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In 1174 the abbey of Monreale was declared a prælatura nullius; two years later its abbot was vested with the title and jurisdiction of a bishop. On 2 February 1183, thanks to the Bull Licet Dominus of Pope Lucius III, Monreale became the metropolitan see for the diocese of Catania and the diocese of Siracusa.[3] At first the archbishops were elected by the monks, but were not always Benedictines; since 1275 the election has been reserved to itself by the Holy See.
In time[vague] the diocese of Girgenti and diocese of Caltagirone also became suffragan to Monreale; but Siracusa, in 1844, and Catania, in 1860, became archiepiscopal sees. The former having become the metropolitan of Caltagirone, Monreale received the new diocese of Caltanisetta (1860), which see and Girgenti became its only suffragans.
From 1775 to 1802 Monreale and Palermo were united under a single archbishop.[4]
^Benevenutus: Eubel, I, p. 348. Kamp, pp. 1197-1199.
^Gaufridus had been Canon of the Collegiate Church of S. Aignan in Orleans, and Canon of Beauvais and Sens. He was Chancellor of the Church of Bayeux. Gottfried was Chancellor of the Kingdom of Sicily when he died on 6 November 1271. Kamp, pp. 1199-1200.
^Trasmundus was a Canon of Paris, and a papal representative in 1243 and 1247. He was named Archbishop of Corinth in 1253 by Pope Innocent IV. Kamp, pp. 1201-1202.
^Rogerius was a native of Salerno. He was appointed to Monreale by Pope Benedict XI. Pirro, p. 464. Eubel, I, p. 348.
^Arnaldus was a councilor of King Frederick III of Sicily. He had been collector of the tithe in Achaea, Athens, Crete and Sicily. Pirro, p. 464. Eubel, I, p. 348.
^Guilelmus followed Pope Clement VII of the Avignon Obedience, and was therefore deprived of his diocese.
^On 19 December 1384, Bishop Francesco was transferred by Clement VII to the diocese of Huesca in Spain. Eubel, I, pp. 349 with notes 8 and 9; 379.
^Paulus had been Bishop of Isernia (1367–1379). He was transferred to the diocese of Thessalonica on 18 April 1418 by Pope Martin V. Pirro, pp. 465-466. Gams, p. 951. Eubel, I, pp. 287, 379, 484.
^Soler (not d'Aragona): He was Archbishop-elect of Barcelona. He returned to the diocese of Barcelona on 4 October 1458. Eubel, II, pp. 102, 196.
^De Podio (Despuig): He died in Rome on 7 September 1483, according to his funeral inscription. Pirro, p. 467. Eubel, II, p. 196.
^A native of Valencia, Borja was a Corrector Litterarum Apostolicarum in the Roman Chancery. He was named Archbishop of Monreale by Pope Sixtus IV. He was named a cardinal on 31 August 1492 by his uncle, Pope Alexander VI. Eubel, II, pp. 21 no. 1; 196.
^Castellar was archbishop of Trani from 1493 to 1503. He was created a cardinal by Pope Alexander VI on 9 May 1503, and was appointed Archbishop of Monreale on 9 August 1503, according to the Acta Cameralia (records of the Apostolic Chamber), and granted the privilege of retaining his other benefices, including Trani, while holding the Archbishopric of Monreale. His bulls were never executed by Pope Alexander VI who died on 18 August 1503, nor by Pope Pius III, who reigned less than a month. He inquired of Pope Julius II, who was elected on 1 November, whether he had legitimate possession, but Castellar travelled to Naples and then to Valencia where he died of a fever, never having taken possession of the diocese. Pirro, p. 468 column 1. Eubel, II, pp. 24 no. 35; 196; 254.
^Alfonso was the illegitimate son of King Ferdinand II of Aragon. He was Archbishop of Zaragoza, for which he required a dispensation for being under-age for consecration. Monreale was actually governed by Bishop Petrus Aureacella, titular Bishop of Megara (Greece). He was transferred to the diocese of Valencia on 23 January 1512. He died on 24 February 1520, and was buried in Zaragoza. Pirro, p. 468. Eubel, II, p. 113 with note 3; III, p. 250 with note 3, 325.
^Cardona was Archbishop of Barcelona from 1505 until 1511. He was named Castellan of the Castel S. Angelo on 24 September 1522. He was named a cardinal by Pope Clement VII on 21 November 1527. Pirro, pp. 468-470. Eubel, III, pp. 50; 129; 250 with note 4.
^Colonna was nominated by Emperor Charles V, and approved by Pope Clement VII on 14 December 1530. He was granted the pallium on 6 February 1531. He was never consecrated a bishop, however, and therefore he could only be Administrator of Monreale. Pirro, p. 470 column 1. Eubel, III, p. 250 with note 5.
