The Archdiocese of Sorrento-Castellammare di Stabia () is a Latin archdiocese of the Catholic Church in Campania, has existed in its current form since 1986. It is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Naples, having lost its status as a metropolitan in 1979. The Diocese of Castellammare di Stabia was suppressed, and its territory united with the Archdiocese of Sorrento, in 1986."Archdiocese of Sorrento-Castellammare di Stabia" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved February 29, 2016."Archdiocese of Sorrento–Castellammare di Stabia" GCatholic.org. Gabriel Chow. Retrieved February 29, 2016. In 2014, in the diocese of Sorrento there was one priest for every 1,503 Catholics.

History

In the tenth century Sorrento became a metropolitan see. Previous to that time it had been directly dependent upon the Holy See (Papacy), and its bishops attended the Roman synods.

In 1558 the Turks under Piyale Pasha effected a landing at Salerno, and plundered and burned the city, on which occasion the archives perished. The new bishop, Giulio Pavesi, sought to repair the damages. Bishop Filippo Anastasi (1699) defended the immunities of the Church and was forcibly exiled to Terracina.

Cathedral and Chapter The cathedral of Sorrento was dedicated to the Apostles Philip and James. The cathedral has the care of souls (cura animarum), who are in the care of the Dean of the Chapter.Cappelletti, p. 678.

The cathedral was staffed and administered by a corporation, the Chapter, composed of five dignities (the Archdeacon, the Primicerius, the Cantor, the Dean, and the Treasurer) and twelve Canons.Ughelli, Italia sacra VI, p. 595.

Archbishop Giulio Pavesi presided over a provincial synod in 1567. Archbishop Lelio Brancaccio (1571–1574) presided over a provincial synod in 1574.Bonaventura da Sorrento, p. 36.

Bishop Antonio de Pezzo (1641–1659) presided over a diocesan synod in Sorrento in 1654.Pezzo [De] Antonio, Constitutiones et decreta diocesanae synodi Surrentinae ecclesiae celebratae anno dom. 1654. Neapoli 1654, typ. Francisci Sauij. Bishop Gabriele Papa (1824–1837) held a diocesan synod in the cathedral of Sorrento on 5–8 June 1827.

Bishop Diego Pietra (1680) founded the seminary, afterwards enlarged by Bishop Filippo Anastasi (1699).

Concordat of 1818 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. Ferdinand, however, was not prepared to accept the pre-Napoleonic situation, in which Naples was a feudal subject of the papacy. Lengthy, detailed, and acrimonious negotiations ensued.

In 1818, a new concordat with the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies committed the pope to the suppression of more than fifty small dioceses in the kingdom. Pope Pius VII, in the bull "De Utiliori" of 27 June 1818, suppressed the dioceses of Massa Lubrense, Vico Equense (Vicana), and Capri, and their territories were added to Sorrento. Sorrento was left with only one suffragan, the diocese of Castellamare.Archiepiscopalis ecclesia Sorrentina suffraganeam habebit episcopalem ecclesiam Castri Maris (Castellamare); ecclesias vero episcopales Massalubrensem, Vicanam, et Capritanam actu vacantes perpetuo supprimimus, earumque civitates, totumque dioecesanum territorium archiepiscopali Sùrrentinae unimus et assignamus." In the same concordat, the King was confirmed in the right to nominate candidates for vacant bishoprics, subject to the approval of the pope. That situation persisted down until the final overthrow of the Bourbon monarchy in 1860.Bullarii Romani continuatio Tomus 15, p. 7 column 1, "Articulus XXVIII".

In 1860, the Bourbon monarchy in the south of Italy and Sicily was permanently suppressed, and the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies became part of the Savoyard Kingdom of Italy. Many of the clergy in the south followed the lead of Pius IX in resisting the king of Turin, who had annexed the entire Papal States, with the exception of the city of Rome. In 1861, Archbishop Francesco Apuzzo of Sorrento was, by order of the new Government, exiled to France.

Loss of metropolitan status Following the Second Vatican Council, and in accordance with the norms laid out in the Council's decree, Christus Dominus chapter 40,Christus Dominus 40. Therefore, in order to accomplish these aims this sacred synod decrees as follows: 1) The boundaries of ecclesiastical provinces are to be submitted to an early review and the rights and privileges of metropolitans are to be defined by new and suitable norms. 2) As a general rule all dioceses and other territorial divisions that are by law equivalent to dioceses should be attached to an ecclesiastical province. Therefore dioceses which are now directly subject to the Apostolic See and which are not united to any other are either to be brought together to form a new ecclesiastical province, if that be possible, or else attached to that province which is nearer or more convenient. They are to be made subject to the metropolitan jurisdiction of the bishop, in keeping with the norms of the common law. 3) Wherever advantageous, ecclesiastical provinces should be grouped into ecclesiastical regions for the structure of which juridical provision is to be made. major changes were made in the ecclesiastical administrative structure of southern Italy. Wide consultations had taken place with the bishops and other prelates who would be affected. Action, however, was deferred, first by the death of Pope Paul VI on 6 August 1978, then the death of Pope John Paul I on 28 September 1978, and the election of Pope John Paul II on 16 October 1978. Pope John Paul II issued a decree, "Quamquam Ecclesia," on 30 April 1979, ordering the changes. Three ecclesiastical provinces were abolished entirely: those of Conza, Capua, and Sorrento. A new ecclesiastical province was created, to be called the Regio Campana, whose Metropolitan was the Archbishop of Naples. The archbishop of Sorrento continued to enjoy the title of Archbishop, but he was no longer a metropolitan archbishop.Acta Apostolicae Sedis 71 (Città del Vaticano 1979), pp. 562-563.

