The Bishopric of Pomesania (german: Bistum Pomesanien; pl, Diecezja pomezańska) was a 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 the

Prussian Prussia, , Old Prussian: ''Prūsa'' or ''Prūsija'' was a German state on the southeast coast of the Baltic Sea. It formed the German Empire under Prussian rule when it united the German states in 1871. It was ''de facto'' dissolved by an e ...

regions of

Pomesania Pomesanians were a Prussian clan. They lived in Pomesania ( pl, Pomezania; lt, Pamedė; german: Pomesanien), a historical region in modern northern Poland, located between the Nogat and Vistula Rivers to the west and the Elbląg River to the e ...

and Pogesania, in modern northern

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...

until the 16th century, then shortly a Lutheran diocese, and became a Latin

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 ...

. The former Cathedral and Castle of Pomesanian Cathedral Chapter complex in

Kwidzyn Kwidzyn (pronounced ; german: Marienwerder; Latin: ''Quedin''; Old Prussian: ''Kwēdina'') is a town in northern Poland on the Liwa River, with 38,553 inhabitants (2018). It is the capital of Kwidzyn County in the Pomeranian Voivodeship. Geogra ...

is listed as a Historic Monument of Poland.

Catholic diocese

It was founded as one of four

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy * Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD * Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...

dioceses in Prussia in 1243 by the papal legate

William of Modena William of Modena ( – 31 March 1251), also known as ''William of Sabina'', ''Guglielmo de Chartreaux'', ''Guglielmo de Savoy'', ''Guillelmus'', was an Italian clergyman and papal diplomat.

. The bishops, whose seat was Riesenburg ( Prabuty), ruled one third of diocesan territory as his

temporality In philosophy, temporality refers to the idea of a linear progression of past, present, and future. The term is frequently used, however, in the context of critiques of commonly held ideas of linear time. In social sciences, temporality is studie ...

. The diocesan cathedral chapter met in the fortified cathedral of Marienwerder (

). In the 1280s the

Teutonic Order The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem, commonly known as the Teutonic Order, is a Catholic religious institution founded as a military society in Acre, Kingdom of Jerusalem. It was formed to aid Christians on ...

succeeded to impose the simultaneous membership of all capitular canons in the Order thus winning influence in the diocese and in the capitular elections of the bishops. So the temporality of Pomesania's bishop did not develop the status of a prince-bishopric and was ruled as part of Teutonic Prussia. In 1454, the region was incorporated by King

Casimir IV Jagiellon Casimir IV (in full Casimir IV Andrew Jagiellon; pl, Kazimierz IV Andrzej Jagiellończyk ; Lithuanian: ; 30 November 1427 – 7 June 1492) was Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1440 and King of Poland from 1447, until his death. He was one of the m ...

into the

Kingdom of Poland The Kingdom of Poland ( pl, Królestwo Polskie; Latin: ''Regnum Poloniae'') was a state in Central Europe. It may refer to: Historical political entities * Kingdom of Poland, a kingdom existing from 1025 to 1031 * Kingdom of Poland, a kingdom exi ...

upon the request of the anti-Teutonic

Prussian Confederation The Prussian Confederation (german: Preußischer Bund, pl, Związek Pruski) was an organization formed on 21 February 1440 at Kwidzyn (then officially ''Marienwerder'') by a group of 53 nobles and clergy and 19 cities in Prussia (region), Prussi ...

. The Bishop and canons of Pomesania pledged allegiance to the Polish King during the incorporation in March 1454 in

Kraków Kraków (), or Cracow, is the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city dates back to the seventh century. Kraków was the official capital of Poland until 1596 ...

. After the subsequent

Thirteen Years' War (1454–1466) The Thirteen Years' War (german: Dreizehnjähriger Krieg; pl, wojna trzynastoletnia), also called the War of the Cities, was a conflict fought in 1454–1466 between the Prussian Confederation, allied with the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland, a ...

between Poland and the Teutonic Order, the region was recognized as part of Poland as a

fief A fief (; la, feudum) was a central element in medieval contracts based on feudal law. It consisted of a form of property holding or other rights granted by an overlord to a vassal, who held it in fealty or "in fee" in return for a form ...

held by the Teutonic Knights. Beginning in 1523 during the

Protestant Reformation The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and ...

