Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Monreale

Archdiocese of Monreale Archidioecesis Montis Regalis
Monreale Cathedral
Location
Country	Italy
Ecclesiastical province	Palermo
Statistics
Area	1,509 km2 (583 sq mi)
Population - Total - Catholics	(as of 2013) 258,368 255,150 (est.) (98.8%)
Parishes	69
Information
Denomination	Catholic Church
Rite	Roman Rite
Established	1176 (847–848 years ago)
Cathedral	Basilica Cattedrale di S. Maria La Nuova
Secular priests	110 (diocesan) 26 (Religious Orders) 11 Permanent Deacons
Current leadership
Pope	Francis
Archbishop	Gualtiero Isacchi
Bishops emeritus	Michele Pennisi Salvatore Di Cristina
Map
Website
www.diocesimonreale.it

The Archdiocese of Monreale (Latin : Archidioecesis Montis Regalis) 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. ^{[1] [2]}

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. ^[3] 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^{[ vague ]} 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. ^[4]

Monreale Cathedral

Bishops and Archbishops

Diocese of Monreale

Erected: 1176
Latin Name: Montis Regalis

• Theobaldus, O.S.B. (1176 – 14 May 1178) ^[5]
• 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) ^[6]
• Carus, O.S.B. (23 May 1194 – after 3 August 1222) ^[7]

Sede vacante (by 10 October 1239 – after 25 November 1254) ^[8]

• Benevenutus (10 August 1258 – 24 July 1260) ^[9]
• Gaufridus de Bellomonte (1 October 1266 – 6 November 1271) ^[10]
• Trasmundus (by 10 May 1267 – 17 August 1269) ^[11]

Sede vacante (17 August 1269 – 13 August 1278) ^[12]

• 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) ^[13]
• Arnaldus de Rassaco (17 February 1306 – 1324). ^[14]
• Neapoleone Fortibracchia Orsini (26 July 1325 – 1337)
• Manuel Spinola (4 November 1338 – April 1362)
• Guilelmus Monstrius (1363 – 1380) (Avignon Obedience) ^[15]
• Franciscus Riguerii, O.Min. (19 November 1380 – 19 December 1384) (Avignon Obedience) ^[16]
• Paulus Francisci de Roma, O.Min. (3 February 1379 – April 1418) (Roman Obedience) ^[17]
• Giovanni Ventimiglia (2 April 1418 – 25 January 1450) ^[18]
• Alfonsus de Cuevasruvias (11 February 1450 – November 1454) ^[19]
• Joannes Soler (3 January 1455 – 1458) ^[20]
• Ausias Despuig (18 Sep 1458 – 2 Sep 1483 Died) ^[21]
• Juan de Borja Lanzol (13 Sep 1483 – 1 Aug 1503 Died) ^[22]

1500 to 1700

• Cardinal Juan Castellar y de Borja (9 Aug 1503 – 1 Jan 1505 Died) ^[23]
• Alfonso de Aragona (1505 – 1511) (Administrator) ^[24]
• Cardinal Enrique de Cardona y Enríquez (23 Jan 1512 – 7 Feb 1530 Died) ^[25]
• Cardinal Pompeo Colonna (14 Dec 1530 – 28 Jun 1532 Died) ^[26]
• Cardinal Ippolito de' Medici (26 Jul 1532 – 10 Aug 1535 Died) (Administrator) ^[27]
• Cardinal Alessandro Farnese (15 May 1536 – 9 Dec 1573 Resigned) ^[28]
• Ludovico de Torres (archbishop) (I) (9 Dec 1573 – 31 Dec 1583 Died) ^[29]
• Cardinal Ludovico de Torres (II) (22 Jan 1588 – 8 Jul 1609 Died) ^[30]
• Arcangelo Gualtieri, O.F.M. (18 Jun 1612 – 9 December 1617 Died) ^[31]
• Jerónimo Venero Leyva (17 Feb 1620 – Aug 1628 Died) ^{[32] [33]}
• Cosimo de Torres (3 Apr 1634 – 1 May 1642 Died) ^[34]
• Giovanni Torresiglia (Torrecilla Manso) (13 Jul 1644 – 28 Jan 1648 Died) ^[35]
• Cardinal Francesco Peretti di Montalto (30 May 1650 – 3 May 1655 Died) ^[36]
• Luis Alfonso de Los Cameros (16 Oct 1656 – 14 May 1668) ^[37]
• Cardinal Vitaliano Visconti (2 Jun 1670 – 7 Sep 1671 Died) ^[38]

