Archdiocese of Taranto

The Archdiocese of Taranto () is a Latin Church archdiocese of the Catholic Church in southern Italy, on a bay in the Gulf of Taranto."Archdiocese of Taranto" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved February 29, 2016"Archdiocese of Taranto" GCatholic.org. Gabriel Chow. Retrieved February 29, 2016

Its suffragan sees are the dioceses of Castellaneta and Oria.

History

In a local Tarantine legend, according to a document of the 11th or 12th century,Lanzoni, p. 315. the Gospel was preached in Taranto by St. Peter the Apostle. He had arrived in the city in AD 45, along with Saint Mark, on their way to Rome. Amasianus was a gardener or greengrocer, whom Peter converted to Christianity. It is only much later that the Tarentines claim that Amasianus was consecrated a bishop. It is also stated that St. Cataldus was consecrated by St. Peter the Apostle. The real Cataldus was an Irish bishop from Rachau (or Rachan) of the 6th century, who happened to die in Taranto during his pilgrimage to the Holy Land.Lanzoni, p. 316. See: , who provides a rich collection of the scholarly contradictions that embellish the tale of Cataldus.

The city also honors the martyr St. Orontius. Orontius, the son of an imperial treasurer, had been converted to Christianity by Justus, a disciple of St. Paul, who had landed at the port of Saint Cataldus and preached to the population in the locality of Lecce in the time of Nero, despite harassment by imperial officials. They returned to Corinth, where St. Paul consecrated Orontius the first bishop of Lecce, and the party returned to Lecce to continue their evangelization.Lanzoni, pp. 310-311, who points out that the story is very late.

The first bishop whose date is known is Petrus (not Innocentius) (496). In the pontificate of St. Gregory the Great (590–604), the names of three bishops who filled the episcopal chair are known: Andreas (590), Joannes (601), and Honorius (603). Archbishop Joannes (978) is the first who had the title of archbishop.

Even under the Byzantines, Taranto never adopted the Greek Rite. Stephanus perished in the battle of Nelfi (1041) fought by the Greeks and the Normans. Draco (1071) erected the cathedral. Filippo (1138) was deposed for supporting the antipope Anacletus II and died in the monastery of Chiaravalle. Archbishop Angelo was employed in several embassies by Innocent III. Jacopo da Atri was slain in 1370. Marino del Giudice (1371) was one of the cardinals condemned by pope Urban VI in 1385.

Cardinal Ludovico Bonito (1406) was one of the few who remained faithful to Gregory XII. Cardinal Giovanni d'Aragona (1478) was the son of King Ferdinand I of Naples. Giovanni Battista Petrucci suffered for the complicity of his father in the conspiracy of the barons. Cardinal Battista Orsini died in 1503 in the Castle of Sant' Angelo.

Cardinal Marcantonio Colonna (1560) introduced the Tridentine reforms and established the seminary. Girolamo Gambara (1569) was a distinguished nuncio. Lelio Brancaccio (1574) suffered considerable persecution on account of his efforts at reformation. Tommaso Caracciolo (1630), a Theatine, was reported to have died in the odour of sanctity.

Early 20th century

The city of Taranto forms a single parish divided into four pittagerii, each of which contains a sub-pittagerio. It includes the Basilian Abbey of S. Maria di Talfano, where there are still some Albanians following the Greek Rite.

Bishops

Diocese of Taranto Erected: 5th century Latin Name: Tarentinus

Petrus (attested 494)The name "Innocentius" is incorrectly reported, from a letter written by Pope Gelasius I to the Clergy, Leaders, and People of Taranto that he is sending a new bishop, Peter. Jaffé-Loewenfeld, Regesta pontificum Romanorum I, editio altera (Leipzig: Veit 1885), p. 86, no. 647. Lanzoni, p. 316, no. 2. Andreas (attested 593)Pope Gregory issued a decision that Bishop Andreas of Tarentum, if he has a concubine, must resign, and he must refrain from priestly functions for two months because the woman in question had been beaten 'de matriculis'. The Pope also ordered Bishop John of Gallipoli to see to it that Andreas obeyed and to protect the clergy who had been maltreated by Bishop Andreas. Jaffé-Loewenfeld, p. 157 no. 1249, 1250. JoannesThe document of Gregory I is a forgery. Jaffé-Loewenfeld, p. 168, no. †1366. Lanzoni, p. 317. Honorius (attested 603)Pope Gregory I allowed Bishop Honorius to put into use the new baptistery which he had built. Jaffé-Loewenfeld, p. 211, no. 1889. Joannes (attested 649)Bishop John was present at the Roman Synod at the Lateran under Pope Martinus I: Ughelli, p. 125-126. J-D. Mansi (ed.), Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio, editio novissima, Tomus X (Florence 1764), p. 366. Gervasius Germanus (attested 680)Bishop Germanus subscribed the decrees of the III Council of Constantinople: J-D. Mansi (ed.), Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio, editio novissima, Tomus XI (Florence 1765), p. 773. Caesarius (attested 743)Bishop Caesarius was present at the Roman Synod of Pope Zacharias: Ughelli, p. 126. J-D. Mansi (ed.), Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio, editio novissima, Tomus XII (Florence 1766), p. 384c, gives the name Aufredus Taranto. ...

