II, p. 135, 186.
Goffridus had been Bishop of Martorano (1442–1446). Eubel, II, p. 135, 186.
Rutilius: Eubel, III, p. 234.
Matteo was a priest of the diocese of Cosentino, and was a doctor of theology. He had previously been Bishop of Fondi (1567–1576). Eubel, III, pp. 200, 234.
D'Affitto had been Canon of Amalfi. He held the degree Doctor in utroque iure (Civil and Canon Law). He was Vicar of Amalfi for seven years. His funeral inscription states that he had been nominated Archbishop of Acerenza and Matera. Ughelli, p. 880-881. Eubel, III, p. 235, with note 10.
Bishop Indelli was a native of Monopoli. He was a Doctor in utroque iure (Civil and Canon Law), and held the office of Referendary of the Two Signatures in the Roman Curia. He was consecrated in Rome on 7 July 1624 by Cardinal Cosimo de Torres. Indelli held a diocesan synod in San Marco. Taccone-Gallucci, p. 392. Gauchat, IV, p. 231 with note 6.
Brusati: Gauchat, IV, p. 231 with note 8.
Papa was born in S. Nicolao vallis longae (diocese of Mileto) in 1627. He obtained the degree Doctor in utorque iure (Civil and Canon Law) from the Sapienza in Rome in 1649. Ritzler-Sefrin, V, p. 255 with note 3.
D'Alessandro was born in the town of Galatone (diocese of Nardò) in 1628. He was a Doctor of theology from the Sapienza in Rome (1656). Ritzler-Sefrin, V, p. 255 with note 4.
Carafa was appointed Bishop of Nola. He died on 6 January 1737. Ritzler-Sefrin, V, pp. 255 with note 5; 291 with note 5.
Sibilia: Ritzler-Sefrin, V, p. 255 with note 6.
Cavalieri: Ritzler-Sefrin, V, p. 255 with note 7.
Magno: Ritzler-Sefrin, V, p. 255 with note 8.
Sacchi was born in Motta S. Lucia (diocese of Marturano) in 1863. He obtained the degree of Doctor in utroque iure (Civil and Canon Law) at the Sapienza in Rome in 1710. He was named Vicar General of the diocese of Policastro and Rossano, and then of Albano. He was consecrated in Rome on 30 November 1745 by Cardinal Pierluigi Carafa. Ritzler-Sefrin, VI, p. 275 with note 3.
Brescia: Ritzler-Sefrin, VI, p. 275 with note 4.
Moncada: Ritzler-Sefrin, VI, p. 275 with note 5.
Coppola (Gerard Gaspar) was born in Altomonte (diocese of Cassano) in 1730. He became a Master in theology (1778); he lectured in philosophy and theology in various convents of his Order. He was Prior in several convents, and Prior General of the Dominican Province of Calabria. He was appointed by the King of Naples as Visitor of all the monastic institutions in Calabria. On 31 October 1797 he was nominated by the King to be Bishop of S. Marco, receiving papal approval on 18 December 1797. He was consecrated a bishop in Rome on 21 December 1797 by Cardinal Giuseppe Doria. He died in Altomonte on 7 February 1810. Ritzler-Sefrin, VI, p. 275 with note 6.
Greco was born in Catanzaro in 1775. He was a laureate in theology (Naples 1819). He served as Vicar Capitular and Dean of the Cathedral Chapter of Catanzaro. He was then Vicar of the diocese of Oppido. He was elected bishop of San Marco Argentano e Bisignano on 3 May 1824, and consecrated in Rome on 9 May by Cardinal Francesco Bertazzoli. He restored the façade of the cathedral and the episcopal palace of San Marco (1835), as well as that of Bisignano. He died in San Marco on 22 February 1840 and was interred in the Cathedral. His brother Ignacio was Bishop of Oppido (1819–1821). Leonardo Calabretta (2004). Le diocesi di Squillace e Catanzaro. Cardinali, arcivescovi e vescovi nati nelle due diocesi (in Italian). Cosenza: Pellegrini Editore. pp. 147–148. ISBN 978-88-8101-229-9. D'Avino, p. 72.
Diocesi di San Marco Argentano–Scalea, Ernesto Castrillo: La vita, retrieved: 2017-03-05. A more extensive biography can be viewed by clicking on the PDF file at the bottom of the diocese's page. The biography is part of a campaign to have the Bishop elevated to the rank of sainthood.
