Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lecce

The Italian Catholic Archdiocese of Lecce (Latin: Archidioecesis Lyciensis) in Apulia, southern Italy, has existed as a diocese since the 11th century.[1] On 28 September 1960, in the bull Cum a nobis, Pope John XXIII separated the diocese of Lecce from the ecclesiastical province of Otranto and made it directly subject to the Holy See. In the bull Conferentia Episcopalis Apuliae issued on 20 October 1980, Pope John Paul II created the ecclesiastical province of Lecce, with the Archdiocese of Otranto becoming a suffragan diocese.[2][3]

Archdiocese of Lecce

Archidioecesis Lyciensis
Lecce Cathedral
Location
CountryItaly
Ecclesiastical provinceLecce
Statistics
Area750 km2 (290 sq mi)
Population
- Total
- Catholics (including non-members)		(as of 2016)
296,580
295,280 (99.6%)
Parishes77
Information
DenominationCatholic Church
RiteRoman Rite
Established11th century
CathedralCattedrale di Maria SS. Assunta
Secular priests115 (diocesan)
47 (Religious Orders)
35 Permanent Deacons
Current leadership
PopeFrancis
ArchbishopMichele Seccia
Bishops emeritusDomenico Umberto D’Ambrosio
Map
Website
www.diocesilecce.org

History

Many years ago, Lecce was known as Lupiæ, Lupia, Lycia, and Aletium.[4] Beginning around the year 1060, Lecce became the seat of a Norman count. One of its notable counts, Tancred of Lecce, contested Emperor Henry VI for the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. Another count was Gautier de Brienne, a cousin of Tancred.

Chapter and cathedral

The cathedral of Lecce, which was, like nearly all the cathedrals in the Kingdom of Naples, dedicated to the assumption of the body of the Virgin Mary into heaven, was administered and served by a Chapter. The cathedral Chapter was composed of three dignities (the Archdeacon, the Cantor, and the Treasurer) and twenty-four Canons.[5] In 1671, there were twenty Canons.[6] In 1741, there were again twenty-four Canons.[7] In 1885, after the unification of Italy, there were four dignities (the Archdeacon, the Treasurer, the Parocco[8] and the Theologus); there were sixteen other Canons.[9] In 2019, there were ten Canons (Canonici effetivi),[10] and eight honorary Canons.

There was also a collegiate church, the Collegiata di Campi Salentino, which had twenty-seven Canons, headed by an Archpriest and four dignities.[11]

The seminary building was built between 1694 and 1709, by Bishop Michele Pignatelli and Bishop Fabrizio Pignatelli, to designs by Giuseppe Cino.[12] In 1885, the seminary had thirteen teachers and thirty clerics studying for the priesthood; in the previous five years there had been four ordinations and sixty deaths of priests.[13]

Subject to the Holy See

Up until 1960, Lecce had been a suffragan (subordinate) of the archbishopric of Otranto. Reacting to the large increase in population, and to the fact that Lecce had been made a provincial capital by the Italian government, Pope John XXIII issued the bull "Cum a Nobis" on 28 September 1960, separating Lecce from its relationship with the diocese of Otranto and making it directly subject to the Holy See.[14]

Metropolitan archdiocese

Following the Second Vatican Council, and in accordance with the norms laid out in the Council's decree, Christus Dominus chapter 40,[15] the Episcopal Conference of Apulia petitioned the Holy See (Pope) that Lecce be made a metropolitan and that a new ecclesiastical province be created. After wide consultations among all affected parties, Pope John Paul II issued a decree on 20 October 1980, elevating Lecce to the status of metropolitan see. He also created the new ecclesiastical province of Lecce, whose constituent bishoprics (suffragans) were to be: Brindisi (no longer a metropolitanate, though the archbishop allowed to retain the title of archbishop), Otranto (no longer a metropolitanate, though the archbishop allowed to retain the title of archbishop), Gallipoli, Nardò, Ostuno, and Uxentina-S. Mariae Leucadensis (Ugento).[16]

