Archdiocese of Monreale

The Archdiocese of Monreale () is a Latin archdiocese of the Catholic Church in Sicily. As of 2000 it is no longer a metropolitan see, and is now a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Palermo."Archdiocese of Monreale" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved February 29, 2016"Archdiocese of Monreale" GCatholic.org. Gabriel Chow. Retrieved February 29, 2016

History In 1174 the abbey of Monreale was declared a prælatura nullius; two years later its abbot was vested with the title and jurisdiction of a bishop. On 2 February 1183, thanks to the Bull Licet Dominus of Pope Lucius III, Monreale became the metropolitan see for the diocese of Catania and the diocese of Siracusa.In the Roman calendar, New Year's Day was March 25; therefore a document bearing the date 2 February 1182 was actually issued in 1183. The dates of 5 February and 9 February (Pirro) are also given, depending on whether one reads nonis or nono in the manuscript. But Jaffe (II, p. 452, no. 14832) points out that King William had already nominated an Archbishop on 4 February 1183, neither alternative date seems correct: At first the archbishops were elected by the monks, but were not always Benedictines; since 1275 the election has been reserved to itself by the Holy See.

In time the diocese of Girgenti and diocese of Caltagirone also became suffragan to Monreale; but Siracusa, in 1844, and Catania, in 1860, became archiepiscopal sees. The former having become the metropolitan of Caltagirone, Monreale received the new diocese of Caltanisetta (1860), which see and Girgenti became its only suffragans.

From 1775 to 1802 Monreale and Palermo were united under a single archbishop. Catholic Encyclopedia article

Bishops and Archbishops Diocese of Monreale Erected: 1176 Latin Name: Montis Regalis Theobaldus, O.S.B. (1176 – 14 May 1178)Theobaldus: Gams, p. 750 column 2. Kamp, p. 1186 with note 20. Guillelmus, O.S.B. (1178 – 1183) (promoted archbishop)

Archdiocese of Monreale Elevated: 5 February 1183 Latin Name: Montis Regalis

to 1500 Guillelmus, O.S.B. (4 February 1183 – 28 October 1191)Guillelmus: Gams, p. 950. Kamp, pp. 1186-1189. Carus, O.S.B. (23 May 1194 – after 3 August 1222)Carus: Kamp, pp. 1193-1195. Sede vacante (by 10 October 1239 – after 25 November 1254)Kamp, p. 1196. Benevenutus (10 August 1258 – 24 July 1260)Benevenutus: Eubel, I, p. 348. Kamp, pp. 1197-1199. Gaufridus de Bellomonte (1 October 1266 – 6 November 1271)Gaufridus had been Canon of the Collegiate Church of S. Aignan in Orleans, and Canon of Beauvais and Sens. He was Chancellor of the Church of Bayeux. Gottfried was Chancellor of the Kingdom of Sicily when he died on 6 November 1271. Kamp, pp. 1199-1200. Trasmundus (by 10 May 1267 – 17 August 1269)Trasmundus was a Canon of Paris, and a papal representative in 1243 and 1247. He was named Archbishop of Corinth in 1253 by Pope Innocent IV. Kamp, pp. 1201-1202. Sede vacante (17 August 1269 – 13 August 1278)Kamp, p. 1202. Giovanni Boccamazza (15 Aug 1278 – Aug 1286 Resigned) Pietro Gerra (20 Aug 1286 – 6 Jan 1298 Appointed, Archbishop of Capua) Rogerius Donmusco (10 January 1304 – 1304)Rogerius was a native of Salerno. He was appointed to Monreale by Pope Benedict XI. Pirro, p. 464. Eubel, I, p. 348. Arnaldus de Rassaco (17 February 1306 – 1324).Arnaldus was a councilor of King Frederick III of Sicily. He had been collector of the tithe in Achaea, Athens, Crete and Sicily. Pirro, p. 464. Eubel, I, p. 348. Neapoleone Fortibracchia Orsini (26 July 1325 – 1337) Manuel Spinola (4 November 1338 – April 1362) Guilelmus Monstrius (1363 – 1380) (Avignon Obedience)Guilelmus followed Pope Clement VII of the Avignon Obedience, and was therefore deprived of his diocese. Franciscus Riguerii, O.Min. (19 November 1380 – 19 December 1384) (Avignon Obedience)On 19 December 1384, Bishop Francesco was transferred by Clement VII to the diocese of Huesca in Spain. Eubel, I, pp. 349 with notes 8 and 9; 379. Paulus Francisci de Roma, O.Min. (3 February 1379 – April 1418) (Roman Obedience)Paulus had been Bishop of Isernia (1367–1379). He was transferred to the diocese of Thessalonica on 18 April 1418 by Pope Martin V. Pirro, pp. 465-466. Gams, p. 951. Eubel, I, pp. 287, 379, 484. Giovanni Ventimiglia (2 April 1418 – 25 January 1450)Pirro, pp. 466-467.Eubel, I, p. 379; II, p. 196. Alfonsus de Cuevasruvias (11 February 1450 – November 1454)Alfonso: Pirro, p. 467. Eubel, II, p. 196. Joannes Soler (3 January 1455 – 1458)Soler (not d'Aragona): He was Archbishop-elect of Barcelona. He returned to the diocese of Barcelona on 4 October 1458. Eubel, II, pp. 102, 196. Ausias Despuig (18 Sep 1458 – 2 Sep 1483 Died)De Podio (Despuig): He died in Rome on 7 September 1483, according to his funeral inscription. Pirro, p. 467. Eubel, II, p. 196. Juan de Borja Lanzol (13 Sep 1483 – 1 Aug 1503 Died)A native of Valencia, Borja was a Corrector Litterarum Apostolicarum in the Roman Chancery. He was named Archbishop of Monreale by Pope Sixtus IV. He was named a cardinal on 31 August 1492 by his uncle, Pope Alexander VI. Eubel, II, pp. 21 no. 1; 196.

