Roman Catholic Diocese of Mileto-Nicotera-Tropea

The Diocese of Mileto-Nicotera-Tropea (Latin: Dioecesis Miletensis-Nicotriensis-Tropiensis) is a Latin diocese of the Catholic Church in Calabria, southern Italy, created in 1986. In that year the historical Diocese of Mileto was united with the Diocese of Nicotera-Tropea. The diocese is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Reggio Calabria-Bova.^[1][2]

Diocese of Mileto-Nicotera-Tropea Dioecesis Miletensis-Nicotriensis-Tropiensis
Co-cathedral in Tropea
Location
Country	Italy
Ecclesiastical province	Reggio Calabria-Bova
Statistics
Area	943 km2 (364 sq mi)
Population - Total - Catholics	(as of 2013) 170,700 (est.) 155,900 (est.) (91.3%)
Parishes	132
Information
Denomination	Catholic Church
Rite	Roman Rite
Established	11th century
Cathedral	Cattedrale di Maria SS. Assunta in Cielo (Mileto)
Co-cathedral	Concattedrale di S. Maria Assunta (Nicotera) Concattedrale di Maria SS. di Romania (Tropea)
Secular priests	119 (diocesan) 19 (Religious Orders)
Current leadership
Pope	Francis
Bishop	Vacant
Bishops emeritus	Luigi Renzo
Map
Website
www.diocesimileto.it/

History

The town of Mileto was founded as a fortress by Roger I, Count of Sicily in 1058, and he resided there from time to time, dealing with the rebels of Calabria.^[3] It was Count Roger who petitioned the pope to create a diocese at Mileto.^[4] Mileto was made an episcopal see by Pope Gregory VII in 1073, who suppressed the diocese of Vibona permanently and transferred its territory and assets to Mileto.^[5] The Pope personally consecrated its first bishop, Arnolfo.^[6]

Pope Urban II visited Mileto in June 1091.^[7] On 3 October 1093, Urban II confirmed the privileges of the diocese of Mileto, and the suppression of the diocese of Tauriana^[8] and the diocese of Vibona.^[9]

Roger II, King of Sicily, was born and baptized in Mileto in 1095.^[10]

On 23 December 1121 Pope Callixtus II confirmed once again the union of the diocese of Mileto with the diocese of Tauriana and diocese of Vibona,^[11] the latter destroyed by the Saracens. He also granted the plea of Bishop Gaufredus that bishops of Mileto would continue in perpetuity to be consecrated by the Pope personally, as had been the case with his predecessors.

The earthquake of 1783 destroyed the cathedral, built by Count Roger, who also built the monastery of the Most Holy Trinity and St. Michael for Greek Basilian monks.

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.^[12] 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.^[13]

Bishops

Diocese of Mileto

Erected: 11th Century
Latin Name: Miletensis
Immediately Subject to the Holy See

from 1073 to 1500

• Arnolfo (1073–1077)^[14]
• Hiosphorus (1077–1090)^[15]
• Giraldus (attested 1093)^[16]
• Gaufridus (attested 1094)^[17]
• Eberardus (attested 1099)^[18]

Sede vacante (1104)^[19]

• Gaufridus (attested 1122)^[20]
• Reynaldus
• Anselmus (attested 1175 – 1181)^[21]

...

