Roman Catholic Diocese of Cassano all’Jonio

The Diocese of Cassano all'Jonio is a Roman Catholic diocese in Calabria."Diocese of Cassano all’Jonio"
''Catholic-Hierarchy.org''. David M. Cheney. Retrieved July 31, 2016"Diocese of Cassano all'Jonio"
''GCatholic.org''. Gabriel Chow. Retrieved July 31, 2016Umberto Benigni, in:

History

It is not known when Cassano became an episcopal See. Some place the establishment in the 5th century, though without supporting evidence.

In 859 Cassano and Cosenza were the headquarters of the Gastaldates of the Lombards of the Duchy of Benevento. In their turn the Lombards were attacked again and again, as were the Greeks in south Italy, by the Saracens (Arabs and Moors). The Greeks were able to drive the Saracens away, and reorganized Calabria as part of the Greek Empire and the Greek Church of Constantinople. Cassano was established around this time as a suffragan diocese of the Greek Metropolitan of Reggio Calabria.

In 1059 mention is made of a bishop of Cassano, whose name is not reported. He was engaged, along with the Provost of Gerace, in resisting the advance of the Normans, led by Robert Guiscard and his brothers. A battle took place against Count Roger at San Martino in Valle Salinarum, in which the Greeks, led by the bishop of Cassano, were defeated.

In 1096 we read of a bishop of Cassano known as Saxo (Sassone), who was a Vicar of Pope Urban II and Pope Paschal II in the region. In the 11th century, the diocese became a suffragan of Reggio Calabria. Pope Paschal II (1099–1118), however, granted the Church of Cassano complete immunity from the jurisdiction of the Metropolitanate of Reggio Calabria, and took it directly under the protection of the Holy See. On 20 October 1144, King Roger II of Sicily confirmed the privileges of the Church of Cassano.

On February 13, 1919, the diocese had territory transferred to create the Eparchy of Lungro for the Italo-Albanian Catholic Church. On January 30, 2001, the Archdiocese of Cosenza-Bisignano was elevated to a metropolitan see with Cassano all'Jonio as a suffragan diocese.

Seminary

In accordance with the decrees of the Council of Trent, Bishop Serbelloni (1561–1579) appointed a committee to plan the creation of a seminary for the diocese of Cassano. The seminary was formally created by a decree of Bishop Carafa on 6 March 1588, and in 1593 Bishop Audoeno (Owen Lewis) fixed the number of scholars at twelve, and for the next century the number never exceeded twenty. The seminary was perpetually short of funds.

Cathedral

The old cathedral was consecrated by Bishop Tomacelli on 3 May 1491. The bell tower was completed by Bishop Gaetano in 1608. The new cathedral was consecrated on 22 March 1722 by Bishop Francesco Maria Loyerio of Umbriatico. The decoration of the Choir was completed in 1750. The stucco façade of the cathedral was completed by Bishop Coppola in 1795, and the marble pulpit installed. Many of the treasures of the cathedral were stolen or damaged during the revolutionary period 1798–1806.

The Cathedral was governed by a Chapter, composed (in 1752) of four dignities and eighteen Canons. The dignities were: the Archdeacon, the Dean, the Cantor and the Treasurer.

Bishops

Diocese of Cassano all’Jonio

to 1300

:...
*Thomas (attested April 1171 – April 1174)
*''Ignotus'' (1179–1181)
:...
*Goffredus (attested 1195)
*Terricius (attested 1220, 1221, 1223)
*Biagio (c. 1233 or 1235)
*Giovanni de'Fortibracci (21 January 1252 – after 1254)
*Giordano Russo (c. 1266–1267)
*Marco d'Assisi, O.Min. (20 April 1268 – 1282/1285)
:...
*Pasquale (c. 1282)
*Richardus Tricarico

1300–1500

*Guglielmo de Cuna, O.Min. (28 February 1301 – )
*Alberto Bizozio (attested 1312)
*Joannes
*Giovanni da Mafino (18 March 1329 – 1334)
*Landulfus Vulcani (24 October 1334 – 1334/1335)
*Gunius
*Durandus
*Rogerius Quadrimani (January 1348 – 1348)
*Giovanni da Papasidero (17 March 1348 – 1373)
*Marino del Judice (18 May 1373 – 1379)
*Andreas Cumanus (26 January 1379 – ) (Avignon Obedience)
*Carlo Corsini (2 December 1383 – ) (Avignon Obedience)
*Robertus (1378– ) (Roman Obedience)
*Nicolaus (c. 1383) (Roman Obedience)
*Petrus (1 October 1392 – 1399)
*Phoebus de Sanseverino (1 December 1399 – 1404)
*Marino Scannaforcie (11 November 1404 – 1418?)
* Antonello dei Gesualdi, O.Celest. (23 November 1418 – 1428?)
* Belforte Spinelli (1432 – 12 December 1440)
* Giovanni Francesco Brusato (8 December 1463 – 22 March 1476)
* Bartolomeo del Poggio (22 March 1476 – 1485 Died)
* Nicola Tomacelli (1485–1490 Died)"Bishop Nicola Tomacelli"
''Catholic-Hierarchy.org''. David M. Cheney. Retrieved July 31, 2016
* Marino Tomacelli (1491–1519 Died)"Bishop Marino Tomacelli"
''Catholic-Hierarchy.org''. David M. Cheney. Retrieved July 31, 2016

1500–1700

*Cardinal Domenico Giacobazzi (1519–1523 Resigned) (Administrator)
* Cristoforo Giacobazzi (23 March 1523 – 7 October 1540 Died)
* Durante Duranti (1541–1551)
*Bernardo Antonio Michelozzi de' Medici (1551–1552 Died)
* Giovanni Angelo de' Medici (1 March 1553 – 25 June 1556)
*Mark Sittich von Hohenems Altemps (29 May 1560 – 17 December 1561)
*Giovan Battista Serbelloni