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In the struggle of the Saracens against the Normans for the possession of Sicily, Mazara was hotly contested, especially in 1075 when Roger I of Sicily emerged victorious. The area had previously been the Diocese of Lilybaeum, but this was not reestablished and instead a new see established at Mazzara.
Of the bishops of Lilybaeum the best known is Paschasinus, legate of Pope Leo I at the Council of Chalcedon (451).[3] He had previously been invited to the Roman synod of 447 by Leo I.[4]
In 1093 Count Roger granted the territories forming the diocese of Mazara to Bishop Stephen and his successors, with permission of Pope Urban II. The privileges were confirmed by Pope Paschal II in a bull of 15 October 1100.[5] The first bishop of Mazara (1093) was Stefano de Ferro, a relative of Count Roger. The cathedral was then founded, and later embellished by Bishop Tustino (1157–1180).
In 1742 the town of Mazara had approximately 6000 citizens.
The Cathedral, dedicated to the Holy Savior, had a Chapter composed of four dignities and eighteen Canons.[6] The dignities are: the Cantor, the Archdeacon, the Dean, and the Treasurer. The right of appointment of the Cantor belongs to the Pope. The appointment of the other dignities and the Canons belongs to the Pope, if the vacancy occurs between January and June, and to the Bishop if the vacancy occurs between July and December.[7]
^In 1093 Count Roger granted the territories forming the diocese of Mazara to Bishop Stephen and his successors, with permission of Pope Urban II. The privileges were confirmed by Pope Paschal II in a bull of 15 October 1100. Pirro, II, pp. 840-842. Gams, p. 948
^Tustinus, or Tristinus, or Justinus, apparently subscribed a document: Ego Tustinus, Dei gratia Mazarensis qui et Lilybitanus. In 1157 he subscribed a grant of King William I of Sicily (1154–1166). He was a friend and Councilor of William II (1166–1189). In October 1176, at the request of William II and with the consent of the Chapter of Marzara, Tustin ceded the town(s) of Giati and Calatrasi to the Abbot of Monreale and new Bishop, Theobald. In 1177 he attended the coronation of Queen Joanna, daughter of Henry II of England. The name Tustinus Episcopus appears on the new pulpit of the cathedral. He died on 23 October 1180. Pirro, pp. 844-845. Gams, p. 949.
^Kamp, p. 1174, with note 11, concerning uncertainty whether this reference belongs to Mazara.
^This may have been Bishop Petrus. Kamp, p. 1174. Pirro, II, p. 845, reports a Bishop Trojanus, though Kemp, at note 14, reports that a copyist notes that the name is illegible; the copyist is not the one used by Pirro.
^Joannes de Ferro de Marsalia: Kamp, pp. 1179-1182. The name depends on the identification of Bishop Ioannes as the brother of the Justiciar Berardus de Ferro: Kamp, p. 1179 note 64.
^Ferrarius had been Inquisitor in Sicily. Ferrarius had been Bishop of Neopatras (Greece) (1323–1330). He was transferred to the diocese of Barcelona on 30 August 1334. He died on 21 December 1344. Pirro, II, p. 846. Eubel, I, p. 128, 332, 362.
^Hugo was a native of Vicenza, and had been the Dominican Prior Provincial of the Province of Lower Lombardy. He was named Bishop of Justiniopolis (Capodistria) (1328–1335). Pirro, II, p. 846. Eubel, I, p. 288, 332.
^Giovanni had been Bishop of Sipontium (Manfredonia) from 1449 to 1458. He was transferred to the diocese of Palermo on 16 November 1467. Eubel, II, pp. 188, 211, 298.
^Paolo Visconti was transferred to the diocese of Palermo on 6 September 1469. Eubel, II, p. 188, 211.
^Giovanni de Monteaperto restored the cathedral and founded a library. Eubel, II, p. 188.
^When appointed, Castrinot, a cleric of the Church of Naples, was only 18 years old; he was only Administrator of the diocese until he reached the age of 27. He resigned in 1503. Eubel, II, p. 188.
^Villamarino was born in Naples, the son of Bernardo Villamarino, a Catalan, Count of Capaduci and Admiral of the Neapolitan Navy, and Viceroy of King Ferdinand. He was named Administrator of the diocese of Mazara by Pope Julius II on 4 February 1503, and was promised the bishopric on the condition that he be ordained and consecrated. Pirro, II, p. 853-854. Eubel, III, p. 238.
^Agostino de Francisco was named Administrator of the diocese of Mazara at the age of 23, but he resigned in favor of his half-brother within two years. Pirro, II, p. 854. Eubel, III, p. 238.
^Girolamo De Francisco: Pirro, II, p. 854. Eubel, III, p. 239.
^Omodei had been a Canon of Palermo. Pirro, II, p. 854-855. Eubel, III, p. 238
^Beltran was a cleric of the Church of Toledo, and held the Licentiate in Civil and Canon Law. He was a Canon of the Collegiate Church of S. Bartholomew, and then Inquisitor of Toledo. He was chosen to be Visitor of the Inquisition of Sicily. He was nominated by King Philip II of Spain, and approved by Pope Pius V on 24 September 1571, but he chose finally not to accept the diocese of Mazara due to age. He was appointed Bishop of Vich (a suffragan of Tarragona) on 9 January 1573, and named the titular bishopric of Nicaea on 16 January 1573. He died on 5 December 1573. Pirro, II, p. 856. Eubel, III, p. 239, pp. 332-333.
