The Latin Catholic Diocese of Muro Lucano, in the southern Italian region of Basilicata, existed until 1986. In that year it was united into the archdiocese of Potenza-Muro Lucano-Marsico Nuovo.
History
Pope Leo IX (1049–1054), in naming the diocese of Conza a metropolitan archdiocese, confirmed that its suffragan dioceses were: Muro Lucano, Satriano, Monteverde, Lacedonia, S. Angelo de'Lombardi and Bisaccia.Kehr, Italia pontificia, p. 506.
The first Bishop of Muro Lucano of whom there is mention was Leo (1049). He was one of fifty-five bishops present in Rome on 2 May 1050, at the second Roman synod of Pope Leo IX.Kehr IX, p. 517. J.D. Mansi (ed.), Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio, editio novissima, Tomus 19 (Venice: A. Zatta 1774), p. 771.
On 5 June 1212, Pope Innocent III appointed a bishop of Muro Lucano, Monteguidonis, to carry out the deposition of the Bishop of Melfi.F. Ughelli Italia sacra I, pp. 926-927. Kehr IX, p. 516. Kamp, pp. 488-489, 761.
In 1248, a scandal developed in the diocese of Muro. When the previous bishop had died, the Archpriest and the Chapter of the cathedral of Muro elected Palermus, one of the canons, as the new bishop. This was done before the interdict was imposed on the Kingdom of Sicily in Spring 1248,Kamp, p. 763. and it canonically and by general agreement. But, following a mandate of the Emperor Frederick, who did not die until 13 December 1250,Frederick had been deposed, as far as Pope Innocent IV was concerned. a Tarentine cleric named Nicholas de Patrice intruded himself and had himself consecrated bishop. The bishop-elect Palermus would have had an appeal to the archbishop of Conza, who was the metropolitan of the ecclesiastical province, but the post was vacant at the time.A new archbishop was not appointed until 24 April 1254. Eubel I, p. 202. He therefore appealed directly to the pope. Pope Innocent, on 12 June 1253, addressed the situation in a letter to the archbishop of Trani, ordering him to investigate the election, and if he found it canonical, and Palermus to be suitable, he should confirm the election with papal authority and consecrate Palermus. Otherwise, the election was to be voided. Nicholas was to be removed.Élie Berger, Les registres d'Innocent IV Tome III (Paris: A. Fontemoing 1897), pp. 1247-1248, no. 6670.
Bishop Antonio of Mura (1376–1386) became a partisan of the Pope Clement VII of the Avignon obedience; he was therefore driven to seek refuge at Polsino by Charles III of Naples, who supported Pope Urban VI of the Roman Obedience in exchange for the pope's receiving his oath of fealty for Naples and Sicily. Pope Clement VII created the diocese of Bolsino or Polsino (called Buccino by D'Avino) for him, since the diocese of Muro, under the influence of king Charles III of Naples, had declared for Urban VI (Roman Obedience). Antonius was transferred there on 1 July 1386. He died shortly thereafter.Cappelletti XX, pp. 572-573. D'Avino, p. 419, no. 19.
On 27 July 1382, in the castle of Muro Lucano, on the orders of Charles III of Naples, the deposed and imprisoned Queen Joanna of Anjou was suffocated to death with pillows.Cappelletti XX, p. 571. Andreas Kiesewetter, "Giovanna I d'Angiò, regina di Sicilia," in: Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani Volume 55 (2001). Martuscelli (1896), pp. 73-78.
One bishop of Muro was the poet Gian Carlo Coppola (1643), who later became Bishop of Gallipoli, his native town; another, Alfonso Pacello (1674), was the founder of a congregation of priests for the care of the sick of the diocese. The see was suffragan of the archdiocese of Conza.Catholic Encyclopedia article
Bishop Giovanni Carlo Coppola (1643–1652) summoned a diocesan synod in 1645.Manfredo, Prima diocesana synodus..., p. 13. Bishop Domenico Antonio Manfredi (1724–1738) held a diocesan synod at Muro Lucano on 1–3 April 1728.Prima dioecesana synodus Murana ab illustriss. & reverendiss. patre, & domino Dominico-Antonio Manfredo episcopo, ss. d.n. Benedicti pp. 13. praesule domestico, pontificioque solio assistenti. Celebrata Muri in cathedrali basilica diebus 1. 2. & 3. Maji, 1728. praesulatus anno 4 (Benevento: Typographia Archiep. 1728). Bishop Vito Moio (1744–1767) presided at the tenth diocesan synod at Muro Lucano on 15 August 1746.Murana decima dioecesana synodus prima vero... ab Vito Mojo episcopo murano ... Muri in Cathedrali Basilica celebrata die 15 Augusti 1746. (Neapoli: typis Joannis De Simone, 1748). Bishop Tommaso Antonio Gigli, O.F.M. Conv. (1832–1858), held a diocesan synod in 1841.Martuscelli, p. 310.
Chapter and cathedral
The oldest cathedral was built on the citadel, immediately adjacent to the castle.Martuscelli (1896), pp. 328-329. Bishop Manfredi noted the existence of an inscription found on a stone which had been used in a step of the old high altar of the cathedral; it carried the date, in Roman numerals, 1009.The inscription was lost. Manfredo (1728), in: Prima dioecesana synodus Murana, pp. 271 and 361: "egli principalmente raccoglienansi da una inscrizione lapidaria, ch'era in un gradino del vecchio Altar Maggiore, come ci attestano testimonii di veduta, giacche la pietra non più si trova. From this report, he inferred that the cathedral was already in existence in 1009 or 1013. Marturelli is not sure of the inevitability of the deduction, and suggests that the building may have been older. Nor is it inevitable that the bishopric, the cathedral, and the Chapter were of the same exact date.Martuscelli (1896), p. 330: "A me pare però che la sua origine rimontasse ad epoca anteriore, in quanto che non è presumibile, pur ammettendo la esistenza della lapide suddetta di che, come altrove ho detto, è da dubitare, che siano surti contemporaneamente, nello stesso anno 1009 l' Episcopato, il Capitolo e il Duomo."
