The Diocese of Bisceglie (Latin: Dioecesis Vigiliensis) was a Roman Catholic diocese located in the town of Bisceglie on the Adriatic Sea in the province of Barletta-Andria-Trani, Apulia in southern Italy. It is five miles south of Trani.
In 1818, it was united with the Archdiocese of Trani to form the Archdiocese of Trani-Bisceglie. (for Chronology of Bishops) (for Chronology of Bishops)
History of the diocese In 839, and again in 840, the territory of Bisciglie was attacked and devastated by the Saracens (Arabs and Moors from north Africa).Sarnelli (1693), pp. 27-28.
On 1 October 1071 Bishop Giovanni was present at the consecration of the church of the Monastery of Montecassino by Pope Alexander II.Sarnelli (1693), p. 31.
In 1079, Robert Guiscard, who had taken the title of Duke of Apulia, met his vassals at Melfi. Count Pietro of Trani, who considered himself Guiscard's equal, did not attend. Guiscard therefore campaigned against Trani, Bisceglie, Giovennazo, Corato and Andria, and took prisoners.Sarnelli (1693), p. 30.
The Cathedral of S. Peter was dedicated on 1 May 1295 by Bishop Leo with the assistance of seven other bishops.Sarnelli (1693), p. 105. The Cathedral had a Chapter composed of seven dignities, sixteen Canons, and ten chaplains.D'Avino, p. 64. In 1685 the Cathedral Chapter contained seven dignities and sixteen Canons.Ritzler-Sefrin, V, p. 415, note 1. The dignities were: the Archdeacon, the Archpriest, two Primicerii, the Prior, the Dean, and the Penitentiary. Bishop Albergati (1609–1627) had founded an additional Canonry. Two canonries belonged to the Theologian and the Penitentiary. In 1762 there were six dignities and twenty six Canons. The city of Bisceglie had c. 12,000 inhabitants, with three parish churches (and a total of ten churches inside the citySarnelli (1693), p. 107.); there were five houses of male religious and two monasteries of monks.Sarnelli (1693), p. 108-109. Ritzler-Sefrin, VI, p. 442, note 1.
The diocese of Biceglie had two Collegiate Churches, S. Adoeno (with an Abbot curate, nine Canons, and six chaplains)S. Audoeno appears in the record as early as 1074. Its church was consecrated by Bishop Simone and six other bishops on 1 July 1367. Sarnelli (1693), p. 106. and Ss. Matteo e Niccolò (with two Abbots, eight Canons, and five chaplains).Two separate churches were consolidated in 1608; both go back to c. 1100. Sarnelli (1693), p. 105. D'Avino, p. 64, column 2. On 15 July 1818, Pope Pius VII, answering a petition from the Chapter of S. Adoeno, granted the Chapter the power to add to the number of choral chaplains.The papal bull is addressed to the Capitular Vicar of Biseglie, sede illius episcopali vacante, and dated 15 July 1818.
There were eleven churches outside the city in the territory of the diocese of Bisceglie.Sarnelli (1693), pp. 109-110.
Bishops of the diocese of Bisceglie Erected: 8th Century Latin Name: Vigiliensis Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Trani
to 1200 ... Georgius (Sergius) (attested 787)Georgius was present at the II Ecumenical Council of Constantinopole in 787. Ughelli, p. 938. Mercurius (attested 1059)Sarnelli, p. 29-30, demonstrates that another document of Mercurius is a forgery. Ioannes (attested 1071, 1072)J. P. Migne (ed.) Patrologiae Latinae Tomus CLXXIII (173) (Paris 1854), p. 753. Stephanus (1099)Ughelli, p. 938. Cappelletti, p. 71. Amandus (attested 30 July 1154 – 1182)Amandus last appears in a document of 7 July 1182. Kehr, p. 311-313, nos. 1-10. Kemp, p. 565 Bisantius, O.S.B. (attested 1182 – 19 October 1219)Ughelli, pp. 941-944. Eubel, I, p. 527. Kehr, p. 313. Kemp, pp. 566-567.