, the diocese was effectively administered by

Lutheran Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Cathol ...

bishops until 1587, when the diocese was secularized by the regent of

Ducal Prussia The Duchy of Prussia (german: Herzogtum Preußen, pl, Księstwo Pruskie, lt, Prūsijos kunigaikštystė) or Ducal Prussia (german: Herzogliches Preußen, link=no; pl, Prusy Książęce, link=no) was a duchy in the region of Prussia establishe ...

, George Frederick. However the Catholic diocese was only formally suppressed in 1763, having remained vacant since 1524 except for 'temporary'

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 ...

s since 1601. The diocesan area outside of Ducal Prussia remained Catholic and on 1601.04.19 joined the

Roman Catholic Diocese of Chełmno The Roman Catholic Diocese of Chełmno ( pl, Diecezja chełmińska; german: Bistum Kulm/Culm) was a Roman Catholic diocese in Chełmno Land, founded in 1243 and disbanded in 1992.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.) (1248/49– death 1259?60) * Albert

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.) (1259? – death 1285?86) **'' Heinrich (1277/78–1292) (Counter bishop) '' * Heinrich von Pomesanien (1286 – death 1303) * Christian (1303.05.16 – death 1306.07.22) * Ludeko von Pomesanien = Lutho von Baldersheim (1319.12.03 – death 1321.08.28) * Rudolf (1322.03.05 – death 1332) * Bertold von Riesenburg (1332 – death 1346.11.28?) * Arnold (1347.06.04 – death 1360.01.29?) * Nikolaus von Radam (1360.04.20 – death 1376.11.27) * Johannes Mönch (1378.02.16 – death 1409.03.07) * Johannes Rymann (1409.07.24 – death 1417.09.04) * Gerhard Stolpmann (1418.05.09 – death 1427.07.22) * Johannes von Mewe = Johann von Heilsberg (1427.10.13 – death 1440.07.18) * Kaspar Linke (1440 – death 1463.10.28) * Nikolaus II (1464–1466) * Wincenty Kiełbasa (1467–1478) * Johannes Christiani von Lessen = Johann Christian von Lessen (1480.04.14 – death 1501.04.10) * Hiob von Dobeneck (1501–1521),

Teutonic order The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem, commonly known as the Teutonic Order, is a Catholic religious institution founded as a military society in Acre, Kingdom of Jerusalem. It was formed to aid Christians on ...

( O.T.) (1501.08.27 – 1521.05.25) * ?

George of Polentz George of Polentz (born: ; died: 1550 in Balga) was bishop of Samland and Pomesania and a lawyer. He was the first Lutheran bishop and also a Protestant reformer. Polentz was a member of an old Saxon noble family. He studied law in Bologna a ...

(1521–1523) *''

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 ...

Achille Grassi Achille Grassi (16 February 1456 – 22 November 1523) was an Italian Roman Catholic bishop and cardinal. Biography Achille Grassi was born in Bologna on 16 February 1456, the son of Baldassarre Grassi, a Bolognese patrician, and Orsina Bocchi ...

(1521.08.09 – 1523.11.22), also/previously Bishop of

Città di Castello Città di Castello (); "Castle Town") is a city and ''comune'' in the province of Perugia, in the northern part of Umbria. It is situated on a slope of the Apennines, on the flood plain along the upper part of the river Tiber. The city is north of ...

(Italy) (1506.02.14 – 1515), created

Cardinal-Priest A cardinal ( la, Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae cardinalis, literally 'cardinal of the Holy Roman Church') is a senior member of the clergy of the Catholic Church. Cardinals are created by the ruling pope and typically hold the title for life. Col ...

of S. Sisto (1511.03.17 – 1517.07.06), Bishop of

Bologna Bologna (, , ; egl, label=Emilian language, Emilian, Bulåggna ; lat, Bononia) is the capital and largest city of the Emilia-Romagna region in Northern Italy. It is the seventh most populous city in Italy with about 400,000 inhabitants and 1 ...