Bishops and Archbishops of Lecce

to 1500
...
  • Teodoro Bonsecolo (attested 1092, 1101)[17]
  • Formosus (attested 1114, 1115)[18]
  • Penetranus (attested 1179)[19]
  • Petrus Guarinus (1179–1182)[20]
  • Fulco Bellus (1196–1200)[21]
  • Robertus Volterico (1212–1230)[22]
Sede vacante (attested 1239)[23]
  • Gualterus de Massafra (attested 1254, 1255)[24]
  • Robertus de Sancto Blasio (c. 1260?)[25]
  • Petrus de Romana (1267) Bishop-elect
  • Ignotus (1268–1269)
  • Gervasius
  • Godefredus
  • Robertus de Noha (attested 1301)
  • Joannes de Glandis (1339–1348)[26]
  • Robertus (Guarini) (1348– ? )
  • Antonius de Ferraris (1373– ? )
  • Nicolaus de Tarento (1384– ? ) Avignon Obedience
  • Ludovicus ( ? ) Roman Obedience
  • Leonardus (1386–1389) Roman Obedience
  • Antonius de Viterbo, O.Min. (1389–1412)[27]
  • Tommaso Morganti (1409–1412)[28]
  • Curello Ciccaro (1412–1429)[29]
  • Tommaso Ammirato, OSB (1429–1438)[30]
  • Guido Giudano, OFM (6 Aug 1438 – 1453)[31]
  • Antonio Ricci (20 Jul 1453 – 24 Dec 1483 died)[32]
Roberto Caracciolo, OFM (1484–1485)[33]
Cardinal Luigi d'Aragona (1498–1502) Apostolic Administrator[35]

1500 to 1800
Ippolito de' Medici (20 Apr 1534 – 26 Feb 1535) Administrator[42]
Sede vacante (1783–1792)[52]
  • Salvatore Spinelli, OSB (26 Mar 1792 –1797)[53]
Sede vacante (1797–1818)[54]

1800 to present
Giuseppe Maria Giovene (1807–1818) Vicar Apostolic[55]
  • Nicola Caputo de' Marchesi di Cerreto (21 Dec 1818 – 6 Nov 1862 died)[56]
Sede vacante (1862–1872)[57]
  • Valerio Laspro (1872–1877)[58]
  • Salvatore Luigi Zola, CRL (22 Jun 1877 – 27 Apr 1898 died)
  • Evangelista (Michael Antonio) di Milia, OFM Cap. (10 Nov 1898 – 17 Sep 1901 died)
  • Gennaro Trama (14 Feb 1902 – 9 Nov 1927 died)
  • Alberto Costa (7 Dec 1928 – 2 Aug 1950 died)
  • Francesco Minerva (17 Dec 1950 – 27 Jan 1981 retired)
  • Michele Mincuzzi (27 Jan 1981 – 7 Dec 1988 retired)
  • Cosmo Francesco Ruppi (7 Dec 1988 – 16 Apr 2009 retired)
  • Domenico Umberto D'Ambrosio (2009–2017)[59]
  • Michele Seccia (2017 – present)[60]

