The Diocese of Nicosia () is a Latin diocese of the Catholic Church in Sicily. It is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Messina-Lipari-Santa Lucia del Mela.Beritelli, p. 145. The city of Nicosia is 80 km directly west of Mount Etna.

History Nicosia had been placed under the patronage of S. Nicholas of Myra by Pope Benedict XIV."sub speciali, unica, universalique tutela et patricinio sancti Nicolai archiepiscopi Myrensis Barensis nuncupati per literas apostolicas in forma brevis sub annulo piscatoris felicis recordationis Benedicti pp. XIV." The Collegiate Church of S. Nicolas in Nicosia had a Chapter composed of 43 individuals, headed by three dignities: the Archpriest, the Cantor, and the Treasurer, and ten canons. The church was also a parish church."Superaddita Diei", pp. 1430, column 2. Another church in the city, Santa Maria Maggiore, was named a collegiate church by Pope Urban VIII in 1625.Beritelli, p. 166. Its college was composed of three dignities (the Dean, the Archpriest, and the Primicerius) and ten canons-in-ordinary with two honorary canons.Beritelli, p. 152.

As early as 1815, King Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies had written to the pope, pointing out that the island of Sicily had only nine bishops, and that the extent of these dioceses was too extensive for the bishops to oversee them adequately. The population of the island exceeded 1.5 million, and the diocese of Messina alone had 130,000. The pope consulted with the apostolic delegate the archbishop of Palermo and members of the College of Cardinals in the Consistorial Congregation.Beritelli, pp. 114-134.

Erection of the diocese Finally, on 17 March 1817, Pope Pius VII issued the bull "Superaddita Diei", establishing the diocese of Nicosia (Herbitensis).Pius VII, "Superaddita Diei", 17 March 1817, in: Bullarii Romani continuatio , Vol. 7 (Romae: Typographia Reverendae Camerae Apostolicae 1852), pp. 1428-1442. Gabriel Chow, GCatholic.org "Diocese of Nicosia, Italy"; accessed 8 May 2024.. Beritelli, pp. 135-136. The moment was opportune, since the archbishop of Messina, Gaetano Maria Garrasi, had died on 16 February 1817.Ritzler & Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VI, p. 287. To form the territory of the new diocese, the pope detached from the archdiocese of Messina the communes of: Alimena, Buompietro, Castelbuono, Gangi, Geraci, Petralia Soprana, Petralia, Sottana, Bronte, Maletto, Capizzi, Cesarò, S. Mauro, and S. Teodoro; plus two small country districts called Casale Marianopolis and Bon-Pietro.Beritelli, p. 145. "Superaddita Diei", pp. 1431, § 5.

Within the diocese is the ancient city of Troina, which was briefly an episcopal see from 1087 to 1090.Gordon S. Brown, The Norman Conquest of Southern Italy and Sicily (London: McFarland 2003), pp. 116-118. Donald Matthew, The Norman Kingdom of Sicily (Cambridge: CUP 1992), pp. 17-18; 27-28. Rocco Pirro, Sicilia Sacra vol. 1 (3rd ed., ed. Antonino Mongitore), (Palermo: P. Coppola 1733), pp. 494-498.

Chapter and cathedral

The Collegiate Church of S. Nicholas had its privileges and prerogatives revoked, and it was reduced to the status of a parish church. Similarly, the Chapter of the collegiate church had its privileges and powers revoked and was suppressed. The pope then elevated S. Nicholas to the status of a cathedral church and assigned it as the seat of the new bishop of Nicosia. The bishop was made a suffragan of the archbishop of Messina."Superaddita Diei", pp. 1432, § 7; pp. 1437, col. 2. A cathedral Chapter was created to administer and provide liturgical services for the cathedral, consisting of five dignities (the Archpriest, the Archdeacon, the Cantor, the Deacon, and the Treasurer) and ten canons, along with ten "mansionarii" (canonicatus secundarios). The archpriest was to serve as the parish priest."Superaddita Diei", pp. 1432-1433, § 8-13.

