The Italian Catholic Diocese of Capaccio was an historic diocese in Campania. The title came to be used in the second half of the 12th century, when the bishops of Pesto (Paestum) were driven from their seat by the Norman invasion led by Duke Robert Guiscard, and the town of Pesto was sacked and burned. Bishop Leonardus (1159) appears to have been the first to use the title episcopus Caputaquensis.Kehr VIII, p. 368. In 1851 it became the Diocese of Capaccio and Vallo.Umberto Benigni, "Caputaquensis et Vallensis", in: The Catholic Encyclopedia Vol. 3 (New York 1913); retrieved: 20 September 2022. Since 1945 it has been the Roman Catholic Diocese of Vallo della Lucania.

History

Bishops of Pesto (Paestum) are known by the end of the sixth century.Lanzoni, pp. 322-323. All of the dioceses of Lucania, except Paestum, appear to have been fatally damaged by the appearance of the Arian Lombards at the end of the 6th century.Louis Duchesne (1905), "Les évêchés d'Italie et l'invasion lombarde," , in: Mélanges d'archéologie et d'histoire 25 (Paris: Fontemoing 1905), pp. 365-399, esp. 367 and 398-399. D'Avino, p. 133. Paestum was attacked in the early 10th century by the Saracens, who fortified the area of Agropoli, which had once been the citadel of the Greek colony and then the Roman colony of Paestum. The city was burned. The inhabitants fled into the mountains, where they built the town that came to be called Capaccio.Cappelletti XX, p. 334. D'Avino, p. 132. The catastrophe is referred to by Pope Pius IX in his bull Cum Propter Justitiae Dilectione of 16 July 1853 (Ebner, p. 314): "Hodierna enim Caputaquensis Civitas, postquam labente saeculo duodecimo vetus Caputaquium direptum atque ab hostibus penitus eversum fuit, licet protunus instaurari caepta sit, numquam tamen praesto habuit ea, quae pro episcopali residentia, atque decore opportuna, et necessaria esse debent omnino." In 1080, the town of Pesto was devastated by the Norman Duke Robert Guiscard, and nearly deserted.Kehr, p. 368.

Ecclesiastically, Pesto becomes associated with Capaccio by 967, when Pope John XIII wrote to "reverendissimo confratri nostro, Petro Paestano Episcopo, quae Caput-aquis dicitur.Ebner, p. 61.

The episcopal palace was in Capaccio, but the bishops also had residences in Sala, Novi, and Diano.Marchisano, in: D'Avino, p. 134, column 2. The episcopal palace at Diano, purchased and improved by Bishop Francesco Brancaccio, was dedicated in 1629.Volpi, pp. 147-148. In 1704, the bishop resided in S(c)ala, and pontificated in the church of S. Pietro.Ritzler and Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica V, p. 142, note 1.

In 1583, a diocesan synod was held, presided over by the Vicar General Silvio Galasso, in the absence of Bishop Lorenzo Belo, who was ill.Volpi, p. 122. Bishop Pedro de Mata (1611–1627) held a diocesan synod in 1617. Bishop Francesco Maria Brancaccio (1627–1635) held a diocesan synod in 1629.Volpi, p. 148. On 12–14 December 1649, Bishop Tommaso Carafa (1639–1664) presided at a diocesan synod held in Laurino.Synodus dioecesana Caputaquensis sub Thoma Carafa episcopo celebrata Roma: L. Grignani 1650.

The diocese of Capaccio had a seminary, located in Diano; and three episcopal colleges (high schools), in Novi Velia, Sicignano degli Alburni, and Capaccio.Marchisano, in: D'Avino, p. 134, column 2. Bishop Michele Barone (1835–1842) opened the school at Capaccio.

After Napoleon 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.