(Italy) (1511.05.30 – 1518.01.08),

Camerlengo of Sacred College of Cardinals The Camerlengo of the Sacred College of Cardinals was the treasurer of the College of Cardinals in the Catholic Church. The title is based on an Italian word for chamberlain, a word no longer used in secular contexts. The position existed from a ...

(1517 – 1518.01.08), transferred Cardinal-Priest of

S. Maria in Trastevere The Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere ( it, Basilica di Santa Maria in Trastevere); en, Our Lady in Trastevere) is a titular minor basilica in the Trastevere district of Rome, and one of the oldest churches of Rome. The basic floor plan and ...

(1517.07.06 – death 1523.11.22), also Apostolic Administrator of above diocese Bologna (1518.03.03 – 1523.11.22)'' **'' Erhard von Queis'' (apparently no proper papal mandate- ''cfr. infra'') (1523 – 1524)

Catholic Apostolic administrators

* Nicolò Ridolfi (1523.11.22 – ?; ''cfr. supra''), while

Cardinal-Deacon A cardinal ( la, Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae cardinalis, literally 'cardinal of the Holy Roman Church') is a senior member of the clergy of the Catholic Church. Cardinals are created by the ruling pope and typically hold the title for life. Col ...

of Ss. Vito e Modesto in Macello Martyrum (1517.07.06 – 1534.01.19) and

of Diocese of Orvieto (Italy) (1520.08.24 – 1529.09.03); later Metropolitan Archbishop of Archdiocese of Firenze (Italy) (1524.01.11 – 1532.10.11), Apostolic Administrator of Diocese of Vicenza (Italy) (1524.03.14 – 1550.01.31), Apostolic Administrator of Diocese of Forli (Italy) (1526.04.16 – 1528.08.07), Apostolic Administrator of Diocese of Tuscanella (1532.11.16 – 1533.06.06), Apostolic Administrator of

Diocese of Viterbo The Diocese of Viterbo ( la, Dioecesis Viterbiensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in central Italy. From the 12th century, the official name of the diocese was the Diocese of Viterbo e Tuscania. In 1 ...

(Italy) (1532.11.16 – 1533.06.06), Apostolic Administrator of Archdiocese of Salerno (Italy) (1533.02.07 – 1548.12.19), Apostolic Administrator of

Roman Catholic Diocese of Imola The Roman Catholic Diocese of Imola ( la, Diocesis Imolensis) is a territory in Romagna, northern Italy. It is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Bologna.

, (Italy) (1533.08.04 – 1546.05.17), transferred Cardinal-Deacon of S. Maria in Cosmedin (1534.01.19 – 1540.05.31), Apostolic Administrator of Diocese of Tuscanella (1538.08.08 – 1548.05.25), Apostolic Administrator of

(Italy) (1538.08.08 – 1548.05.25), transferred Cardinal-Deacon of S. Maria in Via Lata (1540.05.31 – death 1550.01.31), Protodeacon of Sacred College of Cardinals (1540.05.31 – 1550.01.31), (again) Metropolitan Archbishop of Firenze (1543.01.08 – 1548.05.25) :The apostolic administration was thereafter vested in many ''nearly successive'' Bishops of the

Chełmno Chełmno (; older en, Culm; formerly ) is a town in northern Poland near the Vistula river with 18,915 inhabitants as of December 2021. It is the seat of the Chełmno County in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship. Due to its regional impor ...

(Poland) (1600.11.10 – 1610.04.19); later Bishop of Kujawy–Pomorze (Poland) (1610.04.19 – 1616.03.14), Metropolitan Archbishop of

Gniezno Gniezno (; german: Gnesen; la, Gnesna) is a city in central-western Poland, about east of Poznań. Its population in 2021 was 66,769, making it the sixth-largest city in the Greater Poland Voivodeship. One of the Piast dynasty's chief cities, ...

and Primate of Poland (1616.03.14 – death 1624.02.10) * Maciej Konopacki (1611–1613), while Bishop of

(Poland) * Jan Kuczborski (1614–1624) while Bishop of Chełmno (Poland) * Jakub Zadzik (1624.12.02 – 1635.11.29) while Bishop of Chełmno; later Bishop of

