Diocese of Lamezia Terme

The Diocese of Lamezia Terme () is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church in Calabria. In 1818 the ancient see of Martirano, the former Mamertum (the first bishop of which was Domnus, in 761), was united to the diocese of Nicastro.Avilardi, in: D'Avino, pp. 466–470. The diocese was then a suffragan of the archdiocese of Reggio in Calabria.Umberto Benigni, "Nicastro" The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 11. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911. retrieved: 2017-03-07. In 1986, the historic Diocese of Nicastro had its name changed. It is currently called the Diocese of Lamezia Terme, and it is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Catanzaro-Squillace. The name change reflects the incorporation of the comune of Nicastro into Lamezia Terme, an administrative change of 1968 on the part of the State of Italy."Diocese of Lamezia Terme" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved February 29, 2016."Diocese of Lamezia Terme" GCatholic.org. Gabriel Chow. Retrieved February 29, 2016

History

The earliest appearance of the name Nicastro is in the Diatyposis (Νέα Τακτικά) of Leo the Wise, composed at Constantinople around 900. Nicastro is listed twelfth and last among the bishops of the Greek Metropolitanate of Reggio Calabria.Duchesne, p. 10. Kehr, p. 30. Kehr conjectures that Nicastro was built to replace a town which had been destroyed by the Saracens. For a long time, the Greek Rite was in use at Nicastro.

The church in the village below the citadel of Nicastro was built and endowed by the Norman Aumberga, the niece of Robert Guiscard and sister of Count Richard Dapifer, the son of Drago. It became the Cathedral of St Peter. In 1101, Count Richard the Dapifer transferred to the diocese of Nicastro property and chattels which had belonged to Aumberga in the territory between Agarena and Nicastro.Ughelli, IX, p. 402. The first bishop of this city of whom there is any record was Henricus (1094), who is mentioned in the donation. Among the ten subscribers to the charter are Archbishop Robert of Reggio Calabria and Bishop Sasso of Cassano, who was serving as Papal Vicar in Calabria for Pope Paschal II.Kehr, p. 30.

Pope Calixtus II visited Nicastro on 9 December 1121, on his way from Taranto to Catanzaro.P. Jaffé (ed. S. Loewenfeld), Regesta pontificum Romanorum, editio altera, I (Leipzig: Veit 1885), p. 802, no. 6936.

Bishop Tancredo da Monte Foscolo (1279–1290) was deposed by Pope Nicholas IV for having consecrated James II of Sicily, but he was reinstated by Pope Boniface VIII.

In 1638 a major earthquake struck Calabria. Nicastro was very severely hit. All the buildings were damaged or destroyed, and some 1200 people lost their lives. At Martirano the death toll was 517. The old cathedral of Nicastro, built by the generosity of Aumberga, was destroyed by the earthquake. A new cathedral was erected in a more expansive location by Bishop Perrone.Francesco Avilardi, in: D'Avino, p. 459. The cathedral was served by a Chapter composed, in 1680, of six dignities and fourteen Canons.Ritzler-Sefrin, V, p. 284, note 1. The town had a population estimated at 3,000. The dignities were: the Dean, the Archdeacon, the Cantor, the Treasurer, the Cappellanus Major, and the Penitentiary; the Cappellanus Major was pastor of the cathedral parish.Avilardi, in: D'Avino, p. 459. In 1773 there were seven dignities and twenty-four Canons.Ritzler-Sefrin, VI, p. 306, note 1. The population of the town had risen to c. 5000. The town had three other parishes besides the Cathedral: S. Teodoro (governed by the Archdeacon), Santa Maria Maggiore, and Santa Lucia.

In Nicastro there was a convent of the Franciscans, founded in 1400 by the Conventual Franciscans and dedicated to S. Maria della Grazia; it was taken over by the Observant Franciscans and then in 1594 by the Reformed Franciscans. There was also a convent of the Dominicans, established in 1502 and dedicated to the Annunciation; it was made a stadium generale by Father General Niccolò Ridolfi. The Capuchins established the convent of S. Maria degli Angeli in 1545; provincial chapters of the Order met there in 1550, 1556 and 1618. All three were suppressed in 1809 and converted into other uses.Avilardi, in: D'Avino, p. 460.