from 1200 to 1400
... Nicolaus (attested 1229)Eubel, I, p. 527. Ughelli, p. 944. (Al)bertus (attested 1237)Albertus is known only from a fragmentary and now-lost inscription. Kemp, p. 567. Nicolaus (attested 1240)Kemp, p. 567, with notes 22-24. Sergius (1267 – 1274)Sergius is referred to as 'Bishop-elect' from June to September 1267. Kemp, p. 567. Sede vacante (1275/1276 – 1285)Kamp, p. 568. By implication, Kamp does not accept Fieschi's term as Administrator. ? Opizzo FieschiOpizo was titular Patriarch of Antioch, and served as Administrator of Limasol (Cyprus) (to 1280), Trani (1280–1288), Genoa (from 1288–1292) Eubel I, p. 93, with note 8; 281; 491 with note 3. Daniele Calcagno, "Il patriarca di Antiochia Opizzo Fieschi, diplomatico di spicco per la Santa Sede fra Polonia, Oriente latino ed Italia nel XIII sec.," in: I Fieschi tra papato e impero. Atti del Convegno. Lavagna, 18 dicembre 1994, (Lavagna 1997), pp. 145-268. Patriarch Opizzo was assigned by Pope Nicholas III as Administrator of Trani on 1 April 1280 and required to live there, and not administer through procurators or vicars: Apostolic Administrator (1280.04.01 – 1288.06.04) Hieronymus (1285)Cappelletti, p. 72. Gams, p. 857. Leo(nius)Ughelli, p. 944. Cappelletti, p. 72-73. Gams, p. 857. Leone di Gaeta (attested 1303, 1306, 1309)Cappelletti, p. 73. Ughelli inserts a Bishop Matteo between the two Leos, but he is rejected by Cappelletti and questioned by Gams, p. 857. The possibility must be entertained that the two Leos are the same person. Giovanni (attested 1314)Sarnelli, p. 50. Ughelli, p. 944. Eubel, I, p. 527. Giacomo (1317? – ?)Sarnelli, p. 50. Gams, p. 857. Nicola (1320? – ?) Bartolomeo Fiore, O.P. (1327? – ?)Fra Bartolomeo was a native of Bari, and had been Inquisitor in Ferrara. He was a Chaplain and Councilor of King Charles (d. 1309). He died in Ferrara, carrying out his functions as Inquisitor. Ughelli, p. 944. Martino Sambiasi (? – death 1348) Simone de Rayano (5 Nov 1348 – death 1367?) Nicola Ricci, O.F.M. (19 July 1387 – 21 April 1421) (Avignon Obedience)Ricci (Petracino) was later Bishop of Diocese of Krk (Veglensis) (Croatia) (21 April 1421 – 1435). Eubel, I, pp. 518, 527; II, 263. Domenico (? – ?) (Roman Obedience) Giovanni (1390? – 1390) Giacomo Federici, Carmelites (O. Carm.) (4 Jan 1391 – 1399?)Sarnelli, p. 56.
from 1400 to 1600
Francesco Falconi (1399? – ?)Francesco Falconi belonged to a noble family of Bisceglie. He had been Abbot of the Monastery of S. Adoeno. Sarnelli, p. 57. Eubel, I, p. 527. Nicola Falconi (1413 – death 1442)Ughelli, p. 945. In 1413 he entered into an agreement with his Chapter: Sarnelli, p. 58. Giacomo Pietro de Gravina (23 May 1442 – death 1476)Ughelli, pp. 945-946. Eubel, II, p. 268. Bernardino Barbiani (9 Aug 1476 – 24 Aug 1487)Barbiani was transferred to the diocese of Bisaccia (Italy) (1487.08.24 – death in 1498?). Eubel, II, p. 106, 268. Martino de Madio da Tramonti (Martino de Maggio) (24 Aug 1487 – 18 Nov 1507)Martino de Maggio had previously been Bishop of Bisaccia (Italy) (8 April 1463 – 24 August 1487). In 1502 he participated in the grant of the church of S. Maria del Muro in Bisceglie to the Dominican Order. Ughelli, pp. 947-948. Eubel, II, pp. 106, 268; III, p. 334, with n. 2. Antonio Lupicino (19 November 1507 – 1524)Lupicino belonged to the family of the Counts of Canusio, and had been Archdeacon of Andria. He resigned in 1524, and died in 1543. Ughelli, p. 948. Eubel, III, p. 334. Geronimo Sifola (11 May 1524 – death 1565)Sifola, a member of a noble family of Trani, was the nephew of his predecessor, Antonio Lupicino. Ughelli, p. 948. Eubel, III, p. 334. Giovanni Andrea Signati (22 Aug 1565 – 23 Sept 1575)A native of Castrovillari (Cassano), Signati was a priest of the diocese of Cassano (Calabria), and a Doctor of theology. He was the first bishop of Bisceglie to make a formal inspection (1574) of the diocesan Archives, as mandated by the Council of Trent. He was transferred to the diocese of Bisignano (23 Sept 1575–November 1575). Sarnelli, p. 84. Eubel, III, pp. 134, 334. Leonardo Bonaccorsi (23 Sept 1575 – death 1576)Bonaccorsi, a native of Pistoia, was a Doctor of Canon Law. He was appointed Bishop of Bisceglie by Pope Gregory XIII on 23 September 1575. Sarnelli, p. 84. Eubel, III, p. 334. Giovanni Battista Soriani, O. Carm. (22 Aug 1576 – death 25 June 1582)Of a noble family of Naples, Soriani was noted for his expertise in Latin and Hebrew. He belonged to the Carmine Maggiore in Naples. He taught theology. He had been Procurator General of the Carmelite Order. Ughelli, p. 948. Cappelletti, p. 75. Eubel, III, p. 334. Nicola Secadenari (1583 – death 30 July 1583)Secadenari was a native of Bologna. He was appointed Bishop of Bisceglie by Pope Gregory XIII, but he died in Bologna before he ever reached Bisceglie. Ughelli, p. 949. Eubel, III, p. 334. Alessandro Cospi (7 Oct 1583 – death 15 May 1609)On Secadenari's death, Gregory XIII immediately appointed Cospi, another native of Bologna, in his place. Cappelletti states that this took place on 17 August 1583; Ughelli, p. 949, and Eubel, III, p. 334, on 7 October. Cospi was present in the Synod of Trani in 1589 (Ughelli). He held four diocesan visitations, in 1584, 1588, 1594, and 1595.
