The Diocese of San Marco Argentano-Scalea () 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.Kamp, p. 823, note 4. It is now a suffragan in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Cosenza-Bisignano."Diocese of San Marco Argentano-Scalea" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved February 29, 2016.""Diocese of San Marco Argentano-Scalea" GCatholic.org. Gabriel Chow. Retrieved February 29, 2016.
History The historical Diocese of San Marco was created in the twelfth century,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. out of the remains of the diocese of Malvito.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. 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.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.
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.J-D. Mansi (ed.), Sacrorum conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio, editio novissima (Venice 1778), pp. 214 and 459. Kamp. p. 823 note 5.
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.August Potthast, II (Berlin: Decker 1875), p. 1695, no. 21023. In other words, Pope Gregory was the immediate ecclesiastical superior, with no other authority intervening, not even a metropolitan archbishop.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.
The seminary of San Marco was established by Bishop Giovanni Antonio Grignetti (1578–1585), in accordance with the decrees of the Council of Trent.Taccone-Gallucci, p. 391. The new seminary buildings were built by Bishop Greco in the nineteenth century.D'Avino, p. 74. 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.D'Avino, p. 70 column 2.
In 1818, in accordance with the terms of the Concordat between the Holy See and the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies,Pius VII issued the Bull De utiliori on 27 July 1818: 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. 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.Luigi Tosti, Storia della Badia di Monte-Cassino Tomo II (Napoli 1842), pp. 5-6. Taccone-Gallucci, p. 321. In 1411 Pope Gregory XII sold Cetraro to King Ladislaus of Naples.
In 1912, the diocese contained 64 parishes, 256 priests, 110,000 inhabitants, some convents of religious, and a house of nuns.Umberto Benigno, in:
On February 13, 1919, congregations within the diocese were transferred to form the Eparchy of Lungro in the Italo-Albanian Catholic Church. On April 4, 1979, Bisignano passed to Cosenza and the Diocese was renamed to San Marco Argentano–Scalea. 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.
Cathedrals The Cathedral of Saint Nicholas in San Marco had a Chapter composed of six dignities and twelve Canons.Gauchat, IV, p. 231, note 1. Ritzler-Sefrin, VI, p. 275, note 1. 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.D'Avino, p. 70. The Chapter currently (2017) has six dignities (Dean, Primicerius, Theologian, Treasurer, Penitentiary, and Cantor), seven Canons, and four honorary Canons.Diocesi di San Marco Argentano–Scalea Capitolo Cattedrale, retrieved: 2017-03-05.
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.
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.D'Avino, p. 70 column 1.
The Diocese has a Minor Basilica, the Basilica of the Blessed Mary of Pettoruto in San Sosti, Cosenza, Calabria.
Bishops Diocese of San Marco (Argentano) Erected: before 1171 Latin Name: Sancti Marci Immediately Subject to the Holy See
to 1400
Ruben (attested 1171 – 1183)Ughelli, I, p. 877. Kehr, X, p. 88. Kamp, p. 823. Hunfredus (attested 1195 – 1199)Ughelli, IX, pp. 198-200; 344. Kamp, p. 824. Nicolaus (1205), Bishop-ElectNicholas was elected by September 1205. Kamp, p. 824. Ignotus (1216) Ignotus (1218) Andreas (attested November 1220 – September 1236)Ughelli, pp. 877–878. Kamp, pp. 825–826. Fabianus (18 July 1256 – ?)Eubel, I, p. 325. Francesco da Taverna, O.Min. ( ? )A document states that Francesco was Marbello's immediate predecessor: Taccone-Gallucci, p. 440. Marbellus (attested 29 August 1272 – July 1274)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. Sede vacante Pietro de Morano, O.Min. (April 1275? – ? )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 (21 January 1283 – 25 February 1286)Marcus was transferred to the diocese of Sorrento on 25 February 1286. Eubel, I, p. 325, 469. Manfredus (28 January 1287 – )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, O.Cist. (26 August 1323 – 1348)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. Bertucio de Citrano, O.Min. (3 October 1348 – 1349) Giovanni (18 May 1349 – 1374?)Giovanni had been a Canon of the Cathedral of Cassano. Eubel, I, p. 326. Nicolaus (30 October 1374 – )Nicolaus was transferred to S. Marco from the diocese of Umbriatico by Pope Gregory XI. Eubel, I, p. 326, 507. 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)Dominicus: Ughelli, p. 879.
1400–1600
Ma(i)nerius, O.S.B. (11 June 1400 – 1404) (Roman Obedience)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. Ludovicus Imbriacus, O.S.B.Casin. (17 March 1404 – 1435)Ludovico Embriaco-Brancaccio was a Neapolitan aristocrat. Ughelli, p. 879. Eubel, I, p. 326, with note 7. Antonio Calà (26 October 1435 – 11 February 1446)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 de Castro de Cola (11 February 1446 – 1483?)Goffridus had been Bishop of Martorano (1442–1446). Eubel, II, p. 135, 186. Rutilius Zenonis (26 January 1484 – 1514, resigned)Rutilius: Eubel, III, p. 234. Luigi de Amato (26 Jan 1515 – 1530 Died)"Bishop Luigi de Amato" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved September 25, 2016. Eubel, III, p. 234. 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)"Bishop Organtino Scaroli (Scazola)" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved March 21, 2016 Ippolito Bosco (16 Jun 1572 – 30 Jan 1576 Appointed Bishop of Foligno) Matteo Andrea Guerra (30 Jan 1576 – 1578 Died)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. 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)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. 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)
1600–1810