1818 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.F. Torelli (1848), La chiave del concordato dell'anno 1818 I, second edition (Naples: Fibreno 1848), pp. 1-19. 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).Torelli I, p. 9. On 27 June 1818, Pius VII issued the bull De Ulteriore, in which he reestablished the metropolitan archbishopric of Salerno, with five suffragan dioceses, including Capaccio.Bulliarii Romani Continuatio Tomus 25 (Rome 1853), p. 57, § 7: "Archiepiscopalis ecclesia Salernitana suffraganeas habebit episcopales ecclesias Caputaquensem, Policastrensem, Marsicensem, et Nuscanam; episcopalis vero Acernensis ecclesia ac dioecesis administrationem moderno ac prò tempore existenti archiepiscopo Salernitano...."

1853

The diocese, as it had grown over the centuries, had become extremely large in geographical extent, and, as the population grew as well, it became much more difficult to administer. In 1848, the inhabitants numbered some 182,000.Marchisano, in: D'Avino, p. 134, column 2. Discussions on dividing the diocese had already begun in the reign of Pope Gregory XVI,Ebner, p. 312. division of assets and relocation of facilities being of prime consideration. Progress was interrupted by the revolutions of 1848, and the deposition of the pope and creation of the Roman Republic. In addition, Bishop Gregorio Fistilli had resigned on 26 September 1848,Fistilli died in 1849. leaving the diocese of Capaccio without a bishop from 1848 to 1853.Cappelletti XX, p. 361. By April 1850, however, Pius IX was back in Rome, and by 1853 general agreement had been reached with Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies and with representatives of the communities in the diocese of Capaccio.Ebner, pp. 313-315. The king had given his exequatur on 24 August 1851. The diocese would be divided into two separate dioceses, one at Diano and the other at Vallo.

On 16 July 1853, Pius IX signed the bull "Cum propter justitiae dilectionem," establishing the diocese of "Caputaquensis et Vallensis" (Capaccio e Vallo). The new diocese was to be a suffragan of the archdiocese of Salerno.Ebner, p. 320: "Episcopalem porro Caputaquensem et Vallensem Ecclesiam haud secus ac antea, metropolitico jure Salernitano Archiepiscopatui subditam atque subjectam permanere...." The parish church of S. Pantaleone was elevated to the status of cathedral, and a Chapter was created consisting of two dignities (the Archdeacon and the Archpriest) and twelve canons, a Canon Theologus and a Canon Penitentiary, and six mansionarii.Ebner, p. 313. The bull "Cum propter" is printed in full by Ebner, pp. 314-321.

