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The town of Mileto was founded as a fortress by Roger I, Count of Sicily in 1058, and he resided there from time to time, dealing with the rebels of Calabria.[3] It was Count Roger who petitioned the pope to create a diocese at Mileto.[4]Mileto was made an episcopal see by Pope Gregory VII in 1073, who suppressed the diocese of Vibona permanently and transferred its territory and assets to Mileto.[5] The Pope personally consecrated its first bishop, Arnolfo.[6]
Pope Urban II visited Mileto in June 1091.[7] On 3 October 1093, Urban II confirmed the privileges of the diocese of Mileto, and the suppression of the diocese of Tauriana[8] and the diocese of Vibona.[9]
Roger II, King of Sicily, was born and baptized in Mileto in 1095.[10]
On 23 December 1121 Pope Callixtus II confirmed once again the union of the diocese of Mileto with the diocese of Tauriana and diocese of Vibona,[11] the latter destroyed by the Saracens. He also granted the plea of Bishop Gaufredus that bishops of Mileto would continue in perpetuity to be consecrated by the Pope personally, as had been the case with his predecessors.
The earthquake of 1783 destroyed the cathedral, built by Count Roger, who also built the monastery of the Most Holy Trinity and St. Michael for Greek Basilian monks.
Diocesan reorganization
The Second Vatican Council (1962–1965), in order to ensure that all Catholics received proper spiritual attention, decreed the reorganization of the diocesan structure of Italy and the consolidation of small and struggling dioceses. It also recommended the abolition of anomalous units such as exempt territorial prelatures.[12] These considerations applied to Mileto and to Nicotero e Tropea.
On 18 February 1984, the Vatican and the Italian State signed a new and revised concordat. Based on the revisions, a set of Normae was issued on 15 November 1984, which was accompanied in the next year, on 3 June 1985, by enabling legislation. According to the agreement, the practice of having one bishop govern two separate dioceses at the same time, aeque personaliter, was abolished. Instead, the Vatican continued consultations which had begun under Pope John XXIII for the merging of small dioceses, especially those with personnel and financial problems, into one combined diocese. On 30 September 1986, Pope John Paul II ordered that the dioceses of Mileto, Nicotero and Tropea be merged into one diocese with one bishop, with the Latin title Dioecesis Miletensis-Nicotriensis-Tropiensis. The seat of the diocese was to be in Mileto, and the cathedral of Mileto was to serve as the cathedral of the merged dioceses. The cathedrals in Nicotero and Tropea were to become co-cathedrals, and the cathedral Chapters were each to be a Capitulum Concathedralis. There was to be only one diocesan Tribunal, in Mileto, and likewise one seminary, one College of Consultors, and one Priests' Council. The territory of the new diocese was to include the territory of the former dioceses of Mileto, Nicotero and Tropea.[13]
Bishops
Diocese of Mileto
Erected: 11th Century Latin Name: Miletensis Immediately Subject to the Holy See
^Taccone-Gallucci, pp. 61–62, no. LVIII. Jaffé-Loewenfeld, p. 802, no. 6839.
^In its decree Christus Dominus, section 22, it stated: "Concerning diocesan boundaries, therefore, this sacred synod decrees that, to the extent required by the good of souls, a fitting revision of diocesan boundaries be undertaken prudently and as soon as possible. This can be done by dividing dismembering or uniting them, or by changing their boundaries, or by determining a better place for the episcopal see or, finally, especially in the case of dioceses having larger cities, by providing them with a new internal organization.... At the same time the natural population units of people, together with the civil jurisdictions and social institutions that compose their organic structure, should be preserved as far as possible as units. For this reason, obviously, the territory of each diocese should be continuous."
^Acta Apostolicae Sedis 79 (Città del Vaticano 1987), pp. 744–746.
^Arnolfo: Ughelli, I, p. 951. Cappelletti, p. 437. Taccone-Gallucci, pp. 40–41, 43.
^Diosphoros: Ughelli, p. 951. Gams, p. 896. Taccone-Gallucci, p. 44.
^Under Bishop Giraldus, on 3 October 1093, the See of Mileto became immediately subject to Rome. Taccone-Gallucci, p. 41, 44. Kehr, p. 139, no. 3.
^Ebrard had the privileges of the Church of Mileto confirmed by Pope Paschal II on 26 September 1099. Kehr, p. 139, no. 6.
^Pope Paschal II wrote to the Canons of the Cathedral of Mileto, ordering them to elect an appropriate bishop by Easter (April 23). Kehr, p. 139, no. 8.
^Sabas had been Dean of the Cathedral Chapter of Mileto. There was a contested election. Canon Hugues had been elected by the Chapter, but he declined the election. Sabas had been driven into exile at an earlier time and was serving as Administrator of the diocese of Larino. On 6 August 1289, Pope Nicholas IV wrote to the Papal Legate, the Bishop of Palestrina, to find a bishopric for Sabas. Eubel, I, p. 340 with note 3.
^Manfred had been Dean of the Cathedral Chapter of Mileto. Eubel, I, p. 340, 341.
^Pierre had been a Canon of the Church of Reims. Eubel, I, p. 341.
^The appointment of a bishop of Mileto was reserved to the pope alone. A native of Salerno, Tommaso was a son of Riccardo Buccamungellis, a knight. Pope Gregory XI was anxious to have the position vacated by the death of Bishop Petrus, to be filled quickly, "Dicta igitur Ecclesia per obitum ipsius Petri Episcopi, qui extra Romanam Curiam diem clausit extremum vacante , Nos vacatione huiusmodi fide dignis relatibus intellecta