The Archbishop of Nazareth is a former residential Metropolitan see, first in the Holy Land, then in Apulian exile in Barletta (southern Italy), which had a Latin and a Maronite successor as titular sees, the first merged into Barletta, the second suppressed.[1][2]
Biblical Nazareth was one of the major sees of the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem during the crusades. After capturing Nazareth, the leaders of the First Crusade moved there the Metropolitan see of Scythopolis, while the Greek Orthodox continued to maintain two separate dioceses.
Nazareth thus became a Latin Church Metropolitan Archdiocese circa 1100. Among its suffragans were the Bishopric of Tiberias and the Abbot of Mount Tabor.
Following the Muslim conquest in the Holy Land, the Archbishops of Nazareth took refuge in Barletta (Apulia, southern Italy), and moved permanently there in 1327. It began the long line of Metropolitan Archbishops of Nazareth residing in Barletta, which was called the see of Nazareth in Barletta.
On June 27, 1818, with the papal bull De ulteriori of Pope Pius VII, the Archdiocese of Nazareth was suppressed.
On 22 October 1828, with the Bull Multis quidem of Pope Leo XII, the title of Archbishop of Nazareth was granted to the Archbishops of Trani.
By mergers, the title passed again to the restyled Archbishops of Trani-Barletta (1860) and then to the Archbishops of Trani-Barletta-Bisceglie (1986).
(all Roman Rite)
(all Roman Rite)
(all Roman Rite)
On 21 April 1860, the archdiocese was nominally restored as Metropolitan Titular archbishopric of Nazareth.
In 1925 it was suppressed, only to be restored in 1929 and finally united with (i.e. merged into) the residential Metropolitan Archdiocese of Trani–Barletta–Bisceglie, also territorial heir to the former Apulian see in exile.
It has had the following archiepiscopal incumbents, apparently all of the highest (Metropolitan) rank :
It was established in the late 19th century as a Titular bishopric of the lowest (episcopal) rank, but suppressed in 1911, having had a single incumbent :
In 1926 it was restored, now as a Titular archbishopric of the intermediate (non-Metropolitan) rank. In 1939 it was again suppressed, having had the following incumbents :