Roman Catholic Diocese of Lipari

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Lipari was a Latin diocese of the Roman Catholic Church located in the town of Lipari in the Aeolian Islands of Sicily, Italy. The diocese consists of the entire island of Lipari as well as seven smaller adjacent islands. It is now incorporated into the Archdiocese of Messina-Lipari-Santa Lucia del Mela.[1][2]

Diocese of Lipari Dioecesis Liparensis
Cathedral of S. Bartolommeo
Location
Country	Italy
Ecclesiastical province	Messina-Lipari-Santa Lucia del Mela
Statistics
Population - Total - Catholics	(as of 1980; united 1986 to Messina) 13,550 (est.) 13,048 (est.) (96.3%)
Parishes	26
Information
Denomination	Catholic Church
Rite	Roman Rite
Established	12th Century
Cathedral	Cattedrale di S. Bartolomeo
Secular priests	24
Current leadership
Pope	Francis
Archbishop	Giovanni Accolla (Messina-Lipari-Santa Lucia de Mela)
Website
www.diocesimessina.it

History

The diocese of Lipari had already been erected by the 5th Century. The names of several early bishops are attested:[3]

• Augustus (501, 502)
• Venantius (553)
• Agatho (593)
• [Paulinus] (under Pope Gregory I)[4]

Lipari is a volcanic island. Its last major eruption took place in 729, leaving a high pumice cone which is 476m (1570 feet) high; the population must have fled, at least temporarily. One crater, called Monte Pilato, is mined for pumice and has numerous caves.[5] There are still hot springs and fumaroles.[6]

In 1544 the pirate Barbarossa completely depopulated the island. It was at the direction of the Emperor Charles V, who noted the island's strategic position, that it was repopulated.[7]

In 1743, the city of Lipari had about 13,000 inhabitants, under the temporal authority of the King of Naples. The diocese was directly subject to the authority of the Pope, that is, Lipari had no regional Metropolitan. The Cathedral had a Chapter which contained four dignities (Archdeacon, Deacon, Cantor, Treasurer) and fifteen Canons.[8]

On September 30, 1986, as part of a Vatican effort to reduce the number of redundant Italian dioceses, the diocese of Lipari was suppressed as an independent entity and incorporated into the Archdiocese of Messina-Lipari-Santa Lucia del Mela.

Bishops

to 1500

• [Agatho (c. 254)][9]
• Augustus (501, 502)[10]
• Venantius (553)
• Agatho (593)[11]
• Peregrinus (c. 660)[12]
• Basilius (c. 787)[13]
• Samuel (c. 879)[14]

Sede Vacante[15]

...

• Gilibertus[16] (1157 – 1166)
• Stephanus (1180 – 1199)
• Anselmus (c. 1208 – 1227?)
• Jacobus[17] ( – 25 September 1225)
• Paganus[18] (10 October 1229 – 3 March 1246)
• Philippus[19] (attested in 1250)
• Bartholomaeus de Lentino, O.P. (5 January 1254 – 1282)[20]
• Pandulfus[21] (25 February 1286 – 4 July 1290)
• Joannes, O.P.[22] (1304 – 1342)
• Vincentius, O.Min. (27 November 1342 – 1346)
• Petrus de Teutonico, O.Min.[23] (15 February 1346 – 21 January 1354)
• Petrus de Thomas, O.Carm.[24] (1354 – 10 May 1359)
• Joannes Graphei, O.Min. (17 July 1360 – 1373)
• Ubertinus de Coriliono, O.Min. (28 November 1373 – 1386)[25]
• Franciscus, O.P. (30 May 1386 – 18 March 1388)[26]
• Ubertinus de Coriliono, O.Min. (restored, 16 May 1390 – 18 August 1397)[27]
• Franciscus Gaptulus[28] (18 December 1397 – 18 April 1399)
• Antonius (11 June 1400 – 1402?)[29]
• Thomas (ca. 1402 – 1419?)[30]
• Antonius de Comite (31 July 1419 – 31 July 1432)[31]

...

