The Diocese of Acerra () is a Latin diocese of the Catholic Church in Campania, southern Italy, eight miles east of Naples, in the area once called Terra Laboris (Liburia).Ughelli, p. 216. It has existed since the 11th century.Kehr, p. 476: "Revera episcopatus non prius quam saec. XI med. erectus fuisse videtur eodem fere tempore, quo Nicolaus II a. 1059 Oderisium monachum et postea abbatem Casinensem apud Acerras diaconum cardinalem ordinavit." It is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Naples."Diocese of Acerra" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved February 29, 2016."Diocese of Acerra" GCatholic.org. Gabriel Chow. Retrieved February 29, 2016.

The diocese has one priest for every 2,436 Catholics.

History of the diocese The cathedral of Acerra was originally dedicated to Saint Michael the Archangel.

The cathedral was administered and served by a Chapter, composed of three dignities (the Archpriest, the Cantor, and the Primicerius) and fifteen Canons.Ughelli, p. 216. D'Avino, p. 7 column 2.

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. The ecclesiastical province of Naples was spared from any suppressions, but the diocese of Sant' Agata de' Goti, which had not had a bishop in two decades, and the diocese of Acerra, which was very small in territory, population, and income, came under scrutiny. Pope Pius VII, in the bull "De Utiliori" of 27 June 1818, chose to unite the two dioceses under the leadership of one bishop, aeque principaliter. "Praedictam autem ecclesiam Acerrarum aeque principaliter perpetuo unimus, ut infra, alteri episcopali ecclesiae sanclae Agathae Gothorum." 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 a bull of 30 November 1854, Pope Pius IX separated the diocese of Acerra and the diocese of S. Agata de' Goti, which had been joined under one bishop since 1818. In the bull, Pope Pius also transferred four communes from S. Agata to Acerra: Arienzo, San Felice, S. Maria a Vico, and Cervino and the farm of Forchia. Cappelletti, p. 546, gives the date of 1855, which is the year in which the formal separation was carried into effect. A new bishop was appointed for S. Agata de' Goti on 23 March 1855: Gams, p. 846 column 1.

Along with the separation of the two dioceses and the redrawing of diocesan boundaries, Pope Pius granted the diocese of Acerra the use of the former Dominican house in S. Maria a Vico for its seminary. The new seminary had its formal inauguration on 15 June 1857.Ruggiero, p. 6.

Bishops of Acerra

Through 1500

... Girardo (attested 1098, 1114) P. Kehr, Italia pontificia VIII, p. 476. Ignotus (attested 1139)The unnamed bishop of Acerra was deposed by Pope Innocent II at the Second Lateran Council in 1139, because he had been an adherent of Pope Anacletus II in the schism of 1130. Kehr, p. 477, no. 1. ... Bartolomeo (attested 1179)Bishop Bartholomaeus was present at the Third Lateran Council of Pope Alexander III in March 1179. J. D. Mansi, Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio, editio novissima, Tomus XXII, p. 460. Kehr, p. 476. ... Romanus (12th cent.)Romanus: Ughelli, p. 217. Cappelletti, p. 539. ... Gentile (1242–?) ... Tommaso (1284–1302) ... Gentile (1307–1308) Guglielmo (attested 1310)Guilelmus: Ughelli, p. 219. Eubel I, p. 69. ? Giovanni D'Esertelle, O. Cist. (1316– ? ) ? Spanus (attested 1325)Spanus: Eubel I, p. 69, ex schedis Garampi ('from the notes of [Cardinal] Garampi'). [Pietro, O.F.M. (1331)]Petrus was Bishop of Acerno, not Bishop of Acerra: Eubel I, p. 69, note 2, correcting Gams, p. 844. Filippo (1331 Died) Giovanni, O.F.M. (1332–1342)Giovanni was transferred to the diocese of Bagnoregio by Pope Clement VI on 20 December 1342. Eubel I, pp. 69, 126. Matteo di Castelpietro, O.F.M. (1342–1344)Matteo di Castro Petri had been Bishop of Bagnoregio (1328–1342). He was transferred to Acerra on 20 December 1342. He died in 1344. Ughelli, p. 219. Cappelletti, p. 541. Eubel I, pp. 69, 126. Enrico da Monte (Henricus de Monte), O.P. (1344–1348)Enrico was a native of Sicily, and was a doctor of the University of Paris. He was appointed Bishop of Acerra by Pope Clement VI on 27 May 1344. He died in 1348. Ughelli, p. 219. Cappelletti, p. 541. Eubel I, pp. 69. Ranieri (Raynerius) (1348–1354)Raineri had been Cantor in the cathedral Chapter of Acerra. He was appointed Bishop of Acerra by Pope Clement VI on 27 October 1348. Ughelli, p. 219. Cappelletti, p. 541. Eubel I, pp. 69. Daniel Williman, The Right of Spoil of the Popes of Avignon, 1316-1415 (1988), p. 232. Federico (1356–1362) Giovanni (1363–1394)Joannes was appointed by Pope Urban V on 6 March 1363. According to Ughelli, p. 219, he was still in office in 1394. Eubel I, p. 69. ? Benedetto da Ascoli, O.E.S.A. (?–1389 Died) Avignon Obedience? Tommaso (1394–1403)Tommaso was appointed by Pope Boniface IX (Roman Obedience) on 12 December 1394. He died in 1403. Ughelli, p. 219. Eubel I, p. 69. Angelo de Consilio (Angelo de Conciliis) (1403–1429 Died).Angelo had been a Canon of the cathedral of Naples. Eubel Hierarchia catholica I, p. 69. (in Latin)"Bishop Angelo de Consilio" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved January 4, 2017. Filippo (1429–1434)Filippo had been Archpriest of the cathedral Chapter. He was appointed Bishop of Acerra by Pope Martin V on 18 May 1429. He died in 1434, before September. Eubel I, p. 69; II, p. 79. Nicola de Utino, O.P. (1434–1439 Died)Nicolas was appointed on 6 September 1434 by Pope Eugenius IV. Ughelli, p. 219. Cappelletti, p. 541. Eubel II, p. 79 (who registers only one Nicolas, and has his term run from 1434 to 1451). Nicola Descari (1439–1451)Ughelli, p. 219, who states that Descari resigned voluntarily in 1451. Cappelletti, p. 541. Eubel II, p. 79 (who registers only one Nicolas, and has his term run from 1434 to 1451). Bertrando (1451–1452)Beltrandus had been a Canon of Naples. He was appointed Bishop of Acerra on 5 April 1451, and died the following year. Ughelli, p. 219-220. Leone Cortese (1452–1496 Died)Cortese was appointed on 2 October 1452. Eubel II, p. 79."Bishop Leone Cortese" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved May 27, 2017. Roberto de Noya (Noja), O.P. (1497–1504)De Noya had been Bishop of Minervino (1492–1497). He was transferred to the diocese of Acerra on 15 March 1497 by Pope Alexander VI. He resigned in 1504 and was named titular Archbishop of Naxos on 15 April 1504. He died in 1515. Ughelli, p. 220 (wrongly writing Paros for Naxos). Cappelletti, p. 542, wrongly states that De Noya was made Archbishop of Bari. Eubel, Hierarchia catholica II, pp. 79, 193; III, p. 93, 254.

1500 to 1700

1700 to present

Notes and references

Bibliography

Reference works p. 844-845. (Use with caution; obsolete)

Studies

Kehr, Paul Fridolin (1925). Italia pontificia Vol. VIII (Berlin: Weidmann 1925), pp. 476–477.

External links Diocese of Acerra, Official page