The Diocese of Martirano was a Roman Catholic diocese located in the village and comune of Martirano in the province of Catanzaro in the Calabria region of Italy. It was suppressed in 1818 to the Diocese of Nicastro."Diocese of Martirano (Martoranum)" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved March 31, 2016"Titular Episcopal See of Martirano”’’GCatholic.org’’. Gabriel Chow. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
History
Paul Fridolin Kehr draws attention to a group of bishops who are attested between 649 and 769 and identified as bishops of Martirano in the Italia Sacra of Ferdinand Ughelli: Reparatus, Opportunus, Domnus and Bonus.Ughelli, IX, pp. 271-272. In fairness, Ughelli uses italics to enter these bishops in his list, and he does not number them. Inspection of the evidence shows that these bishops belonged to the diocese of Manturano in Tuscany, not Martirano in Calabria.Kehr, Italia pontificia X, p. 119. Francesco Lanzoni likewise rejects Reparatus as a bishop of Martirano.Lanzoni, p. 343, note 1. Lanzoni was only writing about bishops up to the 7th century. These bishops cannot be used to argue for an early establishment of the diocese. Ughelli also reports that Arnulphus was a bishop of Martirano, citing William of Tyre's story of his attempting to intrude himself into the Patriarchate of Jerusalem. But William of Tyre does not say that Arnulphus was Bishop of Martirano c. 1100; it is only a conjecture of Ughelli.Ughelli, p. 272. See Coleti's footnote 1, in which Lucentius (Giorgio Ambrogio Lucenti) criticized Ughelli's conjecture. Ughelli also reports the existence of a Bishop Rodulphus under Pope Calixtus II, but the documents on which the report is based are forgeries.
It is said that the Diocese of Martirano was established in 1099. Louis Duchesne states that Martirano had been a suffragan of Salerno in 1058,See also: and that Martirano may have replaced the Byzantine Greek diocese of Amantea.Duchesne, pp. 13, 15.
In 1638 a major earthquake struck Calabria. At Martirano the death toll was 517, and most of the town was destroyed. The cathedral could not be repaired, and Bishop Cellesio had to begin building a new one.Ughelli, p. 271.
The Cathedral was served by a Chapter, composed of four dignities (the Dean, the Archdeacon, the Cantor and the Treasurer) and eight Canons. Bishop Pierbenedetti added six chaplains. All were required to be in priestly orders. In 1703 the number of Canons was twelve.Ritzler-Sefrin, V, p. 259 note 1. In that year the population of the town was estimated at 1,000. In 1758 the inhabitants were numbered at c. 2,000: Ritzler-Sefrin, VI, p. 279 note 1.
Bishop Marino Pierbenedetti (1577–1591) was also responsible for the building of the seminary in Martirano, in accordance with the decrees of the Council of Trent and the active encouragement of Bishop Gaspare del Fosso, Archbishop of Reggio and Metropolitan of Calabria.Taccone-Gallucci, p. 391.
On 27 June 1818 the diocese of Martirano was suppressed and its territory was added to that of the Diocese of Nicastro, in accordance with the Bull In ultilori of Pope Pius VII.Ritzler-Sefrin, VI, p. 279 note 1. This was in conformity with the Concordat of 1818, between the Holy See and the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.
In 1968 the title "Bishop of Martirano", though not the institution of a diocese, was restored in the Titular Episcopal See of Martirano. It was used for auxiliary bishops in Brazil and the Philippines, but it is currently held by the President of the Pontifical Committee for International Eucharistic Congresses, Archbishop (personal title) Piero Marini, who had once been Master of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations for John Paul II and Benedict XVI.David M. Cheney, Catholic-Hierarchy.org, Martirano (titular see), retrieved: 2017-03-11.
