The Archdiocese's archiepiscopal cathedral is Basilica Cattedrale di S. Nicola Pellegrino, a minor basilica, in Trani.
The Archdiocese also includes three Co-cathedrals, in the two bishoprics whose titles it adopted: they are Basilica Concattedrale di S. Maria Maggiore, located in Barletta, Basilica Concattedrale di S. Pietro Apostolo, in Bisceglie (both also Minor basilicas) and Concattedrale di S. Maria di Nazareth, again in Barletta.
Furthermore, the archdiocese comprises another Minor Basilica: Basilica del San Sepolcro, in Barletta, and two Former Cathedrals: Chiesa San Giacomo Maggiore, in Barletta, and Ex cattedrale San Stefano, in Trinitapoli.
History
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Gained territory in 1424 from the suppressed Diocese of Salpi, lost it again in 1523 to (re)establish the Diocese of Salpi and on 1547.04.22 gained it back from the (again) suppressed Diocese of Salpi
Gained territories on 1818.06.27 from the suppressed above Metropolitan daughter Archdiocese of Nazareth in Barletta and from the Diocese of Canne, and gained the 'adopted' title of Nazareth [dropping in Barletta][clarification needed]
Lost territory on 1860.04.21 to (re)establish the Archdiocese of Barletta
Demoted on 1980.10.20 as non-metropolitan Archdiocese of Trani (Italiano) / Tranen(sis) (Latin)
Renamed on 1986.09.30 as Archdiocese of Trani–Barletta–Bisceglie (Italiano) / Tranen(sis)–Barolen(sis)–Vigilien(sis) (Latin), having gained territories (and adopting their titles) from the suppressed Archdiocese of Barletta (above daughter) and Diocese of Bisceglie
Gained in 1989 the (honorary) title of the see of Nazareth
The legend of St. Magnus relates that there was at Trani about the middle of the third century a bishop, Redemptus, who was succeeded by St. Magnus. The legend is recent in origin, and its character is so fantastic that it is not to be believed.[2]
The first bishop whose date is known with certainty is Eutychius, who was present at the dedication of the Basilica of Monte Gargano in 493.[3]
Until the end of the 10th century, Trani had followed the Latin Church and it's liturgies,[4] and Bishop Bernardo[5] opposed the decree of the Patriarch Polyeuctes (968) introducing the Byzantine Rite;[6] it is uncertain whether Joannes, bishop of Trani, who embraced the schism of Michael Caerularius and in consequence was deposed by Pope Nicholas II (1059), belonged to the Greek Rite. His successor was Delius, and thenceforward Trani continued in the Latin Church.
In 1073 Trani fell into the hands of the Normans, and Count Pierre d'Hauteville became Count of Trani, though he was quickly put down by Robert Guiscard.[7]
In 1098 Nicholas the Pilgrim, a Byzantine Christian, died there; under another Byzantine the new cathedral was dedicated to that saint. Bertrand II (1157–87) tried to arrange a Byzantine–Sicilian marriage alliance. Samarus was granted the lordship of the Jews of Trani by Emperor Henry VI for his support against Tancred. Bartolommeo Brancacci (1328) distinguished himself on several embassies and was chancellor of the Kingdom of Naples.
In 1455 the Diocese of Cannae (Italian Canne) was united with that of Nazareth. Cannae was destroyed in 1083 by Robert Guiscard, with the exception of the cathedral and the episcopal residence. It had bishops in the sixth century, for Gregory the Great entrusted the see to the care of the bishop of Siponto; its bishops are again mentioned after the tenth century. In 1534 Cannae was separated from Nazareth and united to the diocese of Monteverde, but in 1552 the united dioceses were incorporated with Nazareth. In 1860 the See of Nazareth (Barletta) was united with Trani, the archbishop of which had been appointed in 1818 perpetual administrator of the see of Bisceglie.
With the See of Trani is united the ancient diocese of Salpe (Salapia of the Greeks), its known bishops comprising Palladius (465) and 23 successors before the definitive union in 1547. Another is the see of Carnia, which had bishops before the time Gregory, who entrusted it to the care of the Bishop of Reggio Calabria; in 649 it had a new ordinary, but later the city fell into decay.
