The Roman Catholic Diocese of Balecium (

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

name) or of Balecio/Balezo (in Curiate/Venetian Italian) or of

Baleč Balec was an medieval fortified town near Shkodër in what is now Albania. The settlement originated in Roman times. During Byzantine rule over the area, it was part of the Dyrrhachium theme. Later it was a seat of a župa of the Kingdom of Duk ...

(in Serbian) is a former

Latin Rite Latin liturgical rites, or Western liturgical rites, are Catholic rites of public worship employed by the Latin Church, the largest particular church '' sui iuris'' of the Catholic Church, that originated in Europe where the Latin language once ...

bishopric In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associate ...

and present

titular see A titular see in various churches is an episcopal see of a former diocese that no longer functions, sometimes called a "dead diocese". The ordinary or hierarch of such a see may be styled a "titular metropolitan" (highest rank), "titular archbis ...

of the

Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

Albania Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and shares ...

. The town that was its seat was destroyed in 1356 by the Serbian kingdom of Rascia.

History

Circa 1300 (possibly much earlier) was established a Diocese of Balecium alias Balezo. At the beginning of the 14th century,

(alias Baleš) was the see of a small Catholic

diocese In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associa ...

. In 1356, Bishop Andreas Citer complained that his

was full of schismatics. The diocese had been laid waste and impoverished by Serbian "schismatics of the kingdom of Rascia", who had completely destroyed the monastery situated 5000 paces from the cathedral. In response, Pope Innocent VI granted him ''in commendam'', on 26 September of the same year, the

Benedictine , image = Medalla San Benito.PNG , caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal , abbreviation = OSB , formation = , motto = (English: 'Pray and Work') , foun ...

monastery of St. John in

Drivast Drisht ( sq-definite, Drishti) is a village, former bishopric and Latin titular see with an Ancient and notable medieval history (Latin ''Drivastum,'' Italian ''Drivasto'') in Albania, 6 km from Mes Bridge (Albanian: ''Ura e Mesit''). It is l ...

. At this time Baleč must have ceased to exist as a town, so that, although bishops continued to be appointed to the see, by 1448, when even the fortress rebuilt by

Skanderbeg , reign = 28 November 1443 – 17 January 1468 , predecessor = Gjon Kastrioti , successor = Gjon Kastrioti II , spouse = Donika Arianiti , issue = Gjon Kastrioti II , royal house = Kastrioti , father ...

was destroyed, the town was no more than a memory. In the late 15th century the bishopric was formally suppressed after its see had been utterly destroyed.

Residential suffragan bishops

(all Roman Rite) * ... * Gulielmus alias Guglielmo * Gerwicus de Grünberg,

Friars Minor The Order of Friars Minor (also called the Franciscans, the Franciscan Order, or the Seraphic Order; postnominal abbreviation OFM) is a mendicant Catholic religious order, founded in 1209 by Francis of Assisi. The order adheres to the teachi ...

(O.F.M.) (5 March 1347 – 1350) * Andreas Citer, O.F.M. (1 June 1351 – ?) * ... * Ioannes alias Giovanni (?–?) * ... * Alfonso da Caceres, O.F.M. (27 March 1420 – ?) * Domenico Godani (4 June 1422 – ?) * Michele Paoli (1424.09.01 – 1428.10.11), later Bishop of

Drivasto Drisht ( sq-definite, Drishti) is a village, former bishopric and Latin titular see with an Ancient and notable medieval history (Latin ''Drivastum,'' Italian ''Drivasto'') in Albania, 6 km from Mes Bridge (Albanian: ''Ura e Mesit''). It is l ...

(1428.10.11 – death 1445?) * Bernardo da Viviers, O.F.M. (3 November 1428 – c. 1459) * Leonardo da Napoli,

Dominican Order The Order of Preachers ( la, Ordo Praedicatorum) abbreviated OP, also known as the Dominicans, is a Catholic mendicant order of Pontifical Right for men founded in Toulouse, France, by the Spanish priest, saint and mystic Dominic of ...