• Nicolaus (attested 1198 – 1200)^[22]
• Petrus (attested 1207 – 1213)^[23]
• Rogerius (attested 1216 – 1231)^[24]
• Rivibardus
• Jacobus, O.P.
• Dominicus (22 April 1252 – 1281)^[25]
• Deodatus, O.P. (25 September 1282 – 1286)
• Saba Malaspina (12 July 1286 – ? )^[26]
• Andreas, O.Cist. (1298–1312)
• Manfredus Gifoni (7 July 1312 – 5 November 1328)^[27]
• Goffredo Fazari (1329 – 1339?)
• Petrus de Valerianis (2 July 1348 – 1373)^[28]
• Tommaso de Buccamungellis (1373–1391)^[29]
• Henricus de Solana (19 September 1395 – ) Avignon Obedience^[30]
• Andreas d'Alagni ( ? –1402) Roman Obedience^[31]
• Corrado Caracciolo (2 Oct 1402 – 1411) Roman Obedience^[32]
• Astorgio Agnensi (18 September 1411 – 15 February 1413)^[33]
• Jacobus, O.Cist. (15 February 1413 – 1432?)^[34]
• Dominico (1432–1437)^[35]
• Antonio Sorbillo (26 Jul 1437 – 1463 Died)^[36]
• Cesare de Grieto, O.Cist. (1 October 1463 – 1473?)^[37]
• Narcisso de Verduno (25 June 1473 – 1476?)^[38]
• Antonio de Pazzi (26 February 1477 – 1480?)^[39]
• Giacomo della Rovere (18 Aug 1480 – 6 Mar 1504)^[40]

from 1500 to 1800

• Francesco Alidosi (6 Mar 1504 – 26 Mar 1505)^[41]
• Sisto Franciotto della Rovere (1505 – 23 Feb 1508)^[42]
• Andrea della Valle (23 Feb 1508 – 26 Nov 1523 Resigned)^[43]
• Quinzio Rustici (26 Nov 1523 – 1566 Died)^[44]
• Iñigo Avalos de Aragón, O.S. (19 Aug 1566 – 9 Feb 1573 Resigned)^[45]
• Giovan Mario de Alessandris (9 Feb 1573 – 1585 Died)^[46]
• Marco Antonio del Tufo (21 Oct 1585 – 1606 Died)^[47]
• Giambattista Leni (4 July 1608 – 3 August 1611)^[48]
• Cardinal Felice Centini, O.F.M. Conv. (31 August 1611 – 23 September 1613)^[49]
• Virgilio Cappone (13 Nov 1613 – 1631 Died)^[50]
• Maurizio Centini, O.F.M. Conv. (12 May 1631 – 14 Nov 1639 Died)^[51]
• Gregorio Panzani, C.O. (13 Aug 1640 – 25 Jun 1660 Died)^[52]
• Diego Castiglione Morelli (26 Jun 1662 – 17 May 1680 Died)^[53]
• Ottavio Paravicino (12 May 1681 – 26 Sep 1695 Died)^[54]
• Domenico Antonio Bernardini (18 Jun 1696 – Jan 1723 Died)^[55]
• Ercole Michele d'Aragona (12 May 1723 – 27 Sep 1734^[56]
• Marcello Filomarini (27 Sep 1734 – 13 Mar 1756 Died)^[57]
• Giuseppe Maria Carafa, C.R. (19 Jul 1756 – 10 Feb 1785 Resigned)^[58]
• Enrico Capece Minutolo, C.O. (18 Jun 1792 Confirmed – 6 May 1824 Died)^[59]

since 1800

• Vincenzo-Maria Armentano, O.P. (12 Jul 1824 Confirmed – 15 Aug 1846 Died)
• Filippo Mincione (12 Apr 1847 Confirmed – 29 Apr 1882 Died)
• Luigi Carvelli (3 Jul 1882 – 1 Jun 1888 Died)^[60]
• Antonio Maria de Lorenzo (11 Feb 1889 – 28 Nov 1898 Resigned)
• Giuseppe Moràbito (15 Dec 1898 – 4 Jul 1922 Resigned)
• Paolo Albera (9 May 1924 – 27 Oct 1943 Died)
• Enrico Nicodemo (22 Jan 1945 – 11 Nov 1952)^[61]
• Vincenzo De Chiara (30 Apr 1953 – 5 Mar 1979 Retired)
• Domenico Tarcisio Cortese, O.F.M. (15 Jun 1979 – 28 Jun 2007 Retired)

Diocese of Mileto-Nicotera-Tropea

30 September 1986: United with the suppressed Diocese of Nicotera e Tropea

• Luigi Renzo (28 Jun 2007 – 1 Jul 2021 Resigned)