^Lanzoni, pp. 300–301. Jean Baptiste Du Sollier; Jean Pien; Guillaume Cuypers; Pieter van den Bosch (1737). Acta Sanctorum Augusti (in Latin). Vol. Tomus III. Antwerp: apud Bernandum Albertum Vander Plassche. pp. 701–717.((cite book)): CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^Eutychius was present at the third, fourth and fifth Roman synods of Pope Symmachus. J.-D. Mansi (ed.), Sacrorum conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio,editio novissima, Tomus VIII (Florence: A. Zatta 1762), pp. 252, 268, 299.
^Bishop Suthinius was present at the Roman synod of 761 held by Pope Paul I. Cesare Baronio; Giovan Domenico Mansi; Odorico Rinaldi (1867). Augustin Theiner (ed.). Caesaris S.R.E. Card. Baronii (in Latin). Vol. XI–XII. Bar-le-Duc: L. Guerin. p. 648.
^Ughelli, p. 891, alleges that a Bishop Leo subscribed at the II Council of Nicaea in 787. This claim has never been substantiated, and it has been pointed out that Ughelli may have confused Trani with Trajanopolis. Archangelo Prologo (1883). I primi tempi della città di Trani (in Italian). Giovinazzo: Tip. R. Ospedale Vittorio Emmanuele. pp. 125–131.
^Bishop Leopardus was the predecessor of Bishop Auderis. Prologo, Le carte, p. 24 no. 1.
^Prologo, p. 24 (in Greek). Cf. Erich Kaspar, "Kritische Untersuchungen" zu den älteren Papsturkunden für Apulien," Quellen und Forschungen aus italienischen Archiven und Bibliotheken (in German). Vol. VI. Rome: M. Niemeyer. 1904. pp. 235–271, at 270, n. Domenico Morea, ed. (1892). Il chartularium del Monastero di S. Benedetto di Conversano (in Italian and Latin). Vol. I. Montecassino. pp. 82, and note a.((cite book)): CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) Bishop Rhodostamos was highly praised as a patriot of Trani by the Byzantine Kapitan of Italy Kalokyris, even though he had received ordination from Pope Benedict (VII, 974–983): Prologo, p. 33-34, no. VII.
^Joannes was a Greek rite bishop with ties to Constantinople. Joan Mervyn Hussey (2010). The Orthodox Church in the Byzantine Empire. OUP Oxford. pp. 132–133. ISBN978-0-19-958276-1. Ughelli, VII, p. 894. Joannes was deposed according to a comment of Petrus Damiani in a treatise called "Contra Philargyriam et munerum cupiditatem". Chretien Lupus; Tommaso Antonio Filippini (1725). Synodorum generalium ac provincialium decreta et canones (in Latin). Vol. Tomus Quartus. Venice: prostant apud Jo. Baptistam Albritium q. Hieron. et Sebastianum Coleti. p. 311. Kehr, p. 290 no. 2. J.P. Migne (ed.), Patrologiae Latinae Tomus CXLV, pp. 538–539.
^Kehr, p. 291, no. 3 (15 May 1063), called Archbishop of Trani by Pope Alexander II. In the late 1090s Bizantius was promoting the candidacy for sainthood of Nicolaus Peregrinus with Pope Urban II: Kehr, pp. 291–292, nos. 5–6.
^Veterandus (Bertrandus) is said to have been Archbishop of Trani in 1129 and to have attended the coronation of Roger II as King of Sicily in Palermo: Gaetano Moroni, ed. (1856). Dizionario di erudizione storico-ecclesiastica (in Italian). Vol. LXXIX (79): Tos-Tre. Venezia: dalla Tipografia Emiliana. p. 83. But Roger was invested with the royal title by Pope Anacletus II on 27 September 1130. On 30 October 1130, while visiting Trani, Anacletus confirmed the possessions and privileges of Hubaldus Archbishop of Trani, and granted him and his successors the use of the pallium. Prologo, Le carte de Trani, p. 77. The coronation at Palermo took place on Christmas Day, 1130. Hubert Houben (2002). Roger II of Sicily: A Ruler Between East and West. Cambridge University Press. pp. 52–57. ISBN978-0-521-65573-6. The information about a putative Archbishop Veterandus is defective. If one considers the document in Kehr, p. 292 no. 8, as authentic, then Veterandus's episcopate is impossible.
