The Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese of Palermo ( la, Archidioecesis Panormitana) was founded as the Diocese of Palermo in the first century and raised to the status of archdiocese in the 11th century."Archdiocese of Palermo" ''
Catholic-Hierarchy.org
''Catholic-Hierarchy.org'' is an online database of bishops and dioceses of the Roman Catholic Church and Eastern Catholic Churches. The website is not officially sanctioned by the Church. It is run as a private project by David M. Cheney in ...
''. David M. Cheney. Retrieved February 29, 2016"Metropolitan Archdiocese of Palermo" ''GCatholic.org''. Gabriel Chow. Retrieved February 29, 2016 The archbishop is
Corrado Lorefice
Corrado Lorefice (born 12 October 1962) is an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church. He has been the Archbishop of Palermo since 5 December 2015.
Biography
He was born on 12 October 1962 in Ispica, in the Province of Ragusa, Italy.
He was or ...
.
The archdiocese has the following
suffragan
A suffragan bishop is a type of bishop in some Christian denominations.
In the Anglican Communion, a suffragan bishop is a bishop who is subordinate to a metropolitan bishop or diocesan bishop (bishop ordinary) and so is not normally jurisdictiona ...
Archdiocese of Monreale
The Italian Catholic Archdiocese of Monreale ( la, Archidioecesis Montis Regalis) is in Sicily. As of 2000 it is no longer a metropolitan see, and is now a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Palermo.Diocese of Trapani
History
Palermo is just south of a major active
seismic zone
In seismology, a seismic zone or seismic belt is an area of seismicity potentially sharing a common cause. It may also be a region on a map for which a common areal rate of seismicity is assumed for the purpose of calculating probabilistic ground ...
, and is subject to frequent earthquakes and occasional inundations (tsunamis). The events of 1693, 1726 and 1823 were particularly destructive.
Pope Gregory I personally founded six monasteries in Sicily, including the monastery of S. Hermes at Palermo, according to Ugo Benigni in his article on Sicily in the Catholic Encyclopedia. He also founded the monastery of S. Hadrian and the Praetoritanum. Ugo Benigni attributes this interest to the numbers of bishops and monks who emigrated from Africa as a result of the policy of the Arian Vandals to the Orthodox Christians.
In 718 the Emperor
Leo III the Isaurian
Leo III the Isaurian ( gr, Λέων ὁ Ἴσαυρος, Leōn ho Isauros; la, Leo Isaurus; 685 – 18 June 741), also known as the Syrian, was Byzantine Emperor from 717 until his death in 741 and founder of the Isaurian dynasty. He put an en ...
(718–741) suppressed a revolt in Sicily, and then detached southern Italy and Sicily from the metropolitan jurisdiction of the pope in Rome. In the ninth century, the patriarch of Constantinople raised the See of Palermo to the rank of metropolitan of all of Sicily. A protest against these actions was entered by
Pope Nicholas I
Pope Nicholas I ( la, Nicolaus I; c. 800 – 13 November 867), called Nicholas the Great, was the bishop of Rome and ruler of the Papal States from 24 April 858 until his death. He is remembered as a consolidator of papal authority, exerting dec ...
(858–867), in a letter of 25 September 860 to the Emperor
Michael III
Michael III ( grc-gre, Μιχαήλ; 9 January 840 – 24 September 867), also known as Michael the Drunkard, was Byzantine Emperor from 842 to 867. Michael III was the third and traditionally last member of the Amorian (or Phrygian) dynasty. ...
.