Archdiocese of Taranto

Elevated: 10th century Latin Name: Tarentinus

from 978 to 1400

Joannes (attested 978)Ughelli, p. 126. Dionysius (983) Alexander Facciapecora Stephanus Draso (Drago) (attested 1071)Ughelli, pp. 126-127. Gams, p. 929. Ursus Basilius Albertus Jacobus Stephanus Philamarinus Moraldus (Monaldus) ... Gervasius (attested 1187–1193)Kamp, pp. 691-692. Angelus (1194 – 1200)Ughelli, pp. 131-136. Kamp, pp. 692-695. Sede Vacante (by 28 July 1200 – January 1202)Kamp, p. 695, with notes 37 and 38. Geraldus (attested 1202)Gerardus: Kamp, p. 696. Nicolaus (attested 1205)Nicolaus: Kamp, p. 696. Berardus (attested 1205, 1210, 1211)Ughelli, p. 136. Kamp, pp. 696-697. Ignotus (1215)Kamp, p. 697, note 52. Gualterus (attested 1216 – March 1218)Gams, p. 929. Eubel, I, p. 473. Kamp, p. 697. Nicolaus (10 May 1219 – 20 August 1247)Ughelli, p. 137. Kamp, pp. 698-701. Sede Vacante (8 August 1249 – 25 March 1252)Kamp, p. 702. Henricus de Carasolo (25 March 1252 – 22 July 1274)Henricus was in exile from 1253 to 1266. Kamp, p. 703-704. [Jacobus de Viterbio was not an archbishop]Kamp, p. 705, note 118. Sede Vacante (20 October 1274 – 3 December 1275)Kamp, p. 705. Henricus de Carasolo, again (12 March 1276 – 20 April 1297)Kamp, p. 706. Gualterius (22 June 1299 – 1301)A native of Naples, Gualterius had previously been Bishop of Anglona. Ughelli, p. 138. Eubel, I, pp. 90, 473. Gregorius, O.P. (1301 – 1334)Gregory was a native of Capua. Ughelli, p. 138. Eubel, I, p. 473. Rogerius Capitignonas (26 April 1334 – 1348)Rogerius: Ughelli, pp. 138-139. Eubel, I, p. 473. Bertrand de Castronovo (de Chateauneuf) (1348 – 7 Jan 1349)Bishop-elect Bertrand was appointed Archbishop of Salerno on 7 January 1349 by Pope Clement VI, and then Archbishop of Embrun (8 January 1364). He was named Bishop of Viviers on 5 September 1365. He died in 1374. Eubel, I, pp. 234, 430, 473, 533. Jacobus (7 January 1349 – 1378)Jacobus had been titular Bishop of Corinth (Greece) (c. 1340–1349). Eubel, I, pp. 210, 473. Martinus (20 November 1381 – 1384)Martinus had been Bishop of Sora (1364–1378). He was appointed Bishop of Tricarico (1378–1381) by Pope Gregory XI. He was appointed Archbishop of Taranto by Clement VII. Eubel, I, p. 473, 497. (Avignon Obedience) Matthaeus (28 May 1384 – after 1394)Matteo had been Bishop of Trani (1379–1384). He was appointed Archbishop of Taranto by Clement VII. He was still in office under Benedict XIII. Eubel, I, pp. 473, 492. (Avignon Obedience) Marinus del Judice (by 4 June 1380 – c. 1382/1385)A native of Amalfi, Marinus had been Archbishop of Brindisi. He was Chamberlain of Urban VI. He was promoted to the cardinalate by Urban VI somewhere between 1382 and 1385. He was executed by Urban VI in December 1386. Ughelli, pp. 139-140. Eubel, I, pp. 24 no. 32; 149; 473. (Roman Obedience) Pierre Amelli, O.S.A. (c. 1386 – 12 Nov 1387)Petrus had been Bishop of Senigallia (1375–c.1386). He was appointed Patriarch of Grado by Urban VI on 12 November 1387. Eubel, I, pp. 266, 447, 473. Petrus (12 April 1389 – 1391?)Petrus had previously been Bishop of Otranto (1382–1389). Ughelli, pp. 140-141. Eubel, I, pp. 280, 473. Elziarius (27 June 1391 – ) Bartolommeo d'ApranoBartolommeo was transferred to the diocese of Salerno. He died on 4 September 1414. Ughelli, p. 141. Eubel, I, pp. 430, 473. ( – 17 March 1400) (Roman Obedience)

