Roman Catholic Diocese of Sapë

The Roman Catholic diocese of Sapë (Latin: Dioecesis Sappensis, Albanian: Dioqeza e Sapës) is a suffragan diocese of the Latin Rite in the ecclesiastical province of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Shkodër-Pult of the Roman Catholic Church in northern Albania.

Diocese of Sapë

Dioecesis Sappensis

Dioqeza e Sapës
Coat of arms
Location
CountryAlbania
MetropolitanArchdiocese of Shkodër-Pult
Statistics
Area2,544 km2 (982 sq mi)
Population
- Total
- Catholics		(as of 2014)
202,800
70,701 (34.9%)
Parishes32
Information
DenominationRoman Catholic
Sui iuris churchLatin Church
RiteRoman Rite
Established1062
CathedralCathedral of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta in Sapë
Secular priests19
Current leadership
PopeFrancis
BishopSimon Kulli
Metropolitan ArchbishopAngelo Massafra

The diocese is named after the town of Sapë (Sappa), which is located near the Drin, southeast of Lake Scutari. However, the cathedral episcopal see of the diocese is Katedralja e Nënë Terezja, in the town of Vau-Dejës, Shkodër County
the former cathedral is Kisha e Shën Gjergjit, in Nënshat in the same county.

The diocese is one of six Catholic jurisdictions in Albania.[1] It is located in the vicinity of Lake Scutari, at the river basin of Drin.

Statistics and extent

As per 2014, it pastorally served 70,701 Catholics (34.9% of 202,800 total) on 2,544 km² in 32 parishes with 19 priests (11 diocesan, 8 religious), 1 deacon, 60 lay religious (9 brothers, 51 sisters) and 2 seminarians.

In the early 20th century the forty-first bishop of Sappa was Mgr. Jak Serreqi, suffragan of Scutari, who resided at the village of Nënshat (Nensciati). His diocese comprised about 22,000 inhabitants of various creeds, of whom 17,280 were Catholics.

The ecclesiastical students of this diocese are educated at the seminary of Scutari. The Diocese of Sappa also includes the Franciscan monastery at Troshan (Trosciani), where the Minorites have a "Collegium seraphicum" for their students of philosophy.

Ecclesiastical history

The bishopric was established in 1062, by Pope Alexander II. During the 11th century, the diocese was located within Dioclea. In the 12th century the territory under jurisdiction of this diocese belonged to the Serbian Grand Principality and in period 13th century – mid 14th century it belonged to the Kingdom of Serbia succeeded by the Serbian Empire.

In 1491 Pope Innocent VIII joined to it the Bishopric of Sardë (Sardoniki), and the united sees were suffragans of the Archbishopric of Antivari until the end of the eighteenth century. The See of Sardë comprised also the Diocese of Dagnum (Daynum, Dagno, Danj; Daynensis), founded as suffragan of Antivari during the second half of the fourteenth century and united with Sarda by Pope Martin V in 1428. By the Albanian Council in 1703, the Bishop of Sappa obtained some parishes previously belonging to the Diocese of Pulati.

  • Lost territory on 1890.12.30 to Territorial Abbacy of Shën Llezhri i Oroshit

The exact number of bishops of Sappa is unknown. The first Bishop of Sappa mentioned is Peter in c. 1291. Notable bishops of Sappa include Gjergj Bardhi and Lazër Vladanji later Archbishop of Bar. In the 19th century a secretary of the bishop of Sape was Pjetër Zarishi.[2]

Episcopal ordinaries

(all Roman Rite)