The original Chapter was composed of eleven persons: the five dignities (the Archdeacon, the Archpriest, the Primicerius, the Cantor, and the Treasurer) and six Canons. All the other priests of the city of Muro Lucano were "Capitularii"; they shared in the income of the cathedral, but did not enjoy the privileges of Canons.Manfredo, p. 272. On 29 November 1566, Bishop Filesio Cittadini suppressed two of the positions capitulary priests and converted them into canonries; on 18 October 1606, Bishop Tommaso Confetti (1606–1630), in accordance with the decrees of the Council of Trent, promoted two canons into dignities, the Canon Theological (the cathedral preacher) and the Canon Penitentiary. On 26 August 1645, Bishop Giancarlo Coppola reformed the system, and reduced the number of those enjoying income from the cathedral income to twenty-four. On 14 December 1676, Bishop Alfonso Pacelli converted two of the portionarii into canons; there were then to be five dignities, twelve canons, and seven portionarii.Manfredo, p. 271. Ritzler and Sefrin V, p. 277, note 1. Bishop Manfredo laid out in great detail the privileges and duties of each of the dignities and canons in an appendix to the Synodical Decrees on 1724.Prima dioecesana synodus Murana, pp. 271-292.
A modern cathedral building, dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, but now only a co-cathedral in the archdiocese of Potenza-Muro Lucano-Marsico Nuovo, was consecrated on 29 November 1888, by Bishop Raffaele Capone and Bishop Alfonso Maria Giordano of Teano e Calvi.Martuscelli, p. 351. On 23 November 1980, a severe earthquake destroyed the cathedral, the episcopal palace, the church of the Carmine, the church of the convent of the Capucines, and many other buildings in Muro Lucano.Basilicata: Potenza, Matera, il Pollino, la Magna Grecia, il Vulture, le coste tirrenica e jonica, Milano: Touring Club Italiano Editore 2004, p. 59.
Seminary The Council of Trent, in its 23rd session in 1562, decreed that each diocese, to the extent that it was feasible, should have a diocesan seminary for the training of priests.The Council of Trent The Twenty-Third Session The canons and decrees of the sacred and oecumenical Council of Trent, Ed. and trans. J. Waterworth (London: Dolman, 1848), 170-92. "...all cathedral, metropolitan, and other churches greater than these, shall be bound, each according to its means and the extent of the diocese, to maintain, to educate religiously, and to train in ecclesiastical discipline, a certain number of youths of their city and diocese, or, if that number cannot be met with there, of that province, in a college to be chosen by the bishop for this purpose near the said churches, or in some other suitable place." Bishop Filesio Cittadini (1562–1571) began raising funds for a new seminary in Muro, first, with a decree of 27 September 1565, establishing the project; and second, with the imposition of a tax on all ecclesiastical benefices of whatever sort to endow the institution. On 27 April 1568, he assigned to the seminary the benefices of S. Elia and Santa Croce, followed by those of S. Maria dell'Incoronata, S. Paolo, and S. Domenica. He added a tax of 25% of the income of S. Giovanni delle Monache and of S. Pietro in Aquilone. On 27 June 1675, Bishop Alfonso Pacella (1674–1702) added the benefices of S. Tommaso a Cerrutoli and S. Potito, and Bishop Domenico Antonio Manfredi (1724–1738) added four more. These provided salaries for priest-teachers and for the needs of the students.Martuscelli (1896), pp. 388-392; 403-405.
In his synod of 1728, Bishop Domenico Antonio Manfredi reported that the seminary had been founded next to the episcopal palace, in a building with a central courtyard, a chapel (which had been donated by Princess Giovanna Tolfa Frangipani, the mother of Pope Benedict XIII), two dormitories (downstairs, and upstairs), a dining room, a common room, a kitchen and pantries, a cantina, a garden, and two rooms in which ordinands could carry out their spiritual exercises. The institution had a Rector, a Vice-Rector, and a Master of the school. There were instructors in grammar, philosophy, theology, rhetoric, civil and canon law, gregorian chant, church accounting,Prima dioecesana synodus Murana (Benevento: Typographia Archiep. 1728), pp. 230-235; 324; 398-425. Martuscelli (1896), pp. 405-406.
Under Bishop Tommaso Antonio Gigli (1832–1858), additional rooms were added to the seminary building in 1841 to accommodate the increasing number of students. During the revolution of 1860, however, the seminary had to be closed.Martuscelli (1896), p. 407.
The Napoleonic disruption and restoration From 1806 to 1808, Naples was occupied by the French, and Joseph Bonaparte was made king,F. Artaud de Montor, Histoire du Pape Pie VII Vol. II, second edition (Paris: Adrien Leclerc 1837), pp. 132-140. after Napoleon had deposed King Ferdinand IV. Joseph Bonaparte was succeeded by Joachim Murat, from 1808 until the fall of Napoleon in 1815. Pope Pius VII was a prisoner of Napoleon in France from 1809 to 1815, and was both unable and unwilling to make new episcopal appointments. The French expelled all members of the mendicant orders, friars and nuns, and their property was confiscated for the "benefit of the people". The Jesuits were expelled from the kingdom; colleges of canons were also disbanded and their property seized.R.M. Johnston (1909), The Napoleonic Kingdom in Southern Italy and the Rise of the Secret Societies, Volume I (London: Macmillan), pp. 149. 161-162;