since 1700

• Giovanni Roano e Corrionero (27 Nov 1673 – 4 Jul 1703 Died) ^[39]
• Cardinal Francesco del Giudice (14 Jan 1704 – 15 Feb 1725 Retired) ^[40]
• Cardinal Juan Álvaro Cienfuegos Villazón, S.J. (21 Feb 1725 – 24 Apr 1739 Resigned) ^[41]
• Troiano Acquaviva d’Aragona (4 May 1739 – 20 Mar 1747 Died) ^[42]
• Giacomo Bonanno, C.R. (28 May 1753 – 14 Jan 1754 Died) ^[43]
• Francesco Maria Testa (22 Apr 1754 – 17 May 1773 Died) ^[44]
• Francesco Ferdinando Sanseverino, C.P.O. (15 Apr 1776 – 31 Mar 1793 Died)
  Archbishop of Palermo and of Monreale ^[45]
• Filippo López y Rojo, C.R. (17 Jun 1793 – 4 Sep 1801 Resigned)
  Archbishop of Palermo and of Monreale ^[46]
• Mercurio Maria Teresi (24 May 1802 – 17 Apr 1805 Died)
• Domenico Benedetto Balsamo, O.S.B. (23 Sep 1816 – 6 Apr 1844 Died)
• Pier Francesco Brunaccini, O.S.B. (24 Nov 1845 – 14 Jun 1850 Died)
• Benedetto D'Acquisto, O.F.M. (23 Dec 1858 – 7 Aug 1867 Died)
• Giuseppe Maria Papardo del Pacco, C.R. (27 Oct 1871 – 3 Aug 1883 Died)
• Domenico Gaspare Lancia di Brolo, O.S.B. (24 Mar 1884 – 31 Jul 1919 Died)
• Antonio Augusto Intreccialagli, O.C.D. (31 Jul 1919 – 19 Sep 1924 Died)
• Ernesto Eugenio Filippi (6 Apr 1925 – 23 Aug 1951 Died)
• Francesco Carpino (23 Aug 1951 Succeeded – 19 Jan 1961 Appointed, Official of the Sacred Consistorial Congregation)
• Corrado Mingo (28 Apr 1961 – 11 Mar 1978 Retired)
• Salvatore Cassisa (11 Mar 1978 – 24 May 1997 Retired)
• Pio Vittorio Vigo (24 May 1997 – 15 Oct 2002 Appointed, Archbishop (Personal Title) of Acireale)
• Cataldo Naro (18 Oct 2002 – 29 Sep 2006 Died)
• Salvatore Di Cristina (2 Dec 2006 – 8 Feb 2013 Retired)
• Michele Pennisi (8 Feb 2013 – 28 April 2022 Retired)
• Gualtiero Isacchi (28 April 2022 - )

Auxiliary bishops

• Gian Antonio Fassano (4 Jun 1544 – 10 Sep 1568) ^[47]
• Giovanni Pietro Fortiguerra (4 Jun 1567 – 26 Apr 1574)
• Blas Antonio Olóriz (2 Dec 1733 – )
• Emanuele Romano (20 Jun 1973 – 24 Jan 1978)