Bishops

Latin Name: Caputaquensis

1159 to 1500

Leonardus (1159)Leonardus appears to have been the first to use the title episcopus Caputaquensis. Volpi, pp. 14-15. Kehr VIII, p. 368. Arnalfus (attested 1176, 1179)Bishop Arnaldus was sent by King William II of Sicily as legate to England in 1176. He attended the Third Lateran Council of Pope Alexander III in March 1179. He is listed among the bishops of the province of Salerno. J.D. Mansi (ed.), Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio, editio novissima, Tomus XXII (Venice: A.Zatta 1778), p. 460. Volpi, pp. 13-14; 16. Kehr VIII, p. 368. Michael (attested 1188)Michael: Kehr VIII, p. 368. N[ - - - ] (attested 1196)Pope Celestine III consecrated the church of S. Lorenzo in Lucina in Rome on 26 March 1196. He was assisted by a number of bishops, including the bishop of Capaccio. Volpi, pp. 16-17. Nicholas (1202– ? ) AdministratorArchbishop Nicholas of Salerno, driven into exile, was appointed administrator of the vacant see of Capaccio by Pope Innocent III on 12 June 1202. The administratorship was to last until Archbishop Nicholas was restored to Salerno, or until the pope provided otherwise. J.P. Migne (ed.), Patrolgiae Latinae Tomus CCXIV (Paris: Garnier 1890), p. 1033, no. LXIII. Eubel I, p. 165. Gilibertus (1209–after 1218)Giliberto was a canon of the cathedral of Capaccio, and abbot of S. Mari de Plano Sabine Orvinio). In October 1217, Bishop Giliberto granted the rental of a house in Capaccio to Giovanni Corbiserio. Pietro Pressuti, Regesta Honorii Papae III Vol. I (Roma: Typografia Vaticana 1888), p. 235, no. 1418. Mattei-Cerasoli (1919), p. 374. Eubel I, p. 265. Ebner, p. 57. ... Benvenuto Campore (1252- ? )Benvenuto was appointed by Pope Innocent IV on 7 October 1252. Volpi, p. 18, 48. Eubel I, p. 165. Petrus (1275-1286)Volpi, p. 51. Eubel I, p. 165. Gotbertus (1286–1294)Following the death of Bishop Peter, Pope Honorius IV, who had reserved the appointment of the next bishop of Capaccio for himself, transferred Bishop Gotbertus (Giberto) from the diocese of Agrigento on 23 August 1286. He was a Councilor of King Charles I and Keeper of the Seal. He may have been one of the Angevins driven from Sicily as a consequence of the Sicilian Vespers. He died in 1294. Maurice Prou, Les Registres d'Honorius IV (Paris: E. Thorin 1888), p. 434, no. 616. Volpi, pp. 51-54. Eubel I, p. 165. Giovanni della Porta (1294–1312)On 13 August 1311, Pope Clement V, having heard that Bishop Giovanni was suffering from an incurable disease which robbed him of mobility in his limbs, ordered the bishops of Naples and Stabiae to have the bishop of Capaccio choose a coadjutor, or, if he refused, to choose one for him. Regestum Clementis papae V, Year 6 (Romae: Typographia Vaticana 1887), p. 307, no. 7248. Eubel I, p. 165. Philippus de Santo Magno (1312–1338)The Chapter of Capaccio was unaware that Pope Clement V had placed a reservation on the bishopric while Bishop Giovanni was still alive, and they therefore proceeded to an election of his successor. They reached agreement, by the via compromissi, and elected Filippo de Santo Magno of Salerno. The bishop-elect's procurator and the nuncio of the Chapter travelled to Avignon, where the Pope voided the election. He then exercised his reservation, and provided (appointed) Bishop-elect Philippus to the post, in a bull dated 7 July 1312. Regestum Clementis papae V, Year 7 (Romae: Typographia Vaticana 1887), p. 194, no. 8417. Eubel I, p. 165. Sede vacante (July 1338–June 1341)An election by the cathedral Chapter of Capaccio took place following the death of Bishop Filippo. Two factions each elected a bishop, Petrus Baudeti, a cleric of Tulle, and Tommaso da Santo Magno of Salerno. When the matter was referred to the papal court in Avignon, on 30 November 1340 Pope Benedict XII appointed an Administrator of the diocese, Magister Arnulfo Marcellini, the Vice-Rector of Benevento. J.M. Vidal, Benoît XII: Lettres communes Tome II (Paris: Fontemoing 1910), p. 238, no. 7682. Tommaso da Santo Magno (1341–1382)Tommaso had been Archdeacon of Capaccio. He was elected bishop by the Chapter of the cathedral, in a disputed election against Petrus Baudeti, a cleric of the diocese of Tulle. The election of Tommaso was found to have been canonically conducted, and therefore Pope Benedict XII confirmed the election of Tommaso; the Bishop of Porto, Jean-Raymond de Comminges, was ordered to carry out his consecration. Tommaso died on 12 July 1382. J.M. Vidal, Benoît XII: Lettres communes Tome II (Paris: Fontemoing 1910), p. 316, no. 8421. Eubel I, p. 165 with note 3. Nicola Morini (1382–1385?) Avignon ObedienceNicholas was appointed by Pope Clement VII on 13 August 1382. Eubel I, p. 165. Giacomo, O.E.S.A. (1382–1399) Roman ObedienceJacobus was provided (appointed) by Urban VI. Eubel I, p. 165. Giovanni Loar (1385– ? ) Avignon Obedience Riccardo ( ? –1391) Avignon Obedience