• Francesco da Stilo, O.P. (1461–1489 Died)[32]
• Giacomo Carduini (1489–1506 Died)[33]

from 1500 to 1800

• Luigi de Amato (1506–1515 Appointed, Bishop of San Marco)[34]
• Antonio Zeno (bishop) (1515–1530 Died)[35]
• Gregorio Magalotti (1532–1534 Appointed, Bishop of Chiusi)
• Baldo Ferratini (1534–1558 Appointed, Bishop of Amelia)
• Filippo Lancia (1554–1564 Died)[36]
• Antonio Giustiniani, O.P. (1564–1571 Died)
• Pietro Cancellieri (Cavalieri) (3 October 1571 – 1580)[37]
• Paolo Bellardito (17 October 1580 – 1585 Resigned)[38]
• Martín Acuña, O. Carm. (11 December 1585 – 1593 Died)[39]
• Juan Pedro González de Mendoza, O.S.A. (7 June 1593 – 1599)[40]
• Alfonso Vidal, O.F.M.[41] (23 November 1599– 17 September 1618)
• Alberto Caccano, O.P.[42] (1618–1627 Died)
• Giuseppe Candido[43] (1627–1644 Died)
• Agostino Candido[44] (1645–1650 Died)
• Benedetto Geraci[45] (1650–1660 Died)
• Adamo Gentile (1660–1662 Died)[46]
• Francesco Arata[47] (1663–1690 Died)
• Gaetano de Castillo, C.R.[48] (1691–1694 Died)
• Gerolamo Ventimiglia, C.R.[49] (1694–1709 Died)
• Nicola Maria Tedeschi, O.S.B.[50] (1710–1722 Resigned)
• Pietro Vincenzo Platamone, O.P.[51] (1722–1733 Died)
• Bernardo Maria Beamonte, O.C.D.[52] (11 May 1733 – 24 July 1742)
• Francesco Maria Miceli[53] (1743–1753 Died)
• Vincenzo Maria de Francisco e Galletti, O.P.[54] (1753–1769 Died)
• Bonaventura Prestandrea, O.F.M. Conv.[55] (1769–1777 Died)
• Giuseppe Coppula[56] (1778–1789 Died)

Sede Vacante (1789–1802)[57]

since 1800

• Domenico Spoto[58] (1802–1804 Confirmed, Bishop of Cefalù)
• Antonino Reggio[59] (1804–1806 Died)
• Silvestro Todaro, O.F.M. Conv.[60] (1807–1816 Confirmed, Bishop of Patti)
• Carlo Maria Lenzi, Sch. P.[61] (1818–1825 Died)
• Pietro Tasca[62] (1826–1827 Confirmed, Bishop of Cefalù)
• Giovanni Portelli[63] (1831–1838 Died)
• Giovanni Maria Visconte Proto, O.S.B. (1839–1844)[64]
• Bonaventura Attanasio, C.SS.R.[65] (1844–1857 Resigned)
• Ludovico Ideo, O.P.[66] (1858–1880 Died)
• Mariano Palermo[67] (1881–1887)
• Giovanni Pietro Natoli (1890–1898 Died)
• Nicola Maria Audino (1898–1903 Appointed, Bishop of Mazara del Vallo)
• Francesco Maria Raiti, O. Carm. (1903–1906 Appointed, Bishop of Trapani)
• Angelo Paino (1909–1921 Appointed, Coadjutor Archbishop of Messina)
• Bernardino Salvatore Re, O.F.M. Cap. (1928–1963 Died)
• Salvatore Nicolosi (1963–1970 Appointed, Bishop of Noto)
• Ignazio Cannavò (1977–1986 Appointed, Archbishop of Messina-Lipari-Santa Lucia del Mela)