See also

Roman Catholic Diocese of Tropea

References

1. "Diocese of Mileto–Nicotera–Tropea" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved March 23, 2016
2. "Diocese of Mileto–Nicotera–Tropea" GCatholic.org. Gabriel Chow. Retrieved February 14, 2016
3. Kehr, p. 136.
4. Gregory VII, Epistolae Book VII, no. 25.
5. Taccone-Gallucci, p. 44 (bull of Pope Gregory VII, 4 February 1081).
6. Kehr, p. 138, no. 3: letter of Gregory I, (4 February 1081): Taccone-Gallucci, p. 44, no. 43.
7. P. Jaffé -S. Loewenfeld, Regesta pontificum Romanorum Tomus I, editio altera (Leipzig: Veit 1885), p. 668 no. 5448.
8. For Tauriana, see: Lanzoni, pp. 334–336.
9. Jaffé -Loewenfeld, I, p. 672, no. 5489. Taccone-Gallucci, pp. 45–47. Lanzoni, p. 343.
10. Taccone-Gallucci, p. 325.
11. Taccone-Gallucci, pp. 61–62, no. LVIII. Jaffé-Loewenfeld, p. 802, no. 6839.
12. 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."
13. Acta Apostolicae Sedis 79 (Città del Vaticano 1987), pp. 744–746.
14. Arnolfo: Ughelli, I, p. 951. Cappelletti, p. 437. Taccone-Gallucci, pp. 40–41, 43.
15. Diosphoros: Ughelli, p. 951. Gams, p. 896. Taccone-Gallucci, p. 44.
16. Under Bishop Giraldus, on 3 October 1093, the See of Mileto became immediately subject to Rome. Taccone-Gallucci, p. 41, 44. Kehr, p. 139, no. 3.
17. See Kehr, p. 393 note.
18. Ebrard had the privileges of the Church of Mileto confirmed by Pope Paschal II on 26 September 1099. Kehr, p. 139, no. 6.
19. Pope Paschal II wrote to the Canons of the Cathedral of Mileto, ordering them to elect an appropriate bishop by Easter (April 23). Kehr, p. 139, no. 8.
20. Ughelli, pp. 951–952. Taccone-Gallucci, p. 45.
21. Bishop Anselm took part in the III Lateran Council in March 1179. Taccone-Gallucci, p. 45. Kamp, II, p. 817.
22. Nicolaus: Kamp, p. 818.
23. Petrus: Kamp, p. 818-819.
24. Taccone-Gallucci, p. 46. Kamp, pp. 819–820.
25. Kamp, pp. 821–822.
26. Sabas had been Dean of the Cathedral Chapter of Mileto. There was a contested election. Canon Hugues had been elected by the Chapter, but he declined the election. Sabas had been driven into exile at an earlier time and was serving as Administrator of the diocese of Larino. On 6 August 1289, Pope Nicholas IV wrote to the Papal Legate, the Bishop of Palestrina, to find a bishopric for Sabas. Eubel, I, p. 340 with note 3.
27. Manfred had been Dean of the Cathedral Chapter of Mileto. Eubel, I, p. 340, 341.
28. Pierre had been a Canon of the Church of Reims. Eubel, I, p. 341.
29. The appointment of a bishop of Mileto was reserved to the pope alone. A native of Salerno, Tommaso was a son of Riccardo Buccamungellis, a knight. Pope Gregory XI was anxious to have the position vacated by the death of Bishop Petrus, to be filled quickly, "Dicta igitur Ecclesia per obitum ipsius Petri Episcopi, qui extra Romanam Curiam diem clausit extremum vacante , Nos vacatione huiusmodi fide dignis relatibus intellecta , ad provisionem ipsius Ecclesiae celerem et felicem, de qua nullus praeter Nos hac vice se intromittere potuit neque potest, reservatione et decreto obsistentibus supradictis, ne Ecclesia ipsa longae vacationis subiaceret incommodis...." The bull of provision, dated 28 November 1373, is printed by: Domenico Taccone-Gallucci (1902), Regesti dei Romani pontefici della Calabria. (in Latin and Italian) Roma: Tip. Vaticana, 1902, pp. 210-212. According to his tomb inscription Bishop Tommaso died on 8 January 1391. Capialbi, pp. 32–33. Eubel, I, p. 341.
30. A native of Naples and a member of the nobility, De Solana held the degree of Doctor in utroque iure (Civil and Canon Law). In 1397 he obtained the legitimization of his nephew Beltrano. Capialbi, pp. 33-34.
31. Andreas was provided (appointed) by Pope Boniface IX (1389–1404. EubelI, p. 341