^Kehr, p. 292 no. 8, labels one piece of evidence for Hubaldus, that of 1120, a forgery.
^Gregorius was a native of Isola de Liri. He was abbot of Monte Cassino, and was elected by the Chapter of Trani to the bishopric before 24 June 1202. Pope Innocent III ordered an inquiry into the election, and then on 16 September ordered the Chapter to send representatives to the Holy See (the Pope was at Velletri) to receive their new Archbishop, which the Pope was providing. J. P. Migne, ed. (1855). Patrologiae cursus completus: sive Bibliotheca universalis (in Latin). Vol. Tomus CCXIV (214). Paris: J. P. Migne. pp. 1037–1038, 1073–1075. Ughelli, VII, p. 906. Gams, p. 933. Eubel, I, p. 491. Kamp, pp. 550–552.
^On 7 July 1206, Pope Innocent III wrote to Bartholomaeus of Trani, who was also Apostolici Sedis Legatus, about a subdeacon who had been ordained before the minimum canonical age. Migne, Tomus CCXV (215), pp. 686–687. He took part in the Lateran Council of 1215. Ughelli, VII, p. 906. Kamp, pp. 552–554.
^Jacobus: Ughelli, VII, p. 906. Gams, p. 933. Kamp, pp. 557–559.
^Kamp believes that Nicolaus was Nicolaus Andreocte de Urbe, a native of Rome. Nicolaus was a Canon of Reims and a Chaplain of Pope Clement IV (Jacques Falcoldi), who consecrated Nicholas personally. King Charles I of Naples sent Nicholas to Hungary to arrange a marriage between Charles' son and Maria of Hungary. Ughelli, p. 906. E. Jordan, Registres de Clément IV I (Paris 1893), p. 142, no. 469 (28 May 1267).
^Opizo (not Ottobonus, as in Ughelli) was Latin Patriarch of Antioch, whose see was overrun by the Saracens. At Trani, Thomas de Fossa had been canonically elected to succeed Bishop Nicholas, but Pope Nicholas III quashed the election, not on grounds of personal suitability, but for other reasons. Opizo was required to live at Trani. Eubel, I, pp. 93, with note 8; 491. J. Gay, Registres de Nicolas III (Paris 1904), pp. 287–288, no. 647 (1 April 1280).
^Philip had been Abbot of the secular church of S. Girolamo di Veroli (diocese of Trani). Ughelli, p. 906. Eubel, I, p.491.
^Giovanni d'Anagni was appointed by Pope Boniface VIII. He had previously been Bishop of Zadar (Jadrensis) in Dalmatia (1291–1297). Ughelli, p. 906. Eubel, I, pp. 281, 491.
^A native of Rome and a member of the Archione family, Oddo had previously been Archpriest of Tyensis, and was a Papal Chaplain. Pope Boniface VIII had suppressed the election of Canon Nicholas of Trani, and then the election of Magister Lorenzo, Canon of Ravello. Ughelli, p. 907. Eubel, I, p. 491, with note 5.
^Bartholomew, a former Canon of Trani, had previously been Bishop of Ragusa (1312–1317). Ughelli, p. 907. Eubel, I, pp. 411, 491.
^Andreas died in Avignon before he could take possession. Eubel, I, p. 491.
^Guillaume was transferred to the diocese of Brindisi on 28 February 1344. Eubel, I, pp. 149, 491.
^Philip had previously been Bishop of Lavello (1342–1344). Eubel, I, pp. 297, 491.
^His name is Magnesius in Ughelli, p. 908. He had previously been Bishop of Massalubrense (1343–1348). Eubel, I, pp. 312, 491.
^Jacobus was transferred to the diocese of Luni. Ughelli, p. 908-909. Eubel, I, pp. 318, 491–492 (not to Tyre).
^Antonio was provided by Urban VI. Gams, p. 934. Eubel, I, p. 492.