Bishops of Martirano to 1400
... Michael (attested 1177, 1179)Michael: Ughelli, IX, pp. 272-274. Kamp, p. 863. Philippus de Matera (attested 1205 – 1238)Ughelli, pp. 275-277. Kamp, pp. 864-866. Eubel, I, p. 328. Thomas, O.Cist. (attested 1254)Thomas: Ughelli, pp. 277-279. Kamp, pp. 867-868. Raynaldus (1 February 1255 – ? )Raynaldus: Eubel, I, p. 328. Robertus (c. 1266 – 4 June 1288)Robertus was transferred to the diocese of Monopoli on 4 June 1288. Eubel, I, pp. 329, 346. Adam (attested c. 1295 – 1330) Hugo (attested 1330) Senator de Marturano (1340 – 1349)Eubel, I, p. 328, from Gams, p. 895. Joannes de Bisignano (18 May 1349 – )Giovanni da Bisignano was transferred to the diocese of Bisignano on Eubel, I, pp. 329. Jacobus de Itro (22 March 1359 – ) Jacobus Castellani, O.Min. (8 January 1364 – 2 April 1390)Giacomo Castellani was transferred to the diocese of Nicastro on 2 April 1390. He died in 1394. Eubel, I, pp. 329, 362. Nicolaus ( 1390 ) Jacobus de Villani (4 March 1400 – ) Nicolaus (restored) (17 June 1400 – ) Petrus Antonius Stamingo, O.Min. (2 April 1418 – 1440)Antonius had been Bishop of Bosa (Sardinia) from 1413 to 1418. Eubel, I, pp. 141, 329.
1400 to 1600
Carlo of Naples (refused appointment)Carlo of Naples had been appointed on 12 December 1440, but refused the appointment. Eubel, II, p. 186 note 1. Godfridus de Cola (4 May 1442 – 11 February 1446)Godfridus had been Dean of the Cathedral Chapter of Tropea. He was transferred to the diocese of San Marco on 11 February 1446. Eubel, II, pp. 185, 186. Antonio Cola (11 February 1446 – 1451)Cola had previously been Bishop of San Marco (1435–1446). Eubel, II, pp. 185, 186. Martinus (28 May 1451 – May 1463)Martinus had been Bishop of Isola (1446–1451). He was transferred to the diocese of Cotrone on 3 February 1464. He died in 1465. Eubel, II, pp. 135, 166, 186. Angelo Greco (26 May 1463 – 1475 Died)Greco: Eubel, II, p. 127. Aurelio Biennato (21 Nov 1485 – 1496 Died)Biennato was a cleric of the diocese of Milan. Eubel, II, p. 127. Angelo Pappacoda (9 Jan 1497 – 1537 Died)Pappacodo was a cleric of the diocese of Naples. Eubel, II, p. 127. Giacomo Antonio Ferduzi, O.F.M. Conv. (27 Jun 1537 – 1560 Died)Feduzi (Jacobus de Ancona): Eubel, III, p. 237, with note 3. Tolomeo Gallio (13 Sep 1560 – 6 Jul 1562)Gallio was first papal Secretary. He was appointed Archbishop of Manfredonia on 6 July 1562. On 12 March 1565 he was named a Cardinal by Pope Pius IV. Eubel, III, pp. 40 no. 27; 237; 301 with note 11. Girolamo Federici (6 Jul 1562 – 1569 Resigned)Federici had previously been Bishop of Eubel, III, p. 237 with note 5. Gregorio Cruz, O.P. (1 Apr 1569 – 1577 Died)"Bishop Gregorio Cruz, O.P." Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved March 21, 2016 Cruz was a doctor of theology. Eubel, III, p. 237. Mariano Pierbenedetti (30 Jan 1577 – before 5 Apr 1591 Resigned)Mariano Pierbenedetti was Governor of the City of Rome (1585–1589). He was named a Cardinal by Pope Sixtus V on 20 December 1589. Eubel, III, pp. 53 no. 30; 237. Roberto Phili (5 April 1591 – 1592)Phili was a Doctor of Canon Law. Appointed, Bishop of Nocera Umbra. Eubel, III, p. 237, with note 8.