See also

• Catholic Church in Italy

References

1. "Diocese of Lipari" GCatholic.org. Gabriel Chow. Retrieved February 15, 2016
2. "Diocese of Lipari" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved February 15, 2016
3. Lanzoni, pp. 654-655.
4. Paulinus was Bishop of Tauriana in the Abruzzi, who was driven from his diocese and was living in Messina in a monastery. He was ordered by Pope Gregory I to administer the diocese of Lipari and live there. Louis Duchesne (1902), "Les évèchés de Calabre," Mélanges Paul Fabre: études d'histoire du moyen âge (in French). Paris: A. Picard et fils. 1902. p. 5.In 597 Pope Gregory instructed the Bishop of Reggio and the Bishop of Lipari to come to Rome. Whether this was Paulinus, or a successor in the diocese of Lipari, is unknown.
5. Anachronistically, Monte Pilato figures in the romance of Agatho, the purported first bishop of the island in the 260's.
6. Rosaly M. C. Lopes (2005). The Volcano Adventure Guide. Cambridge University Press. p. 211. ISBN 978-0-521-55453-4.
7. Jay Robert Nash (2004). The Great Pictorial History of World Crime. Volume 2. Wilmette, IL USA: History, Incorporated. pp. 1272–1273. ISBN 978-1-928831-20-4.
8. Ritzler, VI, p. 263 note 1. Rodriquez, p. 36.
9. Agatho's name appears in the Acts of St. Alphius and companions, in Acta Sanctorum Maii Tomus II, pp. 531 and 536. He is said to have fled from the island of Lipari to Sicily in the face of persecution by one Diomedes; there he was taken in by a Christian Dometius, who related the story of Alphius and his companions and the persecutor Tyrtullus, who had killed them at Taurominium. After Tyrtullus' death, Agatho was led to a cave where he identified the bodies of Alphius and his companions. The story is a Christian romance, as the editors of the Acta Sanctorum repeatedly indicate (pp. 502-506). Ughelli, pp. 773-774. Lanzoni, p. 654.
10. Augustus subscribed to the Acts of the third and sixth Roman synods of Pope Symmachus. J.-D. Mansi (ed.), Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio, editio novissima, Tomus VIII (Florence 1762), pp. 252 and 308. Ughelli, p. 774.
11. Agatho is mentioned in a letter of Pope Gregory I(590–604) (Book II, letter 53), ordering Maximinus the Bishop of Syracuse to take charge of the diocese of Lipari after the deposition of Bishop Agatho. Ughelli, p. 774.
12. Bishop Peregrinus was present at the Lateran Council of Pope Martin I in 660. Ughelli, p. 774.
13. Bishop Basilius was present at the Second Ecumenical Council of Nicaea in 787. Ughelli, p. 775.
14. Bishop Samuel was present at the Synod of Patriarch Photius in 879. Ughelli, p. 775.
15. Ughelli, p. 775, attributes the absence of bishops from the 9th to the 12th centuries to the assaults of the Saracens.
16. Pirro, p. 776. Gams, p. 976.
17. Bishop Jacobus was transferred to the diocese of Capua on 27 September 1225 by Pope Honorius III. Frederick II forbade his entry into the diocese. Gams, p. 976. Eubel, I, p. 164, 384.
18. Paganus sensibly went to Frederick II and requested confirmation of his election to the diocese; it was granted on 10 October 1129. Pirro, p. 777, no. VII. Eubel, I, p. 384.
19. Pirro, p. 227, quotes a document of December, 1250, which mentions a procurator of Bishop Philippus.
20. Eubel, I, p. 384.
21. Pandulfus was named bishop by Pope Honorius IV in 1286, but on 26 July 1289 he had still been unable to enter his diocese. Pandulfus, an exile from Sicily, was named Administrator of the diocese of Torres (Sassari) in Sardinia. In 1296 he was named to the See of Ancona. Pirro, p. 779. Gams, p. 840. Eubel, I, p. 87, 384, 504.
22. A native of Catania and a Canon of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, Giovanni was appointed bishop by Boniface VIII on 31 January 1304. Pirro, p. 779, no. XII. Eubel, I, p. 384. Gams, p. 840, makes him a Franciscan.
23. Daniel Williman (1988). The Right of Spoil of the Popes of Avignon, 1316-1415. Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society. p. 213. ISBN 978-0-87169-786-8. Pirro, p. 779, no. XVI, quotes the letter of appointment of Pope Clement VI of 15 February 1346, calling him a Franciscan. Eubel, I, p. 384.
24. Petrus was transferred to the diocese of Corona, a suffragan of Patras in Greece, on 10 May 1359. Eubel, I, p. 212.
25. Bishop Ubertinus was removed by Urban VI. Eubel, I, p. 384.
26. Fra. Francesco was transferred to the diocese of Mazara by Urban VI. Eubel, I, pp. 332, 384.
27. Bishop Ubertino was transferred to the diocese of Gaeta by Pope Boniface IX of the Roman Obedience. Eubel, I, pp. 258, 384.
28. Gaptulus continued as Bishop of Lipari, while relinquishing Patti on 18 April 1399. He was dead before 11 July 1400. Eubel, I, pp. 308, 384, with note 11.
29. Eubel, I, p. 308.
30. Bishop Thomas was transferred to the diocese of the Marsi. Gams, p. 947. Eubel, I, pp. 328, 308.
31. Antonius had already been elected. He was confirmed by Pope Martin V. Eubel, I, p. 308; II, p. 178.
32. Pirro, p. 958, no. XXV. Ughelli, p. 782, no. 30. Eubel, II, p. 178.
33. Pirro, p. 959, no. XXVII. Ughelli, p. 782, no. 31. Eubel, II, p. 178.
34. "Bishop Luigi de Amato" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved September 25, 2016