^Medici was a nephew of Leo X and of Clement VII. He was elected Archbishop of Monreale at the demand of Clement VII, even though he was only 22 years old and not yet able to be consecrated. There is no evidence that he was ever consecrated a bishop. Pirro, p. 470. Eubel, III, p. 250.
^The date of Gualtieri's death is inscribed on his tombstone. Pirro, I, p. 475. Gauchat, IV, p. 249 with note 2.
^Leyva was nominated by King Philip III on 25 July 1619, and approved (preconized) by Pope Paul V on 17 February 1620. Pirro, p. 475-476. Gauchat, IV, p. 249 with note 3.
^Torres was a nephew of Cardinal Ludovico de Torres. Pirro, pp. 476-477. Gauchat, IV, p. 249 with note 4.
^Torresiglia: Pirro, p. 477-478. Gauchat, IV, p. 249 with note 5.
^Peretti was a relative of Pope Sixtus V, and nephew of Cardinal Alessandro Peretti. Francesco was named a cardinal by Pope Urban VIII on 16 December 1641. He took possession of the diocese of Monreale by proxy and did not appear personally until 1651. In 1651 he held a diocesan visitation, and in 1652 a diocesan synod. He completed the home for orphaned girls. He returned to Rome in 1654, where he consecrated Frederico Borromeo Patriarch of Alexandria. He was in Rome again in 1655, for the Conclave of 7 January to 7 April, in which Cardinal Flavio Chigi was elected Pope Alexander VII. Peretti was still in Rome when he died on 3 May 1655. Pirro, p. 478-479. Gauchat, IV, pp. 25 no. 53, with note 3; 249 with note 6.
^Los Cameros had previously been Bishop of Patti. He was subsequently appointed Archbishop of Valencia.Pirro, p. 479-480. Gauchat, IV, p. 249 with note 7.
^A member of the Milanese noble family, Visconti had been titular Archbishop of Ephesus (Turkey) and papal Nuncio to the King of Spain. He was named a cardinal by Pope Alexander VII in secret on 15 February 1666, and in public on 7 March 1667. He took part in the Conclave of 20 December 1669–29 April 1670, which resulted in the election of Emilio Altieri as Pope Clement X. Pope Clement immediately named him Archbishop of Monreale on 2 June, and granted him the pallium on 16 June. Visconti arrived in Palermo on 7 December 1670. He may have died of poison. Pirro, pp. 480-481. Gauchat, IV, p. 35 no. 33. Ritzler-Sefrin, V, p. 276 with note 2.
^Roano e Corrionero had previously been Bishop of Cefalù. Pirro, pp. 481-484. Ritzler-Sefrin, V, p. 276 with note 3.
^Del Giudice was named a cardinal by Pope Alexander VIII on 13 February 1690. He was promoted Bishop of Palestrina on 12 July 1717, to Bishop of Tusculum on 3 March 1721, and to Bishop of Ostia on 12 June 1724. He was the ambassador of Emperor Charles VI to the Holy See, and Protector of Sicily. Pirro, p. 484. Ritzler-Sefrin, V, p. 276 with note 4.
^Cienfuegos was named a cardinal by Pope Clement XI on 30 September 1720. He had previously been Bishop of Catania (1721–1725). He took possession of the diocese of Monreale by proxy, and governed through a Vicar General, Canon Francisco Antonio Brù of Xativa. He continued to reside in Rome, where he was Co-Protector of Austria and Ambassador of Emperor Charles VI before the Holy See. Pirro, pp. 484-485. Ritzler-Sefrin, V, pp. 32 no. 70; 150 with note 5; 276 with note 5.
^Acquaviva: Ritzler-Sefrin, VI, p. 297 with note 2.
^Sanseverino was born in the village of Maratea (diocese of Cassano). He had previously been Bishop of Alife (s. Italy) (1770–1776), in succession to his uncle Filippo Sanseverino. He was consecrated in Rome on 4 February 1770 by Cardinal Henry Stuart. Ritzler-Sefrin, VI, pp. 77 with note 8; 297 note 1; 327 with note 8.
^Lopez was born in Monterone (diocese of Lecce) in 1728. He lectured in philosophy in the seminary of Messina and in houses of the Theatine Order. He lectured for eight years at the College of the Propaganda Fide in Rome. He served as Procurator General of his Order in the Roman Curia. He was consecrated a bishop in Rome on 22 May 1268 by Cardinal Stoppani. He had previously been Bishop of Nola (1768–1793). Ritzler-Sefrin, VI, pp. 297 note 1; 313 with note 4; 327 with note 9.