1600 to 1818
Francesco Monaco (26 Jul 1592 – Dec 1626 Died)"Bishop Francesco Monaco" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved August 27, 2016 Cheney's date of 1 July 1591 is derived from Gams (p. 895) and is obsolete. See: Gauchat, IV, p. 233 with note 2. Luca Cellesi (5 Jul 1627 – Jul 1661 Died)Cellesi: Gauchat, IV, p. 233 with note 3. Felice Antonio Monaco (21 Nov 1661 – Jan 1667 Died)"Bishop Felice Antonio Monaco" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved March 21, 2016 Eubel, III, p. 237. Gauchat, IV, p. 233 with note 4. Giovanni Giacomo Palamolla (16 Mar 1667 – Nov 1692 Died)Palamolla was a native of Toraca (diocese of Policastro). He was a Doctor in utroque iure (Civil and Canon Law). Gauchat, IV, p. 233 with note 5. Michelangelo Veraldi (9 Mar 1693 – Nov 1702 Died)Veraldi was born at Taverna (diocese of Catanzaro) in 1650. He held a doctorate from the Sapienza in Rome. He was consecrated in Rome by Cardinal Gaspare Carpegna on 15 March 1693. Ritzler-Sefrin, V, p. 259 with note 3. Nicolaus Righetti (19 Feb 1703 – Mar 1711 Died)Righetti was born in San Mauro (diocese of Santa Severina) in 1646. He was a Doctor in utroque iure (Civil and Canon Law) from the Sapienza in Rome (1675), and became Synodal Examiner for the Abbey of Farfa. He was a lecturer in law at the Sapienza. Ritzler-Sefrin, V, p. 259 with note 4. Pietro Antonio Pietrasanta, B. (14 Mar 1718 – Oct 1727 Died)Pietrasanta: Ritzler-Sefrin, V, p. 259 with note 5. Saverio Ferrari (26 Nov 1727 – 29 Apr 1733 Died)Ferrari: Ritzler-Sefrin, V, p. 259 with note 6. Nicolò Carmine Falcone (22 Jun 1733 – 15 Jul 1743)Falcone was born in Naples in 1681. He was Doctor in utroque iure (Civil and Canon Law) and theology from the Sapienza in Rome (1724). He was consecrated in Rome on 28 June 1733 by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Altieri. He was appointed Archbishop of Santa Severina. Ritzler-Sefrin, VI, p. 279 with note 2. Bernardino Antonio Diego Bernardi, O.M. (16 Dec 1743 – 14 May 1758 Died)Bernardi: Ritzler-Sefrin, VI, p. 279 with note 3. Nicola Spedalieri (18 Dec 1758 – 29 Jan 1770)Spedalieri was born in Badolato (diocese of Squillace) in 1705. He obtained the degree Doctor in utroque iure (Civil and Canon Law) from the University of Naples in 1753. He was appointed a Vicar General of the diocese of Umbriatico, and then of Reggio Calabria. He was consecrated a bishop in Rome on 24 December 1758 by Cardinal Joaquín Fernández de Portocarrero. He was appointed Bishop of Oppido Mamertina on 29 January 1770. He died in the village of Guardavalle on 5 April 1783. Ritzler-Sefrin, VI, p. 279 with note 4; p. 318 with note 4. Giacomo Maria de Tarsia, O.M. (12 Mar 1770 – 1782 Died)Tarsia: Ritzler-Sefrin, VI, p. 279 with note 5. Francesco Antonio Grillo, O.F.M. Conv. (26 Mar 1792 Confirmed – 29 Oct 1804)Grillo was appointed Bishop of Cassano all'Jonio, but he died on 7 November 1804. . Ritzler-Sefrin, VI, p. 279 with note 6.
1818 June 27: Suppressed. See: Diocese of Nicastro
References
Books References (in Latin)
Studies (article by Cav. Francesco Adilardi)
Duchesne, Louis (1902), "Les évèchés de Calabre," Kamp, Norbert (1975). Kirche und Monarchie im staufischen Königreich Sizilien: I. Prosopographische Grundlegung, Bistumer und Bistümer und Bischöfe des Konigreichs 1194–1266: 2. Apulien und Calabrien München: Wilhelm Fink 1975. Kehr, Paulus Fridolin (1975). Italia pontificia. Regesta pontificum Romanorum. Vol. X: Calabria–Insulae. Berlin: Weidmann. (in Latin)
See also Catholic Church in Italy