Change of diocesan name In 1968, the government of the Italian Republic annexed the town of Nicastro to the city of Lamezia. In 1985, following the signing of a revised concordat with the Italian Republic, the Vatican Secretary of State issued a set of instructions (Normae) for implementing some of its provisions, "so that the names [of dioceses] might be more appropriately accommodated to new circumstances, and better respond to the current necessities of civil and social life.""ut nomina aptius novis dioecesium condicionibus accommodarentur et hodiernae civilis et socialis vitae necessitatibus magis responderent." On 27 September 1986, after appropriate consultations, Pope John Paul II granted permission to the Congregation of Bishops to implement the norms. In the case of Nicastro, the Congregation issued a decree on 30 September 1986, in which the long-standing name of "Neocastrenses" was retained for business of the Curia (i.e. for ecclesiastical matters), but in the vernacular it was to be referred to as "Diocesi di Lamezia Terme".Acta Apostolicae Sedis 79 (Città del Vaticano 1987), pp.448-449.

Bishops Diocese of Nicastro Latin Name: Neocastrensis Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Reggio Calabria

to 1300 ... Henricus (attested 1094 – 1122)At the beginning of 1122 Pope Calixtus II sent a mandate to Henricus and two other bishops to examine the possible usurpation of church property. Kehr, p. 31, no. 1. Ughelli, pp. 401-403. Guido (attested 1168 – 1179)Guido was present at the Lateran Council of Pope Alexander III in March 1179. Gams, p. 905. Kamp, p. 974. Bohemund (attested 21 October 1194, 1195, 1199)Bohemundus took part in the consecration of the church of S. Pietro de Balnea in Palermo on 28 May 1199. Ughelli, p. 403. Kamp, p. 975. Rogerius (attested 1202)Rogerius: Kamp, p. 975. ... Thaddeus (attested 1222)Thaddeus: Kamp, p. 976. Urso (attested 1239, 1240)Urso: Kamp, pp. 976-977. Gualterius de CusenciaGualterius: Kamp, pp. 977-978. Samuel, O.Min. (attested 1252 – 1255)Samuel was the recipient of a letter from Pope Innocent IV on 8 October 1254, granting him permission to borrow money, lest he have to beg, which was beneath the dignity of a bishop. Kamp, pp. 978-979. Bernardus (attested 1256 – 1258)Bernardus was a monk, but his Order is unknown. Kamp, p. 979. Leonardus (15 October 1266 – after September 1272)Leonardus had been a papal Chaplain of Pope Clement IV. Kamp, pp. 979-981. Robertus (1274–1275 – before 6 March 1279)Bishop Robert was the nephew of Bishop Philip of Squillace (1274–1286). He obtained the diocese of Nicastro by simony, according to Pope Nicholas III, and as bishop had wasted and used up revenues on incontinentiae vitio ('the sin of self-indulgence'); he was therefore cited to appear before the Pope. During his examination he admitted his crimes and freely resigned, to avoid being deposed. Pope Nicholas then reserved the appointment of the next bishop for himself, and appointed Tancred. Taccone-Gallucci, pp. 176-177, and 351-352. Kamp, p. 981. Tancredus de Montefusculo, O.Min. (15 May 1279 – 1290)The duty of consecrating Tancred was assigned by Pope Nicholas III, as he states in his letter to Tancred of 15 May 1279, to the Bishop of Porto, who at that time was Robert Kilwardby (Eubel I, p. 36). Bishop Tancredo was elected Archbishop of Otranto by the Cathedral Chapter in 1282, but his transfer was refused by Pope Martin IV. He was excommunicated and deposed by Pope Nicholas IV. According to Ughelli, he was restored by Boniface VIII and died in 1299. Ughelli, pp. 404-405 (wrongly stating that it was Honorius IV who deposed Tancred). Eubel, I, p. 361 with note 4.