35. "Bishop Antonio Zeno" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved September 25, 2016
36. "Bishop Filippo Lancia" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved September 25, 2016
37. Bishop Pietro was from Pistoia (Tuscany), and a priest of the diocese of Patti. Rodriquez, p. 35. Eubel, III, p. 226.
38. Bellardito was a native of Leontini (Sicily) and was Doctor in utroque iure (Civil and Canon Law). He was appointed to the diocese of Lipari by Pope Gregory XIII on 17 October 1580; Pope Gregory then appointed him to the additional post of Inquisitor of Malta. Bellardito resigned in 1585 and was appointed Abbot Commendatory of the Basilian Monastery of S. Elias in Troina by King Philip II of Spain. He died on 1 March 1592. Ughelli, pp. 783-784, no. 41. Rodriquez, pp. 35-36. Eubel, III, p. 226.
39. Acuña was appointed by Pope Sixtus V on 11 December 1585. Rodriquez, pp. 36-37. Eubel, III, p. 226.
40. A Spaniard, born in Torrecilla en Cameros (Rioja), Mendoza was appointed by Pope Clement VIII on 13 May 1593, and was consecrated in Rome by Cardinal Filippo Spinola, pro-Protector of the Empire before the Holy See. After two years in Lipari he placed the diocese in the hands of a procurator and Vicar-General, the Archdeacon of Lipari, he sailed off to the West Indies. On 7 June 1599 he resigned the diocese. On 7 May 1607 Mendoza was appointed Bishop of Chiapas in Mexico, and on 17 November 1608 he was transferred to the diocese of Popayán in Columbia. He died in 1619. Rodriquez, p. 37. Gauchat, Hierarchia catholica IV, pp. 148; 222 with note 2; 285.
41. Vidal was born in 1535 in the diocese of Seville (Spain). He was appointed bishop of Lipari by Pope Clement VIII on 23 November 1599. He began the construction of the episcopal palace outside the walls of the town of Lipari. He died of 'apoplexy' on 17 September 1618, at the age of 82. Rodriquez, pp. 37-39. Gauchat, IV, p. 222 with note 3.
42. Caccano: Gauchat, IV, p. 222 with note 4.
43. Giuseppe Candido: Gauchat, IV, p. 222 with note 5.
44. Agostino Candido: Gauchat, IV, p. 222 with note 6.
45. Geraci: Gauchat, IV, p. 222 with note 7.
46. "Bishop Adamo Gentile" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved March 21, 2016 Gauchat, IV, p. 222 with note 8.
47. Arata: Gauchat, IV, p. 222 with note 9.
48. Castillo was born in Thermitano (diocese of Palermo) in 1658. He served as a lecturer in theology for his Order. He was Vicar General of the Diocese of Messana when appointed Bishop of Lipari by Pope Alexander VIII on 8 January 1691. He was consecrated in Rome on 21 January. He died on 22 March 1694. Rodriquez, pp. 44-45. Ritzler, V, p. 245, with note 3.
49. Ventimiglia: Ritzler, V, p. 245, with note 4.
50. Tedeschi: Ritzler, V, p. 245, with note 5.
51. Plamonte: Ritzler, V, p. 245, with note 6.
52. A native of Palermo, Beamonte had been Bishop of Oea (Tripoli) (1728-1733). He was appointed Bishop of Lipari on 11 May 1733 by Pope Clement XII. He took possession of his diocese by proxy on 3 April 1735. He died in residence on 24 July 1742. Rodriquez, p. 47. Ritzler, V, p. 295; VI, p. 263 note 2.
53. Miceli: Rodriquez, 47-48. Ritzler, VI, p. 263 note 3.
54. Galletti: Ritzler, VI, p. 263 note 4.
55. Prestandrea: Ritzler, VI, p. 263 note 5.
56. Coppula: Ritzler, VI, p. 263 note 6.
57. Gams, p. 947.
58. Spoto: Rodriquez, pp. 52-53.
59. Reggio: Rodriquez, pp. 53-54.
60. Todaro: Rodriquez, p. 54.
61. Lenzi: Rodriquez, pp. 54-55.
62. Tasca: Rodriquez, p. 55.
63. Portelli: Rodriquez, pp. 55-56.
64. Proto was born in Milazzo (diocese of Messina) on 15 February 1781. He became a professed Benedictine monk in 1802, and was ordained in 1805. He was dean of novices for six years, and then Prior (1821) and Abbot (1824) of S. Paolo fuori le mure. He was named Prior of the Benedictine monastery in Messana and the monastery in Caltanissetta in 1828. His order named him Definitor General and Visitor General for Sicily in 1831. He was named Bishop of Lipari on 18 February 1839, and consecrated at Messina by Archbishop Francesco Villadecani in April 1832. He was named Bishop of Cefalù by King Ferdinand II on 20 May 1844 and was preconized (approved) by Pope Gregory XVI on 17 June. He died on 13 October 1854. Angelo Gambasin (1979). Religiosa magnificenza e plebi in Sicilia nel XIX secolo (in Italian). Ed. di Storia e Letteratura. pp. 88–89, note 34. Rodriquez, pp. 56-58.
65. Bonaventura Atanasio was born at Lucera (Province of Foggia) on 13 October 1807. He was ordained a priest in 1831. He obtained the degrees of master of theology and ecclesiastical history from the Liceo Arcevescovile of Naples. The University of Naples awarded him the degree of doctor of theology in 1834. He was nominated Bishop of Lipari by King Ferdinand II on 20 May 1844, and was consecrated in Rome by Cardinal Antonio Orioli on 28 July. He resigned the diocese in October 1857, and died on 7 September 1877. Gams, p. 947. Ritzler-Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VII, p. 241. Gambasin, p. 88, note 30.
66. Ritzler-Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VIII, p. 346.
67. Palermo was appointed, Bishop of Piazza Armerina on 14 March 1887. Ritzler-Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VIII, pp. 346, 459.