1500 to 1700

Cardinal Juan Castellar y de Borja (9 Aug 1503 – 1 Jan 1505 Died)Castellar was archbishop of Trani from 1493 to 1503. He was created a cardinal by Pope Alexander VI on 9 May 1503, and was appointed Archbishop of Monreale on 9 August 1503, according to the Acta Cameralia (records of the Apostolic Chamber), and granted the privilege of retaining his other benefices, including Trani, while holding the Archbishopric of Monreale. His bulls were never executed by Pope Alexander VI who died on 18 August 1503, nor by Pope Pius III, who reigned less than a month. He inquired of Pope Julius II, who was elected on 1 November, whether he had legitimate possession, but Castellar travelled to Naples and then to Valencia where he died of a fever, never having taken possession of the diocese. Pirro, p. 468 column 1. Eubel, II, pp. 24 no. 35; 196; 254. Alfonso de Aragona (1505 – 1511) (Administrator)Alfonso was the illegitimate son of King Ferdinand II of Aragon. He was Archbishop of Zaragoza, for which he required a dispensation for being under-age for consecration. Monreale was actually governed by Bishop Petrus Aureacella, titular Bishop of Megara (Greece). He was transferred to the diocese of Valencia on 23 January 1512. He died on 24 February 1520, and was buried in Zaragoza. Pirro, p. 468. Eubel, II, p. 113 with note 3; III, p. 250 with note 3, 325. Cardinal Enrique de Cardona y Enríquez (23 Jan 1512 – 7 Feb 1530 Died)Cardona was Archbishop of Barcelona from 1505 until 1511. He was named Castellan of the Castel S. Angelo on 24 September 1522. He was named a cardinal by Pope Clement VII on 21 November 1527. Pirro, pp. 468-470. Eubel, III, pp. 50; 129; 250 with note 4. Cardinal Pompeo Colonna (14 Dec 1530 – 28 Jun 1532 Died)Colonna was nominated by Emperor Charles V, and approved by Pope Clement VII on 14 December 1530. He was granted the pallium on 6 February 1531. He was never consecrated a bishop, however, and therefore he could only be Administrator of Monreale. Pirro, p. 470 column 1. Eubel, III, p. 250 with note 5. Cardinal Ippolito de' Medici (26 Jul 1532 – 10 Aug 1535 Died) (Administrator)Medici was a nephew of Leo X and of Clement VII. He was elected Archbishop of Monreale at the demand of Clement VII, even though he was only 22 years old and not yet able to be consecrated. There is no evidence that he was ever consecrated a bishop. Pirro, p. 470. Eubel, III, p. 250. Cardinal Alessandro Farnese (15 May 1536 – 9 Dec 1573 Resigned)Farnese: Eubel, III, p. 250 with notes 7 and 8. Ludovico de Torres (I) (9 Dec 1573 – 31 Dec 1583 Died)"Archbishop Ludovico de Torres (I)" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved March 21, 2016 Cardinal Ludovico de Torres (II) (22 Jan 1588 – 8 Jul 1609 Died)"Ludovico Cardinal de Torres (II)" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved March 21, 2016 Arcangelo Gualtieri, O.F.M. (18 Jun 1612 – 9 December 1617 Died)The date of Gualtieri's death is inscribed on his tombstone. Pirro, I, p. 475. Gauchat, IV, p. 249 with note 2. Jerónimo Venero Leyva (17 Feb 1620 – Aug 1628 Died)Leyva was nominated by King Philip III on 25 July 1619, and approved (preconized) by Pope Paul V on 17 February 1620. Pirro, p. 475-476. Gauchat, IV, p. 249 with note 3."Archbishop Jerónimo Venero Leyva" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved November 24, 2016. Cosimo de Torres (3 Apr 1634 – 1 May 1642 Died)Torres was a nephew of Cardinal Ludovico de Torres. Pirro, pp. 476-477. Gauchat, IV, p. 249 with note 4. Giovanni Torresiglia (Torrecilla Manso) (13 Jul 1644 – 28 Jan 1648 Died)Torresiglia: Pirro, p. 477-478. Gauchat, IV, p. 249 with note 5. Cardinal Francesco Peretti di Montalto (30 May 1650 – 3 May 1655 Died)Peretti was a relative of Pope Sixtus V, and nephew of Cardinal Alessandro Peretti. Francesco was named a cardinal by Pope Urban VIII on 16 December 1641. He took possession of the diocese of Monreale by proxy and did not appear personally until 1651. In 1651 he held a diocesan visitation, and in 1652 a diocesan synod. He completed the home for orphaned girls. He returned to Rome in 1654, where he consecrated Frederico Borromeo Patriarch of Alexandria. He was in Rome again in 1655, for the Conclave of 7 January to 7 April, in which Cardinal Flavio Chigi was elected Pope Alexander VII. Peretti was still in Rome when he died on 3 May 1655. Pirro, p. 478-479. Gauchat, IV, pp. 25 no. 53, with note 3; 249 with note 6. Luis Alfonso de Los Cameros (16 Oct 1656 – 14 May 1668)Los Cameros had previously been Bishop of Patti. He was subsequently appointed Archbishop of Valencia.Pirro, p. 479-480. Gauchat, IV, p. 249 with note 7. Cardinal Vitaliano Visconti (2 Jun 1670 – 7 Sep 1671 Died)A member of the Milanese noble family, Visconti had been titular Archbishop of Ephesus (Turkey) and papal Nuncio to the King of Spain. He was named a cardinal by Pope Alexander VII in secret on 15 February 1666, and in public on 7 March 1667. He took part in the Conclave of 20 December 1669–29 April 1670, which resulted in the election of Emilio Altieri as Pope Clement X. Pope Clement immediately named him Archbishop of Monreale on 2 June, and granted him the pallium on 16 June. Visconti arrived in Palermo on 7 December 1670. He may have died of poison. Pirro, pp. 480-481. Gauchat, IV, p. 35 no. 33. Ritzler-Sefrin, V, p. 276 with note 2.