Acquisition of territory On 18 February 1984, the Vatican and the Italian State signed a new and revised concordat, which was accompanied in the next year 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. 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."...abhinc plusquam viginti annos gradatim ac progredienti ratione opus suscepit novo ordine disponendi dioeceses Italiae, quae communi hominum opinione nimis multae censentur neque omnes satis pollent vigore ob territorii, incolarum numeri et pastoralis instructus exiguitatem." On 30 September 1986, Pope John Paul II ordered that the dioceses of Sorrento and Castellamare be merged into one diocese with one bishop, with the Latin title Archidioecesis Surrentina-Castri Maris. The seat of the diocese was to be in Sorrento, and the cathedral of Sorrento was to serve as the cathedral of the merged diocese. The cathedral in Castellamare was to become a co-cathedral, and the cathedral Chapter was to be a Capitulum Concathedralis. There was to be only one diocesan Tribunal, in Sorrento, 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 Sorrento and of Castellamare.Acta Apostolicae Sedis 79 (Città del Vaticano 1987), pp. 794-797.

Bishops and Archbishops Diocese of Sorrento

Renatus of Sorrento (5th century)Lanzoni, pp. 246-247. The evidence is entirely hagiographical. ... Quingesius (attested 494)Quingesius was the recipient of a letter of Pope Gelasius I. Lanzoni, p. 251. Kehr, p. 344, no. 1. ... Valerius (453?)Lanzoni, p. 248, no.4, of uncertain date. ... Rosarius (attested 499)Bishop Rosarius attended the first Roman synod of Pope Symmachus in 499. J.D. Mansi, Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio, editio novissima, Tomus VIII (Florence: A.Zatta 1762), p. 235. Lanzoni, p. 248. ... Athanasius (6th century?)Lanzoni, p. 247, considers a date as uncertain. ... Joannes (attested 591, 594, 600)Lanzoni, p. 248, no. 6. Amandus (600–617)Amandus was elected bishop in 600, and consecrated on 22 March 600. He died on 13 April 617. Ughelli, p. 599. Lanzoni, p. 248, no. 7. ... Baculus (7th century)Ughelli, p. 605, puts Baculus in the 7th century, but Lanzoni, p. 248, notes that there is no evidence, and Baculus could belong to the 4th or 5th century. ... Hyacinthus (attested 679)Bishop Hyacinthus was present at the Roman synod of Pope Agatho in 679, and subscribed to the synodical letter which Agatho sent to Constantinople. J.D. Mansi, Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio, editio novissima, Tomus XI (Florence: A.Zatta 1762), p. 302. ... Stephanus (attested 871)Stephanus was the younger son of Sergius of Naples and brother of Bishop Athenasius of Naples. Capasso, p. 51. Gams, p. 926 column 1. ... Leopardus ... Sergius (c. 980)Sergius later became Archbishop of Naples. Capasso, pp. 53-54. ... Maraldus (attested 1005)Capasso, p. 54. Kehr, p. 407. ... Joannes (attested 1059–1071)Bishop Joannes was present at the synod held at Benevento by Pope Nicholas II in August 1059. On 1 October 1071, he was present at the consecration of the monastery church at Montecassino by Pope Alexander III. J.D. Mansi, Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio, editio novissima, Tomus XIX (Venice: A.Zatta 1774), p. 924. Kehr, p. 407. ...

Archdiocese of Sorrento Elevated: 1068

1068 to 1500

... Barbatus (attested 1110)In 1110 Bishop Barbatus issued a privilege for the Church of Castellamare. Kehr, p. 407. ... Urso (attested 1141)In 1141 Bishop Urso issued a privilege for the Church of Castellamare. Kehr, p. 407. Philippus (attested 1149)The death of Bishop-elect Philippus is recorded on 9 March 1149, in the Necrology of Matteo of Salerno. Kehr, p. 408. ... Alferius (died 1238)Eubel I, p. 469. Petrus (c. 1240) Petrus (1252–1259)Petrus had been Bishop of Carinola. He was requested by the cathedral Chapter, and was provided by Pope Innocent IV on 26 March 1252. Gams, p. 926 column 1. Eubel I, p. 157, 469. Ludovicus de Alexandro (attested 1266) Petrus de Corneliaco, O.Min. (1268– ? ) Jacobus de Magistro Judice (1278–1285)Jacobus was a Canon of the cathedral Chapter. He was elected, and provided by Pope Nicholas III. Eubel I, p. 469. Marcus Mirabello (1286–1305) Francesco (1306–1318)Francesco was elected by the cathedral Chapter, and confirmed by Pope Clement V on 27 February 1306. Camera, p. 643-644 (in D'Avino). Ricardo (8 Jun 1319 – 1320) Matthaeus de Capua. O.Min. (1320–c.1332)Fr. Matteo was a councilor and Almoner of Robert, King of Naples (1309–1333). He was an executor of the Testament of Queen Maria, wife of Charles II. Camera, p. 644. Petrus (1332–1341) Andreas Seri Sale (Sersale) (1341–1348)Gams, p. 926, gives the date of death as 1349). Eubel I, p. 469. Petrus (1348–1360?) Guilelmus de Aleyraco (1361–1374?) Franciscus de Fulgineo, O.E.S.A. (1374–1390?) Robertus Brancia (1390–1409) Roman ObedienceBrancia was appointed Archbishop of Sorrento by Pope Boniface IX. He was transferred to the diocese of Amalfi by Pope Gregory XII around the time of his deposition from the papacy by the Council of Pisa on 5 June 1409. He was reappointed by John XXIII on 9 February 1413. Camera, p. 644. Eubel I, pp. 85, 469.