Sources

Reference Works

• Eubel, Conradus (ed.) (1913). Hierarchia catholica, Tomus 1 (second ed.). Münster: Libreria Regensbergiana.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link) (in Latin)
• Eubel, Conradus (ed.) (1914). Hierarchia catholica, Tomus 2 (second ed.). Münster: Libreria Regensbergiana.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link) (in Latin)
• Eubel, Conradus (ed.) (1923). Hierarchia catholica, Tomus 3 (second ed.). Münster: Libreria Regensbergiana.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
• Gams, Pius Bonifatius (1873). Series episcoporum Ecclesiae catholicae: quotquot innotuerunt a beato Petro apostolo. Ratisbon: Typis et Sumptibus Georgii Josephi Manz. pp. 946–947. (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). Volume 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). Volume 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). Volume IX. Padua: Messagero di San Antonio. ISBN 978-88-250-1000-8.

Studies

• Cappelletti, Giuseppe (1870). Le chiese d'Italia dalla loro origine sino ai nostri giorni (in Italian). Volume 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, pp. 1078–1108.
• Lanzoni, Francesco (1927). Le diocesi d'Italia dalle origini al principio del secolo VII (an. 604) (in Italian). Rome: Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana. p. 650.
• Pirro, Rocco (1733). Antonino Mongitore (ed.). Sicilia sacra disquisitionibus et notitiis illustrata. Tomus secundus (third ed.). haeredes P. Coppulae. pp. 948–968.
• Rodriquez, Carlo "Breve cenno storico sulla Chiesa Liparese," Giornale di scienze, letteratura ed arti per la Sicilia (in Italian). Volume 75. 1841. pp. 33–66.
• Ughelli, Ferdinando; Coleti, Nicolò (1717). Italia sacra: sive De episcopis Italiae et insularum adjacentium, rebusque abiis praeclare gestis... (in Latin). Tomus primus. Venice: Sebastianum Coleti. pp. 771–789.