References
  1. Cheney, David M. "Lecce (Archdiocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 7 July 2017. The date of 1057 is actually a floruit date of Bishop Theodorus, as assigned by Ughelli, p. 80, without documentary evidence.
  2. "Archdiocese of Lecce" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  3. "Metropolitan Archdiocese of Lecce" GCatholic.org. Gabriel Chow. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  4. Cappelletti, p. 311.
  5. Ughelli, p. 68.
  6. Ritzler-Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica V, p. 244, note 1.
  7. Ritzler-Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VI, p. 261, note 1.
  8. The parish priest, since the cathedral was also a parish, one of four in the city.
  9. Giuseppe Bertolotti, Statistica ecclesiastica d'Italia (Savona: Andrea Ricci 1885), p. 633.
  10. Four of these Canons were Canons ex officio: the Vicar General, the diocesan Master of Ceremonies, the Rector of the diocesan seminary, and the parish priest of the parish of the cathedral.
  11. Pietro De Simone, "Lecce," in: V. D'Avino, Cenni storici sulle chiese ... del Regno del Due Sicilie (Napoli: Ranucci 1848), p. 297 column 1. (in Italian)
  12. De Simone, Lecce ed i suoi monumenti, p. 94.
  13. Bertolotti, p. 633.
  14. Acta Apostolicae Sedis 53 (Città del Vaticano 1961), pp. 345-346.
  15. Christus Dominus 40. Therefore, in order to accomplish these aims this sacred synod decrees as follows: 1) The boundaries of ecclesiastical provinces are to be submitted to an early review and the rights and privileges of metropolitans are to be defined by new and suitable norms. 2) As a general rule all dioceses and other territorial divisions that are by law equivalent to dioceses should be attached to an ecclesiastical province. Therefore dioceses which are now directly subject to the Apostolic See and which are not united to any other are either to be brought together to form a new ecclesiastical province, if that be possible, or else attached to that province which is nearer or more convenient. They are to be made subject to the metropolitan jurisdiction of the bishop, in keeping with the norms of the common law. 3) Wherever advantageous, ecclesiastical provinces should be grouped into ecclesiastical regions for the structure of which juridical provision is to be made.
  16. Acta Apostolicae Sedis 72 (Città del Vaticano 1980), pp. 1076-1077.
  17. Kehr, Italia pontificia IX, p. 423.
  18. The word BENE occurs next to his name in an inscription; it is uncertain whether Bene is a cognomen or an adverb, but there is no other example of such a cognomen in Lecce. Bishop Formosus began the construction of the old cathedral. Ughelli, pp. 70-71. Gams, p. 890 column 1. Kehr, p. 423. Di Leo (1975), "Contributo per una nuova Lecce sacra, I. La serie dei vescovi di Lecce di N. Fatalo, Parte seconda," pp. 8-14.
  19. A bishop Peturejus of Litiensis Castrensis subscribed the decrees of the Third Lateran Council of March 1179, immediately after Archbishop Jonathas of Hydruntum. J.D. Mansi (ed.), Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio, editio novissima, Tomus XXII (Venice: A. Zatta 1769), p. 215. Ughelli, p. 71. Cappelletti, p. 313.
  20. Bishop Petrus is attested in a bull of Pope Alexander III of 13 May 1181. Kehr, p. 423, no. 2, note. Kamp, pp. 730-731.
  21. On 13 July 1196, Pope Celestine III wrote to Bishop Fulco, confirming the possessions of the diocese of Lecce. Kehr, p. 423, no. 3. Kamp, pp. 731-732.
  22. Bishop Robertus restored the cathedral, according to an inscription of 1230 on the façade of the cathedral. De Simone, Lecce ed i suoi monumenti, p. 101. Ughelli, p. 79 (who conflates Robertus de Sancto Blasio with Robertus Volterico). Eubel I, p. 304. Kamp, pp. 732-733.
  23. Kamp, p. 733.
  24. Because of the war between the papacy and Manfred, Walter did not reside in his bishopric, but probably in Brindisi. Kamp, p. 733.
  25. The date depends entirely on Ughelli IX, p. 80, who gives no source. Kamp, p. 734.
  26. Joannes had been Canon Cantor of the cathedral Chapter of Bari. He held the episcopal throne from 1339 to 1348. Cappelletti, p. 313. Eubel I, p. 304.
  27. Eubel I, p. 304. (in Latin)
  28. Thomas is believed to have been an appointee of Gregory XII, who was deposed by the Council of Pisa in May 1409. Eubel I, p. 305. His followers were also deposed. When the schism was ended, Tommaso Morganti was appointed Bishop of Nocera on 17 March 1419. He died in 1437. Eubel I, p. 373.