References

1. "Archdiocese of Monreale" Catholic-Hierarchy.org . David M. Cheney. Retrieved February 29, 2016
2. "Archdiocese of Monreale" GCatholic.org. Gabriel Chow. Retrieved February 29, 2016
3. 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. Andrea Gallo, ed. (1846). Codice ecclesiastico sicolo contenente le costituzioni, i capitoli del Regno, le sanzioni, le prammatiche, i reali dispacci, le leggi, i decreti, i reali rescritti ed altri documenti relativi alle materie del diritto ecclesiastico sicolo, dalla fondazione della monarchia siciliana sino a' nostri giorni opera dell'avv. Andrea Gallo: 2 (in Italian and Latin). Vol. II. Palermo: Stamperia Carini. pp. 58–61. 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: Jaffe, Philippus; Loewenfeld, S. (1888). Regesta pontificum romanorum: Ab a. MCXLIII ad a. MCXCVIII (in Latin). Leipzig: Veit. p. 452.
4. Girolamo Di Marzo Ferro (1860). Stato presente della Chiesa di Sicilia (in Italian). Palermo: Officio Tipografico Lo Bianco. pp. 45–46. Catholic Encyclopedia article
5. Theobaldus: Gams, p. 750 column 2. Kamp, p. 1186 with note 20.
6. Guillelmus: Gams, p. 950. Kamp, pp. 1186-1189.
7. Carus: Kamp, pp. 1193-1195.
8. Kamp, p. 1196.
9. Benevenutus: Eubel, I, p. 348. Kamp, pp. 1197-1199.
10. 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.
11. 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.
12. Kamp, p. 1202.
13. Rogerius was a native of Salerno. He was appointed to Monreale by Pope Benedict XI. Pirro, p. 464. Eubel, I, p. 348.
14. 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.
15. Guilelmus followed Pope Clement VII of the Avignon Obedience, and was therefore deprived of his diocese.
16. 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.
17. 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.
18. Pirro, pp. 466-467.Eubel, I, p. 379; II, p. 196.
19. Alfonso: Pirro, p. 467. Eubel, II, p. 196.
20. 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.
21. De Podio (Despuig): He died in Rome on 7 September 1483, according to his funeral inscription. Pirro, p. 467. Eubel, II, p. 196.
22. 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.
23. 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.
24. 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.
25. 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.
26. 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.
27. 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.
28. Farnese: Eubel, III, p. 250 with notes 7 and 8.
29. "Archbishop Ludovico de Torres (I)" Catholic-Hierarchy.org . David M. Cheney. Retrieved March 21, 2016
30. "Ludovico Cardinal de Torres (II)" Catholic-Hierarchy.org . David M. Cheney. Retrieved March 21, 2016
31. The date of Gualtieri's death is inscribed on his tombstone. Pirro, I, p. 475. Gauchat, IV, p. 249 with note 2.
32. 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.
33. "Archbishop Jerónimo Venero Leyva" Catholic-Hierarchy.org . David M. Cheney. Retrieved November 24, 2016.^{[ self-published source? ]}
34. Torres was a nephew of Cardinal Ludovico de Torres. Pirro, pp. 476-477. Gauchat, IV, p. 249 with note 4.
35. Torresiglia: Pirro, p. 477-478. Gauchat, IV, p. 249 with note 5.
36. 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.
37. 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.
38. 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.
39. Roano e Corrionero had previously been Bishop of Cefalù. Pirro, pp. 481-484. Ritzler-Sefrin, V, p. 276 with note 3.
40. 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.
41. 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.
42. Acquaviva: Ritzler-Sefrin, VI, p. 297 with note 2.
43. Bonanno: Ritzler-Sefrin, VI, p. 297 with note 3.
44. Testa: Ritzler-Sefrin, VI, p. 297 with note 4.
45. Sanseverino was born in the village of Maratea (diocese of Cassano). He had previously been Bishop of Alife (s. Italy) (1770–1776), in succession to his uncle Filippo Sanseverino. He was consecrated in Rome on 4 February 1770 by Cardinal Henry Stuart. Ritzler-Sefrin, VI, pp. 77 with note 8; 297 note 1; 327 with note 8.
46. Lopez was born in Monterone (diocese of Lecce) in 1728. He lectured in philosophy in the seminary of Messina and in houses of the Theatine Order. He lectured for eight years at the College of the Propaganda Fide in Rome. He served as Procurator General of his Order in the Roman Curia. He was consecrated a bishop in Rome on 22 May 1268 by Cardinal Stoppani. He had previously been Bishop of Nola (1768–1793). Ritzler-Sefrin, VI, pp. 297 note 1; 313 with note 4; 327 with note 9.
47. "Bishop Gian Antonio Fassano (Phassarus, Fasside)" Catholic-Hierarchy.org . David M. Cheney. Retrieved March 21, 2016