since 1700

Giovanni Roano e Corrionero (27 Nov 1673 – 4 Jul 1703 Died)Roano e Corrionero had previously been Bishop of Cefalù. Pirro, pp. 481-484. Ritzler-Sefrin, V, p. 276 with note 3. Cardinal Francesco del Giudice (14 Jan 1704 – 15 Feb 1725 Retired)Del Giudice was named a cardinal by Pope Alexander VIII on 13 February 1690. He was promoted Bishop of Palestrina on 12 July 1717, to Bishop of Tusculum on 3 March 1721, and to Bishop of Ostia on 12 June 1724. He was the ambassador of Emperor Charles VI to the Holy See, and Protector of Sicily. Pirro, p. 484. Ritzler-Sefrin, V, p. 276 with note 4. Cardinal Juan Álvaro Cienfuegos Villazón, S.J. (21 Feb 1725 – 24 Apr 1739 Resigned)Cienfuegos was named a cardinal by Pope Clement XI on 30 September 1720. He had previously been Bishop of Catania (1721–1725). He took possession of the diocese of Monreale by proxy, and governed through a Vicar General, Canon Francisco Antonio Brù of Xativa. He continued to reside in Rome, where he was Co-Protector of Austria and Ambassador of Emperor Charles VI before the Holy See. Pirro, pp. 484-485. Ritzler-Sefrin, V, pp. 32 no. 70; 150 with note 5; 276 with note 5. Troiano Acquaviva d'Aragona (4 May 1739 – 20 Mar 1747 Died)Acquaviva: Ritzler-Sefrin, VI, p. 297 with note 2. Giacomo Bonanno, C.R. (28 May 1753 – 14 Jan 1754 Died)Bonanno: Ritzler-Sefrin, VI, p. 297 with note 3. Francesco Maria Testa (22 Apr 1754 – 17 May 1773 Died)Testa: Ritzler-Sefrin, VI, p. 297 with note 4.