32. Caracciolo was the Chamberlain of Pope Boniface IX, and titular Archbishop of Nicosia (Cyprus) (1395–1402). He became a Cardinal on 12 June 1405, but continued as Administrator of the diocese of Mileto. He died on 15 February 1411. Eubel, I, pp. 26 no. 1; 341; 366.
33. Agnensi (Inglesius) was transferred to the diocese of Ravello on 15 February 1413 by John XXIII. Eubel, I, pp. 341, 414.
34. Jacobus had been the Abbot of the Cistercian monastery of S. Sebastiano alle Catacombe in Rome. Capialbi, p. 39. Eubel, I, p. 341;
35. Dominico: Capialbi, p. 41.
36. Sorbillo founded the seminary in 1440. Capialbi, pp. 41–43.
37. Capialbi, p. 44.
38. Narciso was a native of Catalonia. Capialbi, p. 45.
39. De' Pazzi was a Protonotary Apostolic, and had previously been Bishop of Sarno (1475–1477). Eubel, II, pp. 192, 230.
40. Della Rovere was a nephew of Pope Sixtus IV. In 1482, Ferdinand of Aragon had the income from the diocese of Mileto, its benefices and spoils, and the property of the Bishop, sequestered and assigned to Prospero Colonna, Count of Tagliacozzo. Della Rovere constructed a new sacristy for the Cathedral. He was appointed Bishop of Savona on 6 March 1504, and became a Cardinal in 1510. Capialbi, pp. 46–48.
41. Alidosi was Thesaurius Generalis S.R.E. He was appointed Bishop of Pavia on 26 March 1505. He died on 24 May 1511. Eubel, III, p. 244, 269.
42. Sixtus Franciotti della Rovere was appointed Bishop of Camerino, and then Bishop of Padua. Eubel, III, p. 149, 244.
43. "Andrea Cardinal Della Valle" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved May 16, 2016. Della Valle began his career as an Apostolic Scriptor. He was also a Canon of the Vatican Basilica. Della Valle had previously been Bishop of Cotrone (1496–1508). Eubel, II, p. 139; III, p. 244.
44. Rustici: Eubel, III, p. 244.
45. Avalos: Capialbi, pp. 54–56.
46. De Alessandris: Capialbi, pp. 56–57.
47. Del Tufo: Capialbi, pp. 58–61.
48. Leni had been a Referendary of the Two Signatures (a judge). Leni was appointed Bishop of Ferrara. Capialbi, pp. 61–62. Gauchat, Hierarchia catholica, IV, pp. 186, 242 with note 2.
49. Centini had been Procurator General of the Conventual Franciscans in the Roman Curia. He was named a Cardinal by Pope Paul V on 17 August 1611. He was appointed Bishop of Macerata e Tolentino on 23 September 1613. Capialbi, pp. 62–63. Gauchat, IV, pp. 12 no. 30; 227; 242 with note 3.
50. Cappone: Capialbi, pp. 63–67. Gauchat, IV, p. 242 with note 4.
51. "Bishop Maurizio Centini, O.F.M. Conv." Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved March 21, 2016. Centini later became a Cardinal. Capialbi, pp. 67–71. Gauchat, IV, p. 242 with note 5.
52. Panzani was charged with a mission to England by Pope Urban VIII. Taccone-Gallucci, pp. 53–54. Gauchat, IV, p. 242 with note 6. Umberto Benigni. "Diocese of Mileto." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 10. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911. Retrieved: 2016-10-11.
53. Morelli: Gauchat, IV, p. 242 with note 7.
54. Paravicini: Ritzler-Sefrin, V, p. 267 with note 3.
55. Bernardini: Ritzler-Sefrin, V, p. 267 with note 4.
56. Michele d'Aragona: He was appointed titular Archbishop of Perge (Turkey) on 26 September 1725 (which he held until his death). Appointed Bishop of Aversa on 27 September 1734. He died in Naples in July or August 1735. Ritzler-Sefrin, V, pp. 111 with note 3; 267 with note 5; 310 with note 2.
57. Filomarini: Ritzler-Sefrin, VI, p. 288 with note 2.
58. Carafa: Ritzler-Sefrin, VI, p. 288 with note 3.
59. Minutolo: Ritzler-Sefrin, VI, p. 288 with note 4.
60. Carvelli was a native of Policastro (diocese of Santa Severina). On 3 July 1882, in public Consistory, Pope Leo XIII appointed Carvelli to the diocese of Mileto.; he had previously been Bishop of the Marsi and Potenza. He took possession of the diocese by proxy on 10 June 1883, and in person on 27 August. Taccone-Gallucci La Chiesa cattedrale, pp. 75–77.
61. Nicodemo was appointed Archbishop of Bari (-Canosa).