^A priest of the diocese of Patti in Sicily, Rosso obtained a doctorate in Civil and Canon Law. He became a Chaplain of King Philip II of Spain, and was made Auditor to the Papal Nuncio. He was appointed Bishop of Giovinazzo (1581–1589), on the Adriatic coast between Bari and Molfetta. His appointment as Bishop of Mazara was approved by Pope Sixtus V on 23 January 1589. He began the building of a diocesan seminary at Gasco, in obedience to the decrees of the Council of Trent. Luciano de Rubeis died on 28 October 1602. Pirro, II, p. 857. Eubel, III, pp. 217, 239 with n. 11.
^Cardinal Spinola was a native of Genoa, and had been an Auditor of the Rota. He was named a cardinal on 19 January 1626. He had been Bishop of Luni-Sarzana (1632–1636). He died in Mazara on 11 August 1646. Gauchat, IV, p. 20 no. 3; 235 with note 5.
^Didacus Requesens was a native of Palermo, the son of Antonio Prince of Pantellaria. He was a Chaplain of King Philip IV. In 1627 he became Abbot Commendatory of the monastery of Ss. Peter and Paul at Itala, and in 1628 Archmandrite of Messina (On the quasi-episcopal Archimandrite of Messina, see Pirro, II, pp. 971-996, especially pp. 995-996). He retained that office when he was promoted by the Congregation de propaganda Fide as titular Archbishop of Carthage (1637–1647). He was consecrated in Rome on 25 October 1637 by Cardinal Bernardino Spada. He took possession of the diocese of Mazara by proxy on 29 December 1647. He died at Palermo in the monastery of S. Antony of Padua on 21 March 1650. Pirro, II, p. 861, 995. Gauchat, IV, pp. 136 with note 1; 235 with note 6.
^Impellizzeri had been a Chaplain of King Philip IV of Spain. Pirro, II, pp. 861-862. Gauchat, IV, p. 235 with note 7.
^Lozano was appointed Archbishop of Palermo on 4 February 1669. Pirro, II, p. 862. Gauchat, IV, p. 235 with note 8.
^Cigala was transferred to the diocese of Palermo on 9 May 1678. Ritzler-Sifrin, V, p. 261 with note 2.
^Graffeo was a native of Mazara, and was a master of theology. He had been Provincial of the Franciscans in Sicily. He was presented to the diocese of Mazara by the King of Spain, and approved by Pope Innocent XI (Odescalchi) on 30 April 1685. He died on 16 January 1695. Ritzler-Sefrin, V, p. 361 with note 4.
^Castelli was born in Palermo, the son of the Prince of Castroferrato. He had taught philosophy and theology, and had served as the Theologian to four successive Nuncios in Madrid. He had been the Synodal Examiner in the diocese of Toledo. He was nominated to the diocese of Mazara by King Charles II of Spain, and approved by Pope Innocent XII (Pignatelli) on 28 November 1695. He was consecrated in Rome on 30 November 1695 by Cardinal Pietro Petruccio, and entered Palermo on 2 January 1696. He died on 5 April 1730. Pirro, II, pp. 866-867. Ritzler-Sefrin, V, p. 361 with note 5.
^Born in Catania in 1672, Caputo was a master of theology and had a doctorate in theology (Catania, 1715). He had been Provincial of the Carmelite Province of Sicily, and Prior of the convent in Catania. He had been Bishop of Thagaste (1728-1731), and was consecrated in Rome on 21 November 1728 by Pope Benedict XIII. He was transferred to the diocese of Mazara on 21 May 1731. He died on 24 February 1741. Ritzler-Sefrin, V, p. 382 with note 3; VI, p. 282 with note 2.
^Papé was a native of Palermo, and held a doctorate in theology (Palermo, 1746). He was Dean of the Cathedral of Agrigento. He was nominated by the King of Sicily on 6 November 1772, and approved by Pope Clement XIV on 14 December. He was consecrated in the Cathedral of Palermo by Archbishop Serafino Filangeri, O.S.B., on 24 January 1773. He died on 13 January 1791. Ritzler-Sefrin, VI, p. 282 with note 6.
^Born in Palermo in 1742, Della Torre was Doctor in utroque iure (Civil and Canon Law) (University of Palermo). He had been Cantor in the Cathedral Chapter of Palermo. He was presented to the See of Mazara by the King of Sicily on 17 March 1792, and approved by Pope Pius VI on 3 December. He was consecrated in Rome on 9 December by Cardinal Luigi Valenti Gonzaga. He died in Mazara on 21 December 1811. Ritzler-Sefrin, VI, p. 282 with note 7.
^Valenti was born in Marineo in the diocese of Palermo in 1798. He became a Redemptorist priest. He was appointed bishop of Mazara on 27 September 1858 by Pope Pius IX. He was consecrated in Rome on 3 October 1858. A Coadjutor with the right of succession was named for him in 1882. Marzo-Ferro, p. 77.
^In 1882 Saeli, who was Provincial of the Redemptorists in Sicily, was named titular bishop of Hippa and Coadjutor of Bishop Valenti.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Mazzara del Vallo". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