(Poland) (1635.11.29 – death 1642.03.17) * Jan Lipski (1636–1639) while Bishop of Chełmno (1636 – 1639); later Metropolitan Archbishop of

and Primate of Poland (1639 – death 1641) * Kasper Działyński (1639–1646) while Bishop of Chełmno (Poland) * Andrzej Leszczyński (1646.12.03 – 1653.01.08) while Bishop of Chełmno (Poland) ( 646.05.041646.12.03 – 1653.01.08); previously Bishop of

Kamieniec Podolski Kamianets-Podilskyi ( uk, Ка́м'яне́ць-Поді́льський, russian: Каменец-Подольский, Kamenets-Podolskiy, pl, Kamieniec Podolski, ro, Camenița, yi, קאַמענעץ־פּאָדאָלסק / קאַמעניץ, ...

(Poland) (1641.12.16 – 1646.12.03); later Metropolitan Archbishop of

and Primate of Poland (1653.01.08 – 1658.04.15) * Jan Gembicki (1653.04.21 – 1655.05.11) while Bishop of Chełmno; next Bishop of

Płock Płock (pronounced ) is a city in central Poland, on the Vistula river, in the Masovian Voivodeship. According to the data provided by GUS on 31 December 2021, there were 116,962 inhabitants in the city. Its full ceremonial name, according to th ...

(Poland) (1655.05.11 – 1674.03.13), Bishop of Kujawy–Pomorze (Poland) (1674.03.13 – death 1675.03) * Adam Kos (1657.11.11 – death 1661.02.11) while Bishop of Chełmno *

Andrzej Olszowski Andrzej Olszowski (27 January 162129 August 1677) was a political speaker and writer. He was bishop of Chełmno from 1661 until 1674, and was archbishop of Gniezno and the primate of Poland from 1674. Olszowski was born in Olszowa. He was pro ...

(1661.08.08 – 1674.10.01) while Bishop of Chełmno (1661.02.23] 1661.08.08 – 1674.06.26); next Metropolitan Archbishop of

and Primate of Poland ( 674.06.261674.10.01 – 1677.08.29) * Jan Kazimierz Opaliński, Cistercians (O. Cist.) (1681.11.17 – death 1693.07.22) while Bishop of Chełmno (1681.06.23] 1681.11.17 – 1693.07.22); previously

Titular Bishop A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese. By definition, a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop, the tradition of the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox ...

of Diocletiana (1680.01.08 – 1681.11.17) as Coadjutor Bishop of

Poznań Poznań () is a city on the River Warta in west-central Poland, within the Greater Poland region. The city is an important cultural and business centre, and one of Poland's most populous regions with many regional customs such as Saint Joh ...

(Poland) (1680.01.08 – 1681.11.17) * Kazimierz Szczuka (1693.10.05 – death 1694.06.30) while Bishop of Chełmno ( 693.10.021693.10.05 – 1694.06.30) *

Teodor Andrzej Potocki Teodor Andrzej Potocki (13 February 1664 – 12 December 1738) was a Polish nobleman ( szlachcic), Primate of Poland, interrex in 1733. Teodor was Rector of Przemyśl and canon of Kraków since 1687, Bishop of Chełmno since 1699 and Bish ...

(1699.04.11 – 1712.06.10) while Bishop of Chełmno; later Bishop of

Warmia Warmia ( pl, Warmia; Latin: ''Varmia'', ''Warmia''; ; Warmian: ''Warńija''; lt, Varmė; Old Prussian: ''Wārmi'') is both a historical and an ethnographic region in northern Poland, forming part of historical Prussia. Its historic capital ...

(Poland) ( 711.11.161712.06.10 – 1723.11.22),

Diocese of Sambia The Bishopric of Samland (Sambia) (german: Bistum Samland, pl, Diecezja sambijska) was a bishopric in Samland (Sambia) in medieval Prussia. It was founded as a Roman Catholic diocese in 1243 by papal legate William of Modena. Its seat was Köni ...

(

Prussia Prussia, , Old Prussian: ''Prūsa'' or ''Prūsija'' was a German state on the southeast coast of the Baltic Sea. It formed the German Empire under Prussian rule when it united the German states in 1871. It was ''de facto'' dissolved by an ...