Bibliography

Reference works

• Gams, Pius Bonifatius (1873). Series episcoporum Ecclesiae catholicae: quotquot innotuerunt a beato Petro apostolo. Ratisbon: Typis et Sumptibus Georgii Josephi Manz. p. 896-897; 906; 937-938. (Use with caution; obsolete)
• Eubel, Conradus, ed. (1913). Hierarchia catholica, Tomus 1 (second ed.). Münster: Libreria Regensbergiana. p. 340-341; 366; 500. (in Latin)
• Eubel, Conradus, ed. (1914). Hierarchia catholica, Tomus 2 (second ed.). Münster: Libreria Regensbergiana. p.  192; 203; 257.
• Eubel, Conradus; Gulik, Guilelmus (1923). Hierarchia catholica, Tomus 3 (second ed.). Münster: Libreria Regensbergiana. pp. 244, 258, 319–320.
• Gauchat, Patritius (Patrice) (1935). Hierarchia catholica IV (1592-1667). Münster: Libraria Regensbergiana. Retrieved 2016-07-06. p.  242; 260; 347.
• Ritzler, Remigius; Sefrin, Pirminus (1952). Hierarchia catholica medii et recentis aevi V (1667-1730). Patavii: Messagero di S. Antonio. Retrieved 2016-07-06. p.  267; 289-290; 392.
• Ritzler, Remigius; Sefrin, Pirminus (1958). Hierarchia catholica medii et recentis aevi VI (1730-1799). Patavii: Messagero di S. Antonio. Retrieved 2016-07-06. p.  288; 310-311; 419.
• 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. 511–515.
• Capialbi, Vito (1835). Memorie per servire alla Storia della Santa Chiesa Miletese Compilate da Vito Capialbi (in Italian). Napoli: Tipogr. Porcelli.
• Cappelletti, Giuseppe (1870). Le chiese d'Italia: dalla loro origine sino ai nostri giorni (in Italian). Vol. vigesimo primo (21). Venezia: G. Antonelli. pp. 437–440.
• Luzzi, Vincenzo Maria; Caprino, Nazzarino (1989). I vescovi di Mileto (in Italian). Mileto: Pro-Loco.
• 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 (1881). Monografia della città e diocesi di Mileto (in Italian). Napoli: tip. degli Accattoncelli.
• Ughelli, Ferdinando; Coleti, Nicolò (1717). Italia sacra: sive De episcopis Italiae et insularum adjacentium (in Latin). Vol. Tomus primus (second ed.). Venice: apud Sebastianum Coleti. pp. 942–961.

Acknowledgment

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Diocese of Mileto". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.

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