Arab control over Palermo and its church
Benigni states, "Concerning the state of the Sicilian Church during the Saracen domination we have no information: not the name of a single bishop is known." This is misleading. There were bishops, but they were part of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, not that of Rome, and Constantinople was in communion with Rome until the Great Schism of 1054. In 883,
Pope Marinus I
Pope Marinus I (; died 15 May 884) was the bishop of Rome and ruler of the Papal States from 882 until his death. Controversially at the time, he was already a bishop when he became pope, and had served as papal legate to Constantinople. He was ...
paid a ransom to the emir of Palermo for the archbishop of Syracuse and the bishop of Malta, who were being held in prison in Palermo. In 897, the archbishop of Palermo was Sofronios (or Sonfronius). In 930, there was a seminary in operation under the direction of the archbishop of Palermo; when Eustatius was about to pay the 12,000 'krus' per annum which was owed, the collector, who noticed the extreme poverty of the students, gave part of the funds to the archbishop for the benefit of the seminary. In 957 an archbishop named Arimattea was already occupying the see; in 964, Archbishop Arimattea was abused and imprisoned by the Grand Mufti of Palermo, from which he died. In 965, the Archbishop of Palermo was Andreas, who had been vicar of Archbishop Arimattea. In 976, according to Arabic sources, the archbishop of Palermo died, and the priests and monks elected a new archbishop named Ananiah, who had been vicar of his predecessor. Patriarch
Antony III of Constantinople
Anthony III the Studite or Antony III Studites ( el, Ἀντώνιος Γ´ Στουδίτης), (died April or May 981) was a Greek monk and the Ecumenical Patriarch of ConstantinopleJennifer Lawler (2011). ''Encyclopedia of the Byzantine Empir ...
was requested by an embassy from Palermo to approve the election, which he did, expressing the wish that the archbishop-elect should come to Constantinople and be consecrated by him. The emperor did not approve of these patriarchal pretensions, and the patriarch renounced them. The priests and monks told the emir of Sicily that the custom had been for the bishops of Sicily to consecrate the archbishop. They asked permission to write to the pope, which was refused.
Arab invasions of Sicily had begun at the beginning of the eighth century with the capture of the island of Cossura (modern Pantelleria). Raids were launched in 730–731, 734–735, 740 and 752–753. Palermo was temporarily captured in 820, but the Arabs were driven out by pirates. The serious conquest of the island began in 827, from the Tunisian port of Susa, led by Asad Ibn Al-Furàt. Palermo fell in 831, Messina in 843, Leontini in 847, and Syracuse in 878. Taormina was captured in 902, completing the conquest of the entire island. From then until 1061, when the Norman conquests began, Sicily was an Arab land.
After the famine of 940, the Arabs deliberately drove Christians out of the western part of the island.
Norman control over the church of Palermo
On Christmas Day, 1130, Count Roger II was crowned King of Sicily in the Cathedral in Palermo. It is uncertain who crowned the king. One source names Count Roger of Capua, another Archbishop Peter of Palermo. The cathedral was rebuilt by Archbishop Walter between 1170 and 1190.
The Archdiocese of Palermo was united with the Archdiocese of Monreale on 7 July 1775. The union was dissolved on 12 March 1802. Monreale lost its metropolitan status in 2000, however, and it is now a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Palermo.
The
Cathedral of Palermo
Palermo Cathedral is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Palermo, located in Palermo, Sicily, southern Italy. It is dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. As an architectural complex, it is characterized by the pre ...
is dedicated to the Bodily Assumption of the Virgin Mary into Heaven. The Chapter of the cathedral had three dignities in 1677, and two dignities in 1775. In 1211 there were eighteen canons, but the number grew to twenty-four in 1431, when Pope Eugenius IV ordered their reduction to eighteen again. In 1523 the Emperor Charles V added six more canons, bringing the number back up to twenty-four. There were again twenty-four canons in 1677 and twenty-six canons in 1775. The chapter had the right to elect the archbishop.
Hugh
Hugh may refer to:
*Hugh (given name)
Noblemen and clergy French
* Hugh the Great (died 956), Duke of the Franks
* Hugh Magnus of France (1007–1025), co-King of France under his father, Robert II
* Hugh, Duke of Alsace (died 895), modern-day ...