(O.P.) (1459.08.31 – ?) * Leonardo (? – 1488.07.30), later Bishop of Lesina (1488.07.30 – ?)

Titular see

The bishopric of Balecium, no longer a residential see, is today listed by the

as a

''Annuario Pontificio 2013'' (Libreria Editrice Vaticana 2013 ), p. 845 since it was nominally restored as Latin

titular bishopric A titular see in various churches is an episcopal see of a former diocese that no longer functions, sometimes called a "dead diocese". The ordinary or hierarch of such a see may be styled a "titular metropolitan" (highest rank), "titular archbish ...

under the names Balecium (Latin; adjective Balcien(sis) ) or Balecio (Curiate Italian). It has had the following incumbents, so far of the fitting episcopal (lowest) rank : #

Johannes Theodor Suhr Johannes Theodor Suhr, OSB (24 January 1896 in Nyborg – 10 March 1997) was a Danish Roman Catholic bishop and the second Danish Roman Catholic bishop since the Reformation. Early life and conversion to Roman Catholicism Johannes Theodor Suh ...

, Benedictine Order (O.S.B.) (1938.12.13 – 1953.04.29) as last

Apostolic Vicar Apostolic may refer to: The Apostles An Apostle meaning one sent on a mission: *The Twelve Apostles of Jesus, or something related to them, such as the Church of the Holy Apostles *Apostolic succession, the doctrine connecting the Christian Chur ...

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark , establish ...

(Denmark) (1938.12.13 – 1953.04.29); later promoted first Bishop of

København Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...

(Copenhagen, Denmark) (1953.04.29 – 1964.10.06), emeritate as Titular Bishop of

Apisa maius Apisa Maius is a former Roman- Berber city and present Latin Catholic titular bishopric. History Apisa Maius was an Ancient city in the Roman province of Africa Proconsularis. It was a bishopric, suffragan to the Metropolitan of Carthage. Its ...

(1964.10.06 – resigned 1976.06.16), died 1979; previously Prior of Abbey of St. Jerome for the Revision and Emendation of the Vulgate (1935 – 1938.12.13) # Agostino Baroni,

Comboni Missionaries The term ''Comboni Missionaries'' can refer to either of two religious orders founded by Saint Daniele Comboni: * Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus Bold text The Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus ( la, Missionarii Comboniani Co ...

(M.C.C.J.) (Italian) (1953.06.29 – 1974.12.12) as last

Khartoum Khartoum or Khartum ( ; ar, الخرطوم, Al-Khurṭūm, din, Kaartuɔ̈m) is the capital of Sudan. With a population of 5,274,321, its metropolitan area is the largest in Sudan. It is located at the confluence of the White Nile, flowing n ...

( Sudan) (1953.06.29 – 1974.12.12); later promoted first Metropolitan Archbishop of

(Sudan) (1974.12.12 – resigned 1981.10.10),

Apostolic Administrator An Apostolic administration in the Catholic Church is administrated by a prelate appointed by the pope to serve as the ordinary for a specific area. Either the area is not yet a diocese (a stable 'pre-diocesan', usually missionary apostolic adm ...

Rumbek Rumbek ( ar, رمبك) is the capital of Lakes State, central South Sudan, and the former capital of the country. Location Rumbek is approximately by road northwest of Juba, the capital and largest city in the country. Its coordinates are an ...

( (now South) Sudan) (1982 – retired 1983), died 2001 #

Amaury Castanho Amaury (from the Old French '' Amalric'') or Amauri may refer to: People Surname * Philippe Amaury (1940–2006), French publishing tycoon Given name *Amaury Duval (1760–1838), French writer * Amaury Duval (1808–1885), French painter * Ama ...