On the 150th anniversary of its founding as a cathedral, the cathedral of S. Nicholas of Bari in Nicosia was granted the title and privileges of a minor basilica.Acta Apostolicae Sedis Vol. 60 (Città del Vaticano 1968), pp. 6-7: "Dulce quoddam," 19 June 1967.

Seminary

In the bull of 1817 establishing the diocese, Pope Pius VII also mandated that a seminary for priests also be established."Superaddita Diei", pp. 1437, col. 2, § 25. Beritelli, p. 146 It was not until 1845, however, that Bishop Benza (1844–1847) was able to found the seminary, in a rented house; his expected financial support did not materialize, and he was forced to close it. Bishop Milana reopened the seminary, and began building permanent premises, which were not completed until the early 1860s, by Bishop Lo Piccolo (1858–1881). In 1867, it was closed, and the building confiscated by the government. In 1882, it reopened, in quarters provided by the municipal authorities in the former Carmelite convent. In 1889, the seminary moved to the former monastery of San Biagio. In 1961, the seminary was moved again, to a new building in as suburb, three km. from the center of Nicosia.Seminario interdiocesano Regina Apostolorum, "Storia del Seminario Vescovile “S. Agostino” di Nicosia;" ,; retrieved: 9 November 2025.

Pius VII had also noted in the bull of 1817 that there was a seminary for youth (high school), located at Bronte, which was subsequently detached from the diocese of Nicosia and transferred to the diocese of Catania.Beritelli, p. 147-148.

Development The first bishop of Nicosia was Gaetano Maria Avarna, the Vicar-general and Auxiliary Bishop of Messina, transferred from the titular bishopric of Zama by Pope Pius VII, on 26 June 1818.Notizie per l'anno MDCCCXX (Rome: Cracas 1820), p. 284.

The construction of an orphanage in Nicosia was begun 1800, on the initiative of the archbishop of Messina, with the backing of the king. The building was completed in 1811. The institution was administered by the archpriest of the cathedral Chapter, a civil syndic, and the director of the Monte di Pietà.Beritelli, p. 181. The Monte di Pietà had been established in the mid-16th century by the Confraternità della Misericordia as a bank for loans to the poor.Beritelli, p. 182.

The Jesuits established a mission in Nicosia at the church of Santa Maria Deiparae in 1807.Beritelli, p. 180-181.

In 1819, the Collegiate Church of S. Maria Maggiore in Nicosia was raised to the rank and title of a minor basilica.Beritelli, p. 151.

Bishop Bernardo Cozzuoli (1881–1902) presided over the first diocesan synod, which was held from 6–9 September 1883.Savagnone, pp. 198-200. Prima synodus dioecesana ab ill.mo ac rev.mo D. Bernardo Cozzucli episcopo Nicosien - Herbitensi habita diebus VI , VII et IX septembris MDCCCLXXXIII. (Panormi: tip delle Letture Domenicali, 1883). He held a second synod on 14–16 November 1893.Savagnone, pp. 202-203.