^Minutoli was appointed Archbishop of Naples in 1389. He was named a Cardinal by Pope Boniface IX on 18 December 1389. In 1405 he became Suburbicarian Bishop of Tusculum, and in 1409 Bishop of Sabina. Eubel, I, pp. 25, 38–39, 360, 492.
^Giacomo Cubello: Ughelli, p. 909. Eubel, I, p. 492.
^Carosio, who was a doctor of Canon Law and Canon of Capua, had been Bishop of Melfi (1412–1418). Ughelli, I, p. 937; VII, p. 909. Eubel, I, pp. 335, 492, with note 12.
^Latino Orsini had been appointed Bishop of Conza at the age of 27 (1438–1439), and was transferred to Trani on 8 June 1439. Latino was named a Cardinal by Pope Nicholas V on 20 December 1448, and was allowed to keep Trani until 1450. He was appointed Archbishop (Personal Title) of Urbino on 23 December 1450. Eubel, II, pp. 11, 134, 254 with notes 1 and 2, and 260.
^Giovanni Orsini had been serving as Abbot Commendatory of the monastery of Farfa. Eubel, II, p. 254.
^Cosma had also been Abbot Commendatory of Farfa. Eubel, II, p. 254.
^On 31 May 1503 Castellar was created a Cardinal by Pope Alexander VI. Castellar was appointed Archbishop of Monreale on 9 August 1503. Eubel, II, pp. 196, 254.
^Lloris was a Spaniard from Valencia, and Treasurer of Pope Alexander VI. He was named Bishop of Elne (France) on 6 September 1499; then Valence and Die. He had been named a Cardinal by Pope Alexander VI on 31 May 1503. On 9 August 1503, the same day as he received Trani, he was also named titular Latin Patriarch of Constantinople. Ughelli, p. 910. Eubel, II, pp. 25; 135; 150; 254 with note 6.
^Vigerio, a grand-nephew of Pope Sixtus V was also Bishop of Senigallia (1476–1513), and Bishop of Ventimiglia (1502–1511). He was Governor of the Castel S. Angelo from 1503 to 1506. He had been made a Cardinal by Pope Julius II on 1 December 1505. Eubel, II, pp. 10, no. 5; 298 with note 2; 316, with n. 3.
^De Cupis was a Roman. He was named a Cardinal in 1517 by Pope Leo X. Ughelli, p. 910. Eubel, III, p. 316.
^Serristori was a Canon of Florence, and a Referendary of the Two Signatures (curial judge). He was named Archbishop of Trani at the age of 27. Ughelli, p. 911. Eubel, III, p. 316.
^De Franchis was a native of Naples and the son of Vincenzo de Franchis, the President of King Philip II's Italian Council. His brothers Luca and Geronimo (Capua) were both bishops. He was granted the pallium on 7 August 1598. Ughelli, pp. 913–914. Eubel, III, p. 317 with note 9. Gauchat, IV, p. 341 with note 4.
^Rada had been Procurator General of the Observant Franciscans at the Roman Curia. He was transferred to the diocese of Patti on 16 January 1606, on the nomination of the King of Spain, Philip III. His successor at Patti was appointed on 2 December 1609. Gauchat, IV, pp. 270 with note 4; 341 with note 5.
^Sarria was transferred to the diocese of Taranto. Gauchat, IV, p. 341 with note 8.
^Del Tinto born in Alvito in the diocese of Sora. He was a Master of theology. On 19 October 1676 he was transferred to Cassano all’Jonio, retaining the title of Archbishop. Gauchat, IV, p. 341 with note 9.
^Spaccucci, Felice and Curci, Giuseppe (1991). Cronotassi degli arcivescovi di Trani, in: F. Spaccucci and G. Curci, Storia dell'arcidiocesi di Trani, Napoli 1991, pp. 127–152. (in Italian)
^Dottula was born in Naples in 1809, a member of the family of the Marchesi di Montrone. He had been a Canon of the Cathedral of Naples, Rector of the diocesan seminary, Governor of the royal hospital for the poor, and deputy for the instruction of non-believers and heretics. Gaetano Moroni, ed. (1856). Dizionario di erudizione storico-ecclesiastica: Tos-Tre (in Italian). Vol. LXXIX (79). Venezia: Tipografia Emiliana. p. 91. Spaccucci and Curci (1991), p. XI.