from 1600 to 1817
Antonio Albergati (1609.08.03 – 1627)"Archbishop Antonio Albergati" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved November 24, 2016 Nicola Bellolatto (1627.03.08 – death 1636.07.15) Bernardino Scala (12 January 1637 – 28 May 1643)Scala was born at Sant' Abondio in the diocese of Gubbio. He was a Doctor in theology, and a Canon of San Lorenzo in Damaso in Rome. He was consecrated in Rome by Cardinal Antonio Barberini on 25 January 1637. He was transferred to the diocese of Montefeltro on 28 May 1643. He died on 19 Jan 1667. Cappelletti, p. 75. Gauchat, IV, pp. 186 with note 4; 369 with note 4. Guglielmo Gaddi (1643.08.31 – death 1652.02.07)"Bishop Guglielmo Gaddi" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved October 7, 2016 Giuseppe Lomellini, O.S.B.(1652.08.26 – death 1657.08.25) Cesare Cancellotti (1 April 1658 – 16 June 1662)Cancellotti was a native of San Severino, and was Archdeacon and vicar of the Bishop of San Severino. He was consecrated in Rome by Cardinal Marcantonio Franciotti on 7 April 1658. He was later transferred to the diocese of Montalto (Italy) (16 June 1662 – death 27 June 1673). Sarnelli, pp. 91-92. Gauchat, pp. 246 with note 6; 369 with note 7. Giovanni Battista Penna, O.E.S.A. (9 April 1663 – death 2 July 1664)Penna: Sarnelli, p. 92. Cappelletti, p. 76. Gauchat p. 369 Francesco Antonio Ricci, O.F.M. Obs. (15 September 1664 – death 28 April 1685)Ricci was born in Rome, and served as Custos and then Provincial of the Roman Province of the Observant Franciscans. He was a Consultor at the Holy Office (Roman Inquisition). He was appointed bishop of Bisceglie by Pope Alexander VII on 15 September 1664. He held a diocesan synod in 1667. Sarnelli, pp. 92-93. Gauchat, IV, p. 369 with note 9; Ritzler-Sefrin, V, p. 415 with note 2. Giuseppe Crispini (10 Sept 1685 – 13 November 1690)Crispini was born in Rocca Guglielma (diocese of Aquino) in 1639. He was a Doctor in utroque iure (Civil and Canon Law) from the Sapienza in Rome (1667); he became a Protonotary Apostolic. He was transferred to the diocese of Amelia on 13 November 1690. He died in May 1721. Ritzler-Sefrin, V, pp. 81 with note 4; 415 with note 3. Pompeo Sarnelli (17 February 1692 – death 7 July 1724)A native of Polignano, Sarnelli was a doctor in theology (Sapienza, Rome 1680). He had been Vicar-General of Cesena, Synodical Examiner of Benevento, and Mitered-Abbot of Santo Spirito in Benevento. He was consecrated a bishop on 4 May 1692 by Cardinal Vincenzo Maria Orsini de Gravina, who became Pope Benedict XIII (1724–1730). He was a prolific writer, and the author of the book on the diocese and bishops of Bisceglie. Ritzler-Sefrin, V, p. 415 with note 4. Antonio Pacecco (Antonio Pacicco), O.F.M. (11 September 1724 – death March 1739)Ritzler-Sefrin, V, p. 415 with note 5.