Suffragan Bishops of Sapë
  • Pietro = Peter I (11 June 1291 – ????)
  • Paolo = Paul (ca. 1370–1376?)
  • Benevenuli = Benvenuto, Friars Minor (O.F.M.) (2 July 1376 – ????)
  • Peter II (Pjetër Zakaria) = Pietro Zaccaria (1395.05.04 – )
  • Nicholas I (1414–????)
  • Michael (March 1422 – ????)
  • Peter III (1425–????)
  • Peter IV (1431–????)
  • Matthew (Mateo/Mateu Hermollaji) (1433–????)
  • George I (1440–1451)
  • Emmanuel (1460–????)
  • Anonymous (1472–????)
  • Marinus I (Marin Suma) (1473–????)
  • Gabriel I (1479–????)
  • Blasius (1489–1490)
  • Prodokimi (January 1490 – 1500)
  • Peter V (Pjetër Stërbinja) (1501–1507)
  • Dominic (Domingo García) (5 July 1508 – ????)
  • Ambrosius (Ambrosius Montemini) (1512–????)
  • George III (1513–????)
  • Didak Fernandez (1514–????)
  • John I (Juan Buenaventura de Valderrama) (3 September 1518 – 1520)
  • Alphonse (Alfons Kavaçiri) (1521–????)
  • Diocese ceased to function for 50 years for unknown reasons
  • Theobald (Tossoli Blanco) (1582–????)
  • George IV (Gjergj Palma) (1583–????)
  • Nicholas II (Nikollë Bardhi) (1594–????)
  • Simon I (Simon Gjeçi/Jeçi) (1620–1621)
  • Peter VI (Pjetër Budi) (20 July 1621 – ????)
  • George IV (Gjergj Bardhi) (1623–1635)
  • Francis (Frang Bardhi) (1635–????)
  • George IV (Gjergj Bardhi) (1644–1646)
  • Simon II (Simeoni Suma) (1647–1670s)
  • Stephen (Shtjefën Gaspari) (1675–????)
  • Martin (Martin Jelić) (1682–????)
  • George V (Gjergj Teodori) (1685–1705)
  • Egidius (Egidio Quinto) (21 March 1707 – 8 February 1719)
  • Marinus II (Marin Gjini) (1719–????)
  • John II (Gjon Gallata) (1720–????)
  • Basil (Vasil Lindi) (1738–1744)
  • Lazarus I (Lazër Vladanji) (1746–1749)
  • George (Gjergj Vladanji) (1750–1765)
  • Nicholas III (25 August 1765 – 1791)
  • John III (Gjon Logoreci) (2 April 1791 – 21 December 1794)
  • Anthony (Anton/Ndoc Radovani) (1796–????)
  • Marcus (Mark Negri) (1808–????)
  • Alexander (Lekë Suma) (24 December 1825 – ????)
  • Lazarus I (Lazër Vladanji) (1827 – 15 February 1830)
  • Peter VII (Pjetër Borçi) (18 December 1829/13 February 1836) – ????)
  • George VII (Gjergj Labella) (1844 – ????)
  • Peter VIII (Pietro Severini) (26 November 1843/1 February 1845 – 7 November 1873)
  • Julius (Giulio Marsili) (December 1873 – 12 August 1890)
  • Lawrence (Lorenzo Petris de Dolammare) (5 August 1890 – 20 December 1892)
  • Gabriel II (Gabriel Nev(r)iani) (10 January 1893 – 28 March 1900)
  • Lazarus II (Lazër Mjeda) (10 November 1900 – 24 December 1904)
  • Jacob (Jak(ë) Serreqi) (7 August/29 October 1905 – 14 April/22 April 1910)
  • George VI (Gjergj Koleci) (21 September 1911 – 2 January 1928)
    • Gaspar (Gaspër Thaçi) (1928 – ca. 13 June 1928) – Apostolic Administrator
  • Joseph (Zef Gjonali) (13 June/25 July 1928 – 9 October/30 October 1935)
  • Nicholas IV (Nikollë Vinçenc Prennushi) (27 January/6 February 1936 – 26 June 1940)
  • George VIII (Gjergj Volaj) (25 May/26 June 1940 – February 1947/3 February 1948)
  • John IV (Gjon Kovaçi) (June 1950 – ????)
    • Francis II (Frano Illia) (25 April 1993 – 1997) – Apostolic Administrator
    • Angel (Angelo Massafra) (1997 – ca. 2000) – Apostolic Administrator
    • Dodë Gjergji (6 January 2000 – 12 December 2006) – Apostolic Administrator
  • Lucian (Lucjan Avgustini) (12 December 2006 – 22 May 2016)
  • Bishop-elect Simon Kulli (2017.06.15 – ...)
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See also

References
  1. Catholic Hierarchy: Current Dioceses in Albania
  2. Robert Elsie (24 December 2012). A Biographical Dictionary of Albanian History. I.B.Tauris. p. 101. ISBN 978-1-78076-431-3. Retrieved 26 September 2013.

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