(Ugo) (1150 – c. 1161)
*
Stephen du Perche
Stephen du Perche (1137 or 1138 – 1169) was the chancellor of the Kingdom of Sicily (1166–68) and Archbishop of Palermo (1167–68) during the early regency of his cousin, the queen dowager Margaret of Navarre (1166–71).
Stephen is desc ...
*Parisius (22 May 1201 – before 10 May 1213)
*Berardus de Castacca (11 September 1213 – 8 September 1252)
*Guilelmus
*Leonardus (1261 – c. 1270)
*Giovanni Misnelli (2 June 1273 – ? )
*Petrus de Santafede (c. 1278 – 1284?)
*Licius (10 January 1304 – 12 December 1304)
*Bartolommeo (de Antiochia) (31 January 1306 – 1312)
*Franciscus (de Antiochia) (9 May 1312 – 1320)
*Giovanni Orsini (10 October 1320 – c. 1333)
*Cardinal
Matteo Orsini
Matteo Orsini (died probably on 18 August 1340) was an Italian Dominican friar and Cardinal.
He was the nephew of Cardinal Francesco Napoleone Orsini (1295–1312), who was himself the nephew of Pope Nicholas III (Giovanni Gaetano Orsini).
His ...
, O.P. (1334 – 1336 Resigned)
*Theobaldus (24 April 1336 – c. 1350)
*Roger de Palheriis (Pulcheriis), O.Min. (17 November 1351 – 1360–1361)
*Arnaldus Caprarii, O.Min. (11 March 1361 – 1362)
*Octavianus de Labro (8 November 1362 – 1363)
*Melchiore Bevilacqua (20 December 1363 – 1364)
*Martinus de Aretio (15 January 1365 – 1366)
*Matthaeus de Cumis (13 November 1366 – 1376–1377)
*Nicolaus de Agrigento, O.Min. (18 February 1377 – after 1384)
*
Ludovico Bonito
Ludovico Bonito (died 1413) was a Roman Catholic cardinal.
Biography
On 1 Jun 1387, Ludovico Bonito was appointed during the papacy of Pope Urban VI as Archbishop of Palermo.
In 1395, he was transferred by Pope Boniface IX to the Archdiocese of ...
(Ludovicus Bonitus) (before 1 June 1387 – 1395)
*Gilfortus Riccobono (23 October 1395 – 1398)
: ranciscus Vitalis
from 1400 to 1600
*Joannes de Procida (1400–1408)
*Cardinal
Rinaldo Brancaccio
Rinaldo Brancaccio (died 27 March 1427) was an Italian cardinal from the 14th and 15th century, during the Western Schism. Other members of his family were also created cardinals: Landolfo Brancaccio (1294); Niccolò Brancaccio, pseudocardinal o ...
(4 Aug 1410 – 1414 Resigned) Administrator
*Ubertinus de Marinis (20 June 1414 – 1434)
* Niccolò Tedeschi, O.S.B. (9 Mar 1435 – 24 Feb 1445 Died)
*Marino Orsini (4 June 1445 – 30 July 1445)
*Simone Beccatelli (Bonovius) (1446–1465)
*Nicolaus Pujades (23 August 1465 – 1467)
* Giovanni Burgio (16 Nov 1467 – 1469 Died)
* Paolo Visconti, O.Carm. (6 Sep 1469 – 1473 Died)
*
Philip of Viana
Philip of Aragon. (born between 1449 and 1456, died 1488) was the Archbishop of Palermo from 31 January 1477, when he received confirmation of his election from Pope Sixtus IV, Sixtus IV until he renounced his see in 1485.
Birth and early childhoo ...
Giacomo Lomellino del Canto
Giacomo Lomellino del Canto (died 9 August 1575) was a Roman Catholic prelate who served as Archbishop of Palermo (1571–1575), ''(in Latin)'' Bishop of Mazara del Vallo (1562–1571), ''(in Latin)''
and Bishop of Guardialfiera (1557–1562). ''( ...