Reference works
- Gams, Pius Bonifatius (1873). Series episcoporum Ecclesiae catholicae: quotquot innotuerunt a beato Petro apostolo. Ratisbon: Typis et Sumptibus Georgii Josephi Manz. pp. 892–893. (Use with caution; obsolete)
- Eubel, Conradus, ed. (1913). Hierarchia catholica, Tomus 1 (second ed.). Münster: Libreria Regensbergiana. p. 377. (in Latin)
- Eubel, Conradus, ed. (1914). Hierarchia catholica, Tomus 2 (second ed.). Münster: Libreria Regensbergiana. p. 207.
- Eubel, Conradus (ed.); Gulik, Guilelmus (1923). Hierarchia catholica, Tomus 3 (second ed.). Münster: Libreria Regensbergiana. pp. 262–263.
- Gauchat, Patritius (Patrice) (1935). Hierarchia catholica IV (1592-1667). Münster: Libraria Regensbergiana. Retrieved 2016-07-06. p. 264.
- Ritzler, Remigius; Sefrin, Pirminus (1952). Hierarchia catholica medii et recentis aevi V (1667-1730). Patavii: Messagero di S. Antonio. Retrieved 2016-07-06. p. 297.
- Ritzler, Remigius; Sefrin, Pirminus (1958). Hierarchia catholica medii et recentis aevi VI (1730-1799). Patavii: Messagero di S. Antonio. Retrieved 2016-07-06. p. 318.
- Ritzler, Remigius; Sefrin, Pirminus (1968). Hierarchia Catholica medii et recentioris aevi sive summorum pontificum, S. R. E. cardinalium, ecclesiarum antistitum series... A pontificatu Pii PP. VII (1800) usque ad pontificatum Gregorii PP. XVI (1846) (in Latin). Vol. VII. Monasterii: Libr. Regensburgiana.
- Ritzler, Remigius; Pirminus Sefrin (1978). Hierarchia catholica Medii et recentioris aevi... A Pontificatu PII PP. IX (1846) usque ad Pontificatum Leonis PP. XIII (1903) (in Latin). Vol. VIII. Il Messaggero di S. Antonio.
- Pięta, Zenon (2002). Hierarchia catholica medii et recentioris aevi... A pontificatu Pii PP. X (1903) usque ad pontificatum Benedictii PP. XV (1922) (in Latin). Vol. IX. Padua: Messagero di San Antonio. ISBN 978-88-250-1000-8.
Studies
- Avino, Vincenzio d' (1848). Cenni storici sulle chiese arcivescovili, vescovili, e prelatizie (nullius) del regno delle due Sicilie (in Italian). Naples: dalle stampe di Ranucci. pp. 65–72.
- Cappelletti, Giuseppe (1870). Le chiese d'Italia: dalla loro origine sino ai nostri giorni (in Italian). Vol. vigesimo primo (21). Venezia: G. Antonelli. pp. 406–411.
- Cristofaro, Salvatore (1898). Cronistoria della città di S. Marco Argentano (in Italian). Cosenza: Raffaele Riccio.
- Duchesne, Louis (1902), "Les évèchés de Calabre," Mélanges Paul Fabre: études d'histoire du moyen âge (in French). Paris: A. Picard et fils. 1902. pp. 1–16.
- Kamp, Norbert (1975). Kirche und Monarchie im staufischen Königreich Sizilien: I. Prosopographische Grundlegung, Bistumer und Bistümer und Bischöfe des Konigreichs 1194–1266: 2. Apulien und Calabrien München: Wilhelm Fink 1975.
- Kehr, Paulus Fridolin (1975). Italia pontificia. Regesta pontificum Romanorum. Vol. X: Calabria–Insulae. Berlin: Weidmann. (in Latin)
- Taccone-Gallucci, Domenico (1902). Regesti dei Romani pontefici della Calabria (in Italian). Rome: Tip. Vaticana. p. 402.
- Ughelli, Ferdinando; Coleti, Niccolo (1721). Italia Sacra Sive De Episcopis Italiae, Et Insularum adiacentium (in Latin). Vol. Tomus primus (1). Venice: Antonio Coleti. pp. 876–882.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "San Marco and Bisignano". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
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