^Marinangeli was born in L'Aquila in 1831. He was consecrated a bishop on 15 January 1883 by Cardinal Lucido Parocchi (Sarlo, p. 67). He had been Bishop of Foggia from 1883 to 1893. On 5 February 1898 he was appointed Titular Latin Patriarch of Alexandria, and took up residence in Rome. He died on 6 March 1921. Acta Apostolicae Sedis (in Italian and Latin). Vol. XIII. Roma: Typis Polyglottis Vaticanis. 1921. p. 184. Spaccucci and Curci (1991), p. XI.
^In 1891 Carrano was appointed Archbishop of L'Aquila, and consecrated by Pope Leo XIII. Spaccucci and Curci (1991), p. XI.
^Régine was born in Forio d'Ischia (diocese of Ischia) in 1856. He was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Nicastro and titular Bishop of Ascalon (Palestine) on 9 June 1902. He was named Bishop of Nicastro by Pope Leo XIII on 4 Oct 1902. He was appointed Archbishop of Trani e Barletta (e Nazareth e Bisceglie) by Pope Benedict XV on 6 December 1915. He died on 4 October 1918. Annuario Pontificio 1912 (Roma 1912), p. 147. Onofrio Buonocore (1948). La Diocesi d'Ischia dall'origine ad oggi (in Italian). Naples: Rispoli. pp. 67–69. Ritzler-Sefrin, VIII, pp. 125, 407. Giovanni Saladino, Giovanni Régine vescovo di Nicastro. Un pastore di san Pio X, Soveria Mannelli (Catanzaro), Calabria letteraria, 1992. Spaccucci and Curci (1991), p. XI.
^A native of Lecce, Petronelli was named Bishop of Avellino on 12 May 1929 by Pope Pius XI. On 25 May 1939 he was appointed Archbishop of Trani (Acta Apostolicae Sedis 31 (1939), p. 225). In September 1943 Petronelli engaged in an act of heroism. After 200 citizens of Trani were taken prisoners by the Germans and condemned to be shot, the Archbishop walked barefoot twenty miles to Barletta to beg the German commander to release his hostages, offering his own life in exchange. Petronelli was later decorated with the silver medal of military valor by the King of Italy for his action. He died in Trani on 16 June 1947. Philip Warner (1990). Phantom: Uncovering the Secrets of the WW2 Special Forces Unit. Barnsley: Pen and Sword. p. 184. ISBN978-1-84415-218-6. Spaccucci and Curci (1991), p. XII.
^Carata was born in Lecce in 1938. He became Pro-Rector of the regional seminary at Molfetta. In 1965 Pope John XXIII appointed him Auxiliary Bishop of Trani. On 26 June he was consecrated bishop by Cardinal Carlo Confalonieri. He died in 1991. Spaccucci and Curci (1991), p. XII.
^Cassati died on 4 February 2017 at the age of 93. He was born in Trecase (Ugento-Santa Maria di Leuca) in 1924. In 1950–1951 he was a missionary in Brazil, then secretary of the papal nuncio in Brazil, whom he followed to posts in Canada and Portugal. He returned to Italy when his patron, Giovanni Panico, became a Cardinal in 1962. In 1967 Cassati returned to Brasil, and in 1970 was named a titular bishop and Auxiliary Bishop of Pinheiro (Brazil). He returned to his home town for reasons of health, though in 1979 he was appointed Bishop of Tricarico, and in 1985 Bishop of San Severo. Coratolive.it, Obituary of Carmelo Cassati, 4 febbraio 2017; retrieved: 2017-03-17.
Spaccucci, Felice and Curci, Giuseppe (1991). Cronotassi degli arcivescovi di Trani, in: F. Spaccucci and G. Curci, Storia dell'arcidiocesi di Trani, Napoli 1991, pp. 127–152.
Ughelli, Ferdinando; Coleti, Niccolò (1721). Italia sacra, sive De Episcopis Italiae (in Latin). Vol. Tomus septimus (VII). Venice: apud Sebastianum Coleti. pp. 885–917.
Benigni, Umberto. "Trani and Barletta." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 15. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912, retrieved: 2017-03-15.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Trani and Barletta". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