(1976.07.19 – 1979.11.30) as Auxiliary Bishop of Diocese of Sorocaba (

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

) (1976.07.19 – 1979.11.30), Bishop of Valença (Brazil) (1979.11.30 – 1989.05.03), Coadjutor Bishop of Jundiaí (Brazil) (1989.05.03 – 1996.10.02) succeeding as Bishop of Jundiaí (1996.10.02 – retired 2004.01.07); died 2006 #

Claude Feidt Claude Feidt (7 March 1936 – 13 October 2020) was a French Roman Catholic archbishop. Feidt was born in France and was ordained to the priesthood in 1961. He served as auxiliary bishop, coadjutor archbishop and archbishop of the Roman Cathol ...

(1980.07.05 – 1985.02.16) as Auxiliary Bishop of

Archdiocese of Chambéry–Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne–Tarentaise In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associat ...

(France) (1980.07.05 – 1985.02.16); later promoted

Coadjutor Archbishop The term coadjutor (or coadiutor, literally "co-assister" in Latin) is a title qualifier indicating that the holder shares the office with another person, with powers equal to the other in all but formal order of precedence. These include: * Coad ...

of Chambéry–Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne–Tarentaise (1985.02.16 – 1985.05.14), succeeding as Metropolitan Archbishop of Chambéry–Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne–Tarentaise (1985.05.14 – 1999.06.17), next last Metropolitan Archbishop of Aix(-en-Provence) (France) (1999.06.17 – 2002.12.08), see demoted Archbishop of Aix (2002.12.08 – retired 2010.03.29) #

Peter Kang U-il Peter may refer to: People * List of people named Peter, a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * Peter (given name) ** Saint Peter (died 60s), apostle of Jesus, leader of the early Christian Church * Peter (surname), a sur ...

(강우일 베드로) (1985.12.21 – 2002.07.20) as Auxiliary Bishop of

Archdiocese of Seoul The Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese of Seoul (Latin: ''Archidioecesis Metropolitae Seulensis'', ko, 서울대교구) is a Metropolitan archdiocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church comprising the metropolitan area of Seoul, So ...

서울 (

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its eas ...

) (1985.12.21 – 2002.07.20); later Bishop of

Jeju Jeju may refer to: * Jeju Island (Jejudo), an island near South Korea * Jeju Province (formerly transliterated Cheju), a province of South Korea comprising Jejudo **Jeju City, the biggest city on Jejudo **Jeju dog, a dog native to Jejudo ** Jeju l ...

제주 (South Korea) (2002.07.20 – ...), President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea (2008.10.16 – 2014.10.30) #

Franz Lackner Franz Lackner (born 14 July 1956) is an Austrian prelate who has been Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Salzburg, Archbishop of Salzburg since 2013. In June 2020 he was elected the president of the Episcopal Conference of Austria, Austrian Bishops' C ...

(O.F.M.) (2002.10.23 – 2013.11.18) as Auxiliary Bishop of Diocese of Graz–Seckau (

Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...

) (2002.10.23 – 2013.11.18); later Metropolitan Archbishop of

Salzburg Salzburg (, ; literally "Salt-Castle"; bar, Soizbuag, label= Austro-Bavarian) is the fourth-largest city in Austria. In 2020, it had a population of 156,872. The town is on the site of the Roman settlement of ''Iuvavum''. Salzburg was founded ...

(primatial see of Austria) (2013.11.18 – ...) # Herwig Gössl (24 January 2014 – ...), Auxiliary Bishop of Bamberg (

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

), no previous prelature.

References

Sources and external links

GCatholic with incumbent bio links - data for all sections
;Bibliography * Oliver Jens Schmitt, ''Das venezianische Albanien'' (1392-1479), pp. 96–97 * Pius Bonifacius Gams, ''Series episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae'', Leipzig 1931, pp. 395–396 * Konrad Eubel, ''Hierarchia Catholica Medii Aevi'', vol. 1, pp. 125–126; vol. 2, p. 101 {{DEFAULTSORT:Balecium, Roman Catholic Diocese Roman Catholic dioceses in Albania Catholic Church in Albania Roman Catholic dioceses established in the 14th century

History

Residential suffragan bishops

Titular see

See also

References

Sources and external links