from 1400 to 1600

Jacobus Palladini (24 March 1400 – 16 November 1401)A native of Teramo in the Abruzzi, Archbishop Giacomo was transferred to the diocese of Florence on 16 November 1401. He was transferred to Spoleto on 18 July 1410, and died there in 1417. Ughelli, p. 141. Eubel, I, pp. 251, 463, 473. Alamanno Adimari (16 Nov 1401 – 3 Nov 1406)Adimari had been Archbishop of Florence (1400–1401). He was appointed Archbishop of Pisa on 3 November 1406, and named a cardinal by Pope John XXIII on 6 June 1411. Eubel, I, pp. 32 no. 3; 400; 473. Cardinal Ludovico Bonito (Ludovicus Bonitus) (29 July 1407 – 1412?)Ludovico was previously Bishop of Palermo (1387–1392, expelled), titular bishop of Antivari in Epirus (1395), titular Archbishop of Thessaloniki (Macedonia) (1395–1399), Bishop of Bergamo (1399–1400), and Bishop of Pisa (1400–1407). He was named a cardinal by Gregory XII on 19 September 1408. When Gregory XII was deposed by the Council of Pisa, Bonitus was deposed as well by Pope John XXIII. He died on 18 September 1413. Eubel, I, pp. 31, no. 5; 93, 396, 400, 473. Cardinal Rinaldo Brancaccio (3 Jul 1412 – 1420 Resigned) (Administrator)Brancaccio was appointed Administrator by Pope John XXIII, and, according to Ughelli, held the post for nine years. He died in October 1427. Ughelli, p. 142. Eubel, I, pp. 25, 473. Giovanni Berardi de Tagliacozzi (20 Oct 1421 – 8 Jan 1440)Berardi was a Neapolitan, of the family of the Counts of Tagliacozzi. He was appointed Cardinal-Priest on 18 December 1439 by Pope Eugenius IV, and assigned the titular church of Santi Nereo e Achilleo. He served as Nuncio in Germany to 1440. Ughelli, p. 142. Eubel, I, p. 473; II, pp. 7, no. 5; 26 no. 5. Giuliano Cesarini (Sr.) (1440 – 7 Mar 1444) (Administrator)On March 1, 1442 Cesarini was named Apostolic Legate in Poland, Bohemia, Austria, and Hungary. He departed the Curia, which was still residing in Florence, on 14 March: Eubel II, p. 27 no. 29. He was appointed Cardinal-Bishop of Frascati on 6 March 1443. E. Celani, in: He died in Hungary on 10 November 1444, in the battle of Varna. Marino Orsini (30 July 1445 – 1472)Orsini the brother of Giacomo Orsini, Duke of Gravina. He was Papal Nuncio in England in 1451. He was made Archdeacon of Wiltshire in the Church of Salisbury on 8 November 1452. On 8 July 1452 he was named Abbot Commendatory of S. Nicolò fuori del castello di Mentana, and of S. Maria and di S. Vito of Monte Gentile. Eubel, I, p. 473. Latino Orsini (30 Oct 1472 – 11 Aug 1477 Died) Giovanni d'Aragona (10 Nov 1477 – 17 Oct 1485 Died) Giovanni Battista Petrucci (Petruzzi) (17 Nov 1485 – 26 Oct 1489 Appointed, Archbishop (Personal Title) of Teramo) Francesco de Perez (26 Oct 1489 – 1491 Died) Giovanni Battista Orsini (5 Nov 1490 – 24 Sep 1498 Resigned) Enrico Bruno, O.P. (24 Sep 1498 – 1509 Died) Orlando Carretto della Rovere (10 Oct 1509 – 24 Apr 1510 Appointed, Titular Archbishop of Nazareth) (in Latin) Giovanni Maria Poderico (24 Apr 1510 – 1524 Died) Francesco Armellini Pantalassi de' Medici (15 Dec 1525 – Oct 1527 Died) Girolamo d'Ippolito, O.P. (18 Jan 1528 – Aug 1528 Died) Antonio Sanseverino, O.S.Io.Hieros. (31 Aug 1528 – 17 Aug 1543 Died) Francesco Colonna (22 Oct 1544 – 1560 Died) Marcantonio Colonna (Sr.) (9 Jul 1560 – 13 Oct 1568 Appointed, Archbishop of Salerno) Girolamo di Corregio (13 May 1569 – 9 Oct 1572 Died)