Bishops

Gaetano Maria Avarna (1818–1841)A native of Messina, Avarna was appointed titular bishop of Zama (Tunisia) on 23 February 1801, and named auxiliary bishop of Messina. He was nominated the first bishop of Nicosia by Ferdinand I on 22 May 1818, and confirmed by Pius VII on 26 June. He died on 10 November 1841. Ritzler & Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VII, pp. 283, 401. Sede vacante (1841–1844)Bertelli, p. 200. Rosario Vincenzo Benza (1844–1847)Benza: Ritzler & Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VII, p. 283. Camillo Milana (1851–1858)Milano was nominated by Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies on 25 September 1850, and approved by Pope Pius IX on 17 February 1851. He died on 6 September 1858. Beritelli, pp. 156-1202-203. Ritzler & Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VIII, p. 414. Melchiorre Lo Piccolo (1858–1881)Lo Piccolo had been a parish priet of Agrigento, a canon in the Collegiate Church of Licata, a pro-sinodial-examiner, and Vicar-general of the diocese of Piazza. He was named bishop of Nicosia on 23 December 1858, and consecrated on 9 january 1859. He died on 8 May 1881. L'amico di famiglia Vol. 2, no. 1 (Naples: Frigeno 1859), p. 15. Ritzler & Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VIII, p. 414. Bernardo Cozzucli (Cozzuoli) (1881–1902)A native of Palermo, Cozzuoli was a canon of the cathedral of Palermo. He was named bishop of Nicosia on 18 November 1881, and consecrated in Palermo on 27 November. He held diocesan synods in 1883 and 1893. He died on 3 November 1902. Ritzler & Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VIII, p. 414. Ferdinando Fiandaca (1903–1912)Fiandaca was a native of S. Caterina Villarmosa (diocese of Caltanissetta), and held degrees in theology and Canon Law, and taught those subjects in the seminary of Caltanissetta. He was Canon Theologus in the cathedral of Caltanisssetta. He was named bishop of Nicosia on 22 June 1903, by Pope Leo XIII. He was appointed Bishop of Patti on 10 April 1912, by Pope Pius X, and made his formal entry on 8 September 1912. He resigned on 1 August 1930, at the age of 73, and was appointed titular archbishop of Cyrrhus (Syria). He died in 1941. Monitor ecclesiasticus, Volume 7 (Rome: Fondazione Monitor ecclesiasticus, 1903), p. 190. Ritzler & Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VIII, p. 414. Felice Agostino Addeo, O.S.A. (1913–1942 Resigned)Addeo was a native of Vico di Palma Campania (diocese.of Nola). He was named bishop of Nicosia on 15 May 1913, and consecrated on 15 July. Annuario pontificio per l'anno 1918 (Roma: Typologia Polyglotta Vaticana 1918), p. 171. Pio Giardina (1942–1953 Died) Clemente Gaddi (1953–1962 Appointed, Coadjutor Archbishop of Siracusa) Costantino Trapani, O.F.M. (1962–1976)In 1976, trapani was appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Mazara del Vallo. Salvatore Di Salvo (1976–1984 Resigned) Pio Vittorio Vigo (1984–1985), Apostolic Administrator Pio Vittorio Vigo (1985–1997 Appointed, Archbishop of Monreale) Salvatore Pappalardo (1998–2008)In 2008 Pappalardo was appointed Archbishop of Siracusa. He is not the Salvatore Pappalardo who was Archbishop of Palermo and who became Cardinal in 1973. Salvatore Muratore (2009–2022)Muratore: David M. Cheney, Catholic-Hierarchy.org, "Bishop Salvatore Muratore"; accessed 8 March 2024. Diocesi di Nicosia, "Vescovo emerito: Salvatore Muratore;" ; retrieved: 9 November 2025, Giuseppe Schillaci (2022–present)Schillaci: Diocesi di Nicosia, "Vescovo" ; retrieved: 9 November 2025.

References and notes

Bibliography Beritelli e la Vita, Giuseppe; Alessio Narbone (1852) Notizie storiche di Nicosia . Palermo: Giuseppe Perdone 1852.

Pius VII, "Superaddita Diei"", 17 March 1817, in: Bullarii Romani continuatio , Vol. 7 (Romae: Typographia Reverendae Camerae Apostolicae 1852), pp. 1428-1442. Savagnone, F. Guglielmo (1912). "Concili e sinodi di Sicilia," , in: Atti della reale Accademia di scienze, lettere e belle arti di Palermo terza serie, Vol. 9. Palermo: Impresa generale d'Affissione e Publicità, 1912. pp. 3-212 + Appendice.

External links Diocesan website