(10 Jan 1571 – 9 Aug 1575 Died)
*
Cesare Marullo
Cesare Marullo (died 12 November 1588) was a Roman Catholic prelate who served as Archbishop of Palermo (1577–1588) and Bishop of Agrigento (1574–1577). ''(in Latin)''
Biography
On 14 July 1574, Cesare Marullo was appointed by Pope Gregory X ...
Pietro Jerónimo Martínez y Rubio
Pietro Jerónimo Martínez y Rubio or simply Pietro Martinez y Rubio (died 22 November 1667) was a Roman Catholic prelate who served as Archbishop of Palermo (1656–1667). ''(in Latin)''
Biography
On 22 September 1656, Pietro Jerónimo Martínez ...
(15 Jan 1657 – 22 Nov 1667 Died)
* Juan Lozano, O.S.A. (4 Feb 1669 – 26 Apr 1677
* Jaime de Palafox y Cardona (8 Nov 1677 – 13 Nov 1684)
* Ferdinando Bazan y Manriquez (1 Apr 1686 – 11 Aug 1702 Died)
* José Gasch (Casch), O.M. (26 Nov 1703 – 11 Jun 1729 Died)
*Giovanni Maurizio Gustavo (1730 – 1731 Died)
*Paolo Basile (Mathaeus de Pareta), O.F.M. Obs. (3 Sep 1731 – Jan 1736 Died)
*Domenico Rossi (Rosso e Colonna), O.S.B. (8 Jul 1737 – 6 Jul 1747 Died)
*José Alfonso Meléndez, O.F.M. Disc. (19 Feb 1748 – 31 Oct 1753 Died)
*Marcello Papiniano-Cusani (11 Feb 1754 – 16 Jun 1762 Resigned)
*Serafino Filangeri, O.S.B. (23 Aug 1762 – 29 Jan 1776 Appointed,
Archbishop of Naples
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Naples ( la, Archidioecesis Neapolitana) is a Roman Catholic archdioceses in southern Italy, the see being in Naples. A Christian community was founded there in the 1st century AD and the diocese of Naples was r ...
)
*Francesco Ferdinando Sanseverino, C.P.O. (15 Apr 1776 – 31 Mar 1793 Died)
*Filippo López y Rojo, C.R. (17 Jun 1793 – 4 Sep 1801 Resigned)
since 1800
*Cardinal
Domenico Pignatelli di Belmonte
Domenico Pignatelli di Belmonte (19 November 1730 – 5 February 1803) was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church.
Biography
Prince Don Domenico Pignatelli di Belmonte was born on 19 November 1730 in Naples, Italy, the son of Prin ...
, C.R. (29 Mar 1802 – 5 Feb 1803 Died)
*Raffaele Mormile, C.R. (28 Mar 1803 – 31 Dec 1813 Died)
*Cardinal Pietro Gravina (23 Sep 1816 – 6 Dec 1830 Died)
*Cardinal Gaetano Maria Giuseppe Benedetto Placido Vincenzo Trigona e Parisi (15 Apr 1833 – 5 Jul 1837 Died)
*Cardinal Ferdinando Maria Pignatelli, C.R. (21 Feb 1839 – 10 May 1853 Died)
*Giovanni Battista Naselli, C.O. (27 Jun 1853 – 3 May 1870 Died)
*Cardinal
Michelangelo Celesia
Michelangelo Celesia, O.S.B. Cas. (13 January 1814 – 14 April 1904) was an Italian Benedictine monk who served as the Archbishop of Palermo from 1871 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1884.
Biography
He was born Pietro ...
,
O.S.B.
, image = Medalla San Benito.PNG
, caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal
, abbreviation = OSB
, formation =
, motto = (English: 'Pray and Work')
, found ...
(27 Oct 1871 – 14 April 1904)
*Cardinal
Alessandro Lualdi
Alessandro Lualdi J.C.D. S.T.D. (12 August 1858 – 12 November 1927) was an Italian Roman Catholic cardinal who served as Archbishop of Palermo.