) (1712.06.10 – 1723.11.22), Metropolitan Archbishop of

and Primate of Poland ( 723.01.091723.11.22 – death 1738.11.12) * Jan Kazimierz de Alten Bokum (1719.07.30 – 1721.06.30) while Bishop of Chełmno ( 718.06.271719.07.30 – 1721.06.30); previously Bishop of Przemyśl (Poland) (1701.07.18 – 1719.07.30) * Feliks Ignacy Kretowski (1723.08.30 – death 1730.12.06) while Bishop of Chełmno ( 722.11.201723.08.30 – 1730.12.06) *'' Andrzej Stanisław Załuski (?1723.11.22 – 1736.11.19) while Bishop of

(Poland) (1723.11.22 – 1736.11.19); later Bishop of

Łuck Lutsk ( uk, Луцьк, translit=Lutsk}, ; pl, Łuck ; yi, לוצק, Lutzk) is a city on the Styr River in northwestern Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Volyn Oblast (province) and the administrative center of the surrounding L ...

(Poland) (1736.11.19 – 1739.07.20), Bishop of Chełmno ( 739.03.081739.07.20 – 1746.05.02), Bishop of

(Poland) ( 746.03.121746.05.02 – death 1758.12.16) * Tomasz Franciszek Czapski, O. Cist. (1730.12.06 – 1733.04.23) while Bishop of Chełmno; succeeded as former Titular Bishop of Diana (1726.07.01 – 1730.12.06) as Coadjutor Bishop of Chełmno (1726.07.01 – 1730.12.06) * Adam Stanisław Grabowski (1736.09.26 – 1739.07.15) while Bishop of Chełmno; previously Titular Bishop of

Nilopolis Nilopolis or Delas ( Coptic: ϯⲗⲟϫ ''Tilodj'') was a city in Egypt situated on the left bank of the Nile, about forty-seven miles from Memphis. It was an episcopal see that a suffragan of the metropolitan of Oxyrynchos, in the Roman provin ...

(1733.06.22 – 1736.09.26) as Auxiliary Bishop of

(Poland) (1733.06.22 – 1736.09.26); later Bishop of Kujawy–Pomorze (Poland) (1739.07.15 – 1741.09.18), Bishop of

(Poland) ( 741.04.141741.09.18 – death 1766.12.15), Apostolic Administrator of

(Prussia) (1741.09.18 – 1766.12.15) * Wojciech Stanisław Leski, O. Cist. (1747.04.10 – death 1758.09.19) while Bishop of Chełmno ( 746.10.171747.04.10 – 1758.09.19) * Andrzej Ignacy Baier (1759.02.12 – 1763) while Bishop of Chełmno ( 758.11.181759.02.12 – death 1785.01.31).

Latin titular see

In October 2014 the Catholic diocese was nominally restored as

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 ...

of Pomezania (Polish) / Pomesania (Curiate Italian) / Pomesanien (German) / Latin adjective Pomesanien(sis). It has had the following incumbent(s), so far of the fitting Episcopal (lowest) rank : * Adam Wodarczyk (2014.12.13 – ...), as Auxiliary Bishop of Archdiocese of Katowice (Poland) (2014.12.13 – ...).

Lutheran bishopric

Beginning in 1523 during the

, the diocese was effectively administered by

bishops. In 1587, the diocese was secularized by the regent of

, George Frederick. The Lutheran incumbents were : *

(from 1523 first

Bishop) *

Erhard of Queis Erhard of Queis (, in Storkow, Brandenburg – 10 September 1529, in Preußisch Holland) was Bishop of Pomesania. He is considered one of the pioneers of the Reformation in Prussia. Life Details of Queis's youth are not available. He enroll ...

(1523–1525) * Paul Speratus (1530–1551) * Georg von Venediger (1567–1574) * Johannes Wigand (1575–1587)

References

External links

GCatholic.org
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pomesania, Bishopric 1243 establishments in Europe Dioceses established in the 13th century 1587 disestablishments in Europe Catholic titular sees in Europe Christianity in Prussia Former Roman Catholic dioceses in Poland Religious organizations established in the 1240s Religious organizations disestablished in the 16th century