1300 to 1500

Nicolaus, O.S.B. (6 November 1299 – 1320?)Nicholas had been Abbot of Sma. Trinità in Mileto. His bull of appointment from Pope Boniface VIII is printed by Taccone-Gallucci, pp. 185-186. The task of consecrating Nicolaus was assigned to the Bishop of Tusculum, who at that time was Giovanni Buccamati Eubel, I, pp. 39; 361, with notes 5 and 6. Petrus, O.Min. (21 June 1320 – ?)There was a contested election. Petrus was chosen by 5 canons, Gualterius (a Canon of Nicastro and Dean of the Cathedral Chapter of Catanzaro) by 19, and Geoffrey (Dean of Mileto) by 14. Nonetheless Petrus had himself consecrated bishop by the Archbishop of Reggio. The matter was brought to the Pope, who appointed an examiner, Guillaume de Balacto, Archdeacon and Rector of Benevento, who was to suspend Petrus if the facts warranted. Ughelli, p. 405. Eubel, I, p. 361 with note 7. Ambrosius (7 March 1323 – 1333)Ambrosius was a Canon of Nicastro, and was provided as bishop by Pope John XXII. Eubel I, p. 361. Joannes de Preston, O.Min. (30 July 1333 – ) Nicolaus (attested 1344) Jacobus (Avignon Obedience) Carlucius Cicala (Avignon Obedience) Manfred (Roman Obedience) Angelo (Roman Obedience) Giuliano, O.Min. (28 January 1388 – )Giuliano had been Bishop of Stabiae. His transfer was approved by Urban VI. Eubel, I, p. 362. Giacomo, O.Min. (2 April 1390 – ) Roberto Mazza (4 May 1394 – ) Giacomo (1398) Gentile d'Ajello (13 January 1399 – after 5 April 1409)Gentile had previously been Bishop of the Marsi (1385–1409). He appeared at the Council of Pisa on 5 April 1409: J.-D. Mansi (ed.), Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio, editio novissima, Tomus XXVII (Venice 1784), p. 339. Eubel, I, p. 328, 362. Angelo de Benevento (9 May 1409 – ) Paolo (1418–1431) Joannes de Paganis (28 May 1431 – 1451)Joannes was a Doctor of Canon Law. Eubel, II, p. 201. Robertus (8 October 1451 – 1473?) Antonius (26 November 1473 – 1488?)Antonio had been Abbot of the monastery of Sma Trinità (diocese of Mileto). Eubel II, p. 201, with n. 2. Petrus de Sonino (26 January 1489 – 1490?)Bishop Pietro had been Archpriest of the church of S. Giovanni de Latoma (diocese of Nicastro), and then Bishop of Gerenza (1481–1489). Eubel, II, pp. 158, 201. Antonius Lucido (8 February 1490 – 1494) Bartolomeo de Luna (29 July 1495 – 26 October 1497)Bartolomeo de Luna was a papal chamberlain. Eubel, II, p. 201. Franciscus de Roccamura (27 October 1497 – 1504)He died in Rome in 1504: Ughelli, IX, p. 406.

1500 to 1600

Niccolò Capranica (18 December 1504 – 1517)Capranica was a Roman, an Apostolic Secretary, and a Canon of the Vatican Basilica. In 1506, still bishop-elect he served as Vice-Legate of the March of Ancona. He took part in the Fifth Lateran Council of Pope Julius II in 1512. Ughelli, pp. 406-407. Eubel, III, p. 255. [This is not the bishop of Fermo who gave the funeral oration for Cardinal Bessarion] Cardinal Franciotto Orsini (18 Sep 1517 – 5 May 1518 Resigned) (Administrator)Orsini: Eubel, III, p. 255. Cardinal Andrea della Valle (5 May 1518 – 17 May 1518 Resigned) (Administrator)"Andrea Cardinal Della Valle" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved May 16, 2016. Eubel, III, p. 256. Antonio de Paula (17 May 1518 – 24 July 1523)Antonius de Paula had been Treasurer of the Cathedral Chapter of Catanzaro. He was transferred to the diocese of Catanzaro on 24 July 1523. Eubel, III, pp. 158, 256. Geronimo de Paula (24 July 1523 – 9 May 1530)Geronimo de Paula was the nephew of his predecessor. He too, in his turn, was named Bishop of Catanzaro, on 9 May 1530. Eubel, III, p. 158, 256. Giovanni Pietro Ricci (24 May–?, 1530)Ricci had been Archimandrite of Messina, and he was allowed to keep the office on being named Bishop of Nicastro. Ughelli, IX, p. 407. Eubel, III, p. 256. Cardinal Andrea della Valle (1530–1533) (Administrator)Andrea della Valle: Eubel, III, p. 256 with note 9. Nicola Regitano (3 Mar–Sep, 1533 Died)"Bishop Nicola Regitano" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved March 21, 2016. Nicola had been Canon of Messina: Eubel, III, p. 256.