  29. Ciccaro was appointed on 19 December 1412 by John XXIII.
  30. Thomas had been Abbot of S. Nicola e Cataldi (Lecce). He was elected by the cathedral Chapter, but then provided by Pope Martin V. He died in 1438. Eubel I, p. 305.
  31. Gudiano had been Bishop of Alessano (1431–1438). He was transferred to the diocese of Lecce on 6 August 1438 by Pope Eugenius IV. He was transferred to the diocese of Bari-Canosa on 13 July 1453 by Pope Nicholas V. He died in 1454. Ughelli, p. 82. Cappelletti, p. 314. Eubel II, pp. 102, 177. (in Latin)
  32. Eubel II, p. 177.
  33. Caracciolo had been Bishop of Aquino, and was transferred to the diocese of Lecce by Pope Sixtus IV on 8 March 1484. The Pope died, however, before the bulls of institution had been signed, and therefore the transfer never took effect. Caracciolo chose to remain in Aquino. He was never Bishop of Lecce. Ughelli, p. 82. Eubel II, p. 177.
  34. Marcantonio's father Bussi de'Tolomei was a courtier of the kings of Naples, through whom Marcantonio received several benefices. He was named Bishop of Lecce on 18 July 1485. He died in 1498 after a reign of thirteen years. Ughelli, p. 82. Eubel II, p. 177.
  35. Cardinal d'Aragona, the natural brother of King Alfonso I of Sicily, was Apostolic Administrator of the diocese of Lecce from 10 December 1498 to 24 March 1502. He resigned upon the appointment of Bishop Piscicelli. There is no evidence he was ever consecrated a bishop. Ughelli, p. 82 (who notes he was only Administrator). Eubel II, p. 177.
  36. Piscicelli was a cleric of Naples and a Protonotary Apostolic. He was approved as Bishop of Lecce on 24 March 1502 by Pope Alexander VI. He died in 1507. Ughelli, p. 82. Eubel II, p. 177 with note 3.
  37. Matteo had previously been Bishop of Gravina (1482–1508). He was transferred to the diocese of Lecce by Pope Julius II on 12 February 1508. He died in 1511. Ughelli, pp. 82-83. Eubel II, pp. 177; III, pp. 205 with note 2; 224.
  38. A Florentine and Canon of the cathedral Chapter of Florence, Martelli was appointed Bishop of Lecce on 9 April 1511. He was transferred to the diocese of Narni by Leo X on 18 May 1517. He died in 1523. He was proficient in Latin, Greek and Tuscan. Ughelli, p. 83. Eubel III, pp. 224, 253.
  39. Acquaviva was the son of the Duke of Nardò. He had been Bishop of Assano (1512–1517). He was transferred to the diocese of Lecce on 18 May 1517 by Pope Leo X, under an agreement with the Cardinal d'Aragona, who held the right to return after his resignation; the Cardinal took the diocese of Assano in commendam. Acquaviva died in 1525. Ughelli, p. 83. Marciano di Severano, p. 557. Eubel III, pp. 103, 224.
  40. Gundisalvus di Sangro, a Neapolitan: Eubel III, p. 224 with note 6.
  41. A Neapolitan, Alfonso was the brother of Gundisalvo, his predecessor. He was appointed bishop on 9 March 1530. He resigned on 20 April 1534. There is no evidence of his being consecrated a bishop; there is evidence that he was not yet consecrated 22 January 1531, when he obtained an extension, and on 13 March 1532, when he obtained another. Eubel III, p. 224 with note 7.
  42. Medici: Eubel III, p. 224.
  43. A native of Lecce, Castromediano was only twenty-three when appointed, and was therefore only Administrator for four years. He founded the hospital and other institutions for children and the poor. Eubel III, p. 224 with note 10.
  44. "Bishop Scipione Spina " Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved 21 March 2016
  45. Born in Pisciotta (Salerno) of a noble Neapolitan family in 1695, Pappacoda had been a Referendary of the Tribunal of the Two Signatures in the Roman Curia, and had been Bishop of Capaccio in the Kingdom of Naples (1635–1639). He was transferred to the diocese of Lecce on 30 May 1639 by Pope Urban VIII. He rebuilt the cathedral. He died on 17 December 1670. Cappelletti, p. 316. Gauchat, Hierarchia catholica IV, pp. 134 with note 5; 220 with note 2.
  46. Born in Naples in 1615, Pignatelli was the son of Fabrizio Pignatelli, Prince of Minervina. He studied in Rome at the Seminario Romano and the Collegio Romano, obtaining the degree of Doctor in utroque iure. At the age of 20, he was named Vice-President of Urbino, and in 1646 Inquisitor of Malta. He was named Bishop of Lecce on 4 May 1681. He established the seminary of Lecce. Pignatelli actually served as Prefect of the Papal Household, and was named a cardinal by Pope Innocent XI on 1 September 1681. He was named Governor of Viterbo, and then Nuncio in Florence, for which post he was appointed titular Archbishop of Larisa (Greece). He was subsequently appointed Archbishop (Personal Title) of Faenza on 12 January 1682, and later was elected Pope Innocent XII. L.M. De Palma, "Le relazioni 'ad limina' di Antonio Pignatelli vescovo di Lecce (1671-1682)," in L.M. De Palma (ed.), Studi su Antonio Pignatelli papa Innocenzo XII (Lecce 1992), pp. 75-113. Ritzler-Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica V, pp. 11 no. 2; 244 with note 3.