Biography
Lualdi was born in Milan, Italy. He entered the Seminary of Milan and carried on furt ...
(14 Nov 1904 – 12 Nov 1927 Died)
*Cardinal
Luigi Lavitrano
Luigi Lavitrano (7 March 1874 – 2 August 1950) was an Italian cardinal of the Catholic Church who served as Archbishop of Palermo from 1928 to 1944, and as prefect of the Sacred Congregation for Religious from 1945 until his death. Lavitr ...
(29 Sep 1928 – Dec 1944 Resigned)
*Cardinal
Ernesto Ruffini
Ernesto Ruffini (19 January 1888 – 11 June 1967) was an Italian cardinal of the Catholic Church who served as Archbishop of Palermo from 1945 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1946 by Pope Pius XII.
Biography
Ruffini was ...
(11 Oct 1945 – 11 Jun 1967 Died)
*Cardinal
Francesco Carpino
Francesco Carpino S.T.D. (18 May 1905 – 5 October 1993) was a Roman Catholic Cardinal and Archbishop of Palermo (and later Cardinal Bishop of the title of suburbicarian see of Albano).
Biography
He was born in Palazzolo Acreide, Sicily, It ...
(26 Jun 1967 – 17 Oct 1970 Resigned)
*Cardinal
Salvatore Pappalardo
Salvatore Pappalardo (23 September 1918 – 10 December 2006) was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church who was Archbishop of Palermo for over 25 years, from 1970 to 1996. He was the first senior clergyman from Sicily to speak out ag ...
Born in 1918, Pappalardo was a native of Villafranca Sicula (Agrigento Sicily), the son of an officer in the Carabinieri. He attended the Roman Seminary and the Gregorian University, taking doctorates in theology and Canon and Civil Law; he was ordained in 1941. After additional study he served as a staff member of the Secretariat of State and teacher at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy. He was pro-Nuncio in Indonesia, 1965–1969, and for that assignment he was made titular bishop of Miletus (Turkey). On his return, he became President of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy. 17 Oct 1970 he was named Archbishop of Palermo. He was made a cardinal in 1973 by
Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI ( la, Paulus VI; it, Paolo VI; born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini, ; 26 September 18976 August 1978) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City, Vatican City State from 21 June 1963 to his ...
. As Archbishop of Palermo he was a vocal opponent of the Mafia for a time. His resignation of the diocese was accepted on 4 Apr 1996 after passing the age of 75. He died in Palermo on 10 December 2006. He has been accused of being a member of a Masonic lodge: (17 Oct 1970 – 4 Apr 1996)
*Cardinal
Salvatore De Giorgi
Salvatore De Giorgi (born 6 September 1930) is an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church who was Archbishop of Palermo from 1996 until his retirement in 2006. He was made a cardinal in 1998. He was first made a bishop in 1973 and led other dioc ...
(4 Apr 1996 – 19 Dec 2006 Retired)
*Cardinal
Paolo Romeo
Paolo Romeo (born 20 February 1938) is a cardinal and archbishop emeritus of Palermo. He was appointed to the see of Palermo by Pope Benedict XVI on 19 December 2006.
Romeo was the fifth of nine children. After primary school he entered the sem ...
(19 Dec 2006 – 27 Oct 2015 Retired)
*
Corrado Lorefice
Corrado Lorefice (born 12 October 1962) is an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church. He has been the Archbishop of Palermo since 5 December 2015.
Biography
He was born on 12 October 1962 in Ispica, in the Province of Ragusa, Italy.
He was or ...
(27 Oct 2015 – )
References
Books
Reference works
* (in Latin)
* (in Latin)
*
* pp. 946–947. (Use with caution; obsolete)
* (in Latin)
* (in Latin)
* (in Latin)
*
*
*
Palermo
Palermo ( , ; scn, Palermu , locally also or ) is a city in southern Italy, the capital (political), capital of both the autonomous area, autonomous region of Sicily and the Metropolitan City of Palermo, the city's surrounding metropolitan ...