Books

Reference Works

• Eubel, Conradus, ed. (1913). Hierarchia catholica, Tomus 1 (second ed.). Münster: Libreria Regensbergiana. (in Latin)
• Eubel, Conradus, ed. (1914). Hierarchia catholica, Tomus 2 (second ed.). Münster: Libreria Regensbergiana. (in Latin)
• Eubel, Conradus, ed. (1923). Hierarchia catholica, Tomus 3 (second ed.). Münster: Libreria Regensbergiana.
• Gams, Pius Bonifatius (1873). Series episcoporum Ecclesiae catholicae: quotquot innotuerunt a beato Petro apostolo. Ratisbon: Typis et Sumptibus Georgii Josephi Manz. pp. 950–951. (Use with caution; obsolete)
• Gauchat, Patritius (Patrice) (1935). Hierarchia catholica IV (1592-1667). Münster: Libraria Regensbergiana. Retrieved 2016-07-06. (in Latin)
• Ritzler, Remigius; Sefrin, Pirminus (1952). Hierarchia catholica medii et recentis aevi V (1667-1730). Patavii: Messagero di S. Antonio. Retrieved 2016-07-06. (in Latin)
• Ritzler, Remigius; Sefrin, Pirminus (1958). Hierarchia catholica medii et recentis aevi VI (1730-1799). Patavii: Messagero di S. Antonio. Retrieved 2016-07-06. (in Latin)
• Ritzler, Remigius; Sefrin, Pirminus (1968). Hierarchia Catholica medii et recentioris aevi sive summorum pontificum, S. R. E. cardinalium, ecclesiarum antistitum series... A pontificatu Pii PP. VII (1800) usque ad pontificatum Gregorii PP. XVI (1846) (in Latin). Vol. VII. Monasterii: Libr. Regensburgiana.
• Ritzler, Remigius; Pirminus Sefrin (1978). Hierarchia catholica Medii et recentioris aevi... A Pontificatu PII PP. IX (1846) usque ad Pontificatum Leonis PP. XIII (1903) (in Latin). Vol. VIII. Il Messaggero di S. Antonio.
• Pięta, Zenon (2002). Hierarchia catholica medii et recentioris aevi... A pontificatu Pii PP. X (1903) usque ad pontificatum Benedictii PP. XV (1922) (in Latin). Vol. IX. Padua: Messagero di San Antonio. ISBN   978-88-250-1000-8.

Studies

• Backman, Clifford R. (2002). The Decline and Fall of Medieval Sicily: Politics, Religion, and Economy in the Reign of Frederick III, 1296-1337. Cambridge University Press. ISBN   978-0-521-52181-9.
• Cappelletti, Giuseppe (1870). Le chiese d'Italia dalla loro origine sino ai nostri giorni (in Italian). Vol. vigesimoprimo (21). Venezia: Antonelli. pp. 572–579.
• Kamp, Norbert (1975). Kirche und Monarchie im staufischen Königreich Sizilien: I. Prosopographische Grundlegung, Bistumer und Bischofe des Konigreichs 1194–1266: 3. Sizilien München: Wilhelm Fink 1975.
• Marzo Ferro, Girolamo di (1860). Stato presente della Chiesa di Sicilia di Girolamo Di Marzo Ferro (in Italian). Palermo: Officio Tipografico Lo Bianco. pp. 66–72.
• Pirro, Rocco (1733). Mongitore, Antonino (ed.). Sicilia sacra disquisitionibus et nototoos illustrata. Vol. Tomus primus (third ed.). Palermo: haeredes P. coppulae. pp. 451–487.

Acknowledgment

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain : Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Archdiocese of Monreale". Catholic Encyclopedia . New York: Robert Appleton Company.

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