  47. Michele Pignatelli was born at Cassano. He was appointed Bishop of Lecce on 26 January 1682. He died on 10 November 1695. He held a diocesan synod in March 1687. He began the construction of the seminary building. Cappelletti, p. 316. Ritzler-Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica V, p. 244 with note 4.
  48. Fabrizio Pignatelli was born at Montecorvino (Acerno), and held the degree of Doctor in utroque iure (Naples, 1696). He was named Bishop of Lecce on 2 April 1696. He completed the seminary building, and restored the episcopal palace. He died on 12 May 1734. Cappelletti, p. 316. Ritzler-Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica V, p. 244 with note 5.
  49. On 3 Feb 1744), Ruffo was transferred to the diocese of Capua by Pope Benedict XIV. Ritzler-Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VI, p. 261 with note 2.
  50. Ritzler-Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VI, p. 261 with note 3.
  51. Ritzler-Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VI, p. 261 with note 4.
  52. Cappelletti, p. 316.
  53. On 18 Dec 1797 Spinelli was transferred to the diocese of Salerno by Pope Pius VI. Ritzler-Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VI, p. 261 with note 5.
  54. Cappelletti, p. 316. From 1797 to 1815 most of Italy was under French occupation. Pope Pius VI was a prisoner in France in 1798 and 1799, where he died. Pope Pius VII was a prisoner in France from 1809 to 1814, and refused to make or ratify episcopal appointments. In the Kingdom of Naples, Joseph Bonaparte and Joachim Murat were "kings" until Murat's defeat at the Battle of Tolentino on 3 May 1815. A concordat was finally signed with the restored Ferdinand IV on 16 February 1818, which gave the King the right to nominate to all vacant bishoprics in the kingdom. Felice Torelli (1846). La chiave del concordato dell'anno 1818 e degli atti emanati posteriormente al medesimo (in Italian). Volume primo. Napoli: Stamperia di Niccola Mosca. R. Aubert; J. Beckmann; P. Corish; R. Lill (1980), The Church between Revolution and Restoration (London: Burns & Oates 1980), pp. 126-127.
  55. Giovene was Archpriest of Molfetta. Ritzler-Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VI, p. 261, note 5.
  56. Bruno Pellegrino, "Nicola Caputo (1774-1862) tra religione e politica," Rassegna Storica del Risorgimento 63 (1976), pp. 8-35.
  57. The Archdeacon and Capitular Vicar, Msgr. Carmelo Cosma, in his letter of congratulations to the people of Lecce on 10 May 1872, speaks of the "la vacante Cattedrale di Lecce, rimuovendo il lungissimo lutto vedovile." Giuseppe Andrea De Fazio (1872). Lecce ed il suo vescovo nel dí 22 settembre 1872 (in Italian). tip. G. Campanella. p. 14.
  58. Born at Balvano (diocese of Muro) in 1827, Laspro was named Bishop of Gallipoli on 22 March 1860. He was transferred to the diocese of Lecce on 6 May 1872. On 20 Mar 1877, Laspro was appointed Archbishop of Salerno (-Acerno) by Pope Pius IX. He was appointed Apostolic Administrator of Acerno. He died on 23 November 1915. La Civiltà Cattolica (in Italian). Roma: La Civiltà Cattolica. 1915. p. 244. Ritzler-Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VIII, pp. 280, 342.
  59. D'Ambrosio had been Archbishop of Mafredonia-Vieste e San Giovanni Rotondo since 2003. He was transferred to the diocese of Lecce on 16 April 2009 by Pope Benedict XVI. Archbishop d'Ambrosio reached the mandatory age for retirement at the age of 75 on 15 September 2017, and therefore voluntarily submitted his resignation to Pope Benedict XVI. It was accepted on 29 September 2017. CV: Arcidiocesi di Lecce, "Arcivescovo Mons. Domenico Umberto d'Ambrosio"; retrieved 20 June 2019. (in Italian)
  60. Seccia was elevated from Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Teramo-Atri by Pope Francis on 29 September 2017) Vatican press release. CV: Arcidiocesi di Lecce, "Arcivescovo Mons. Michele Seccia"; retrieved 20 June 2019. (in Italian)

Bibliography

Reference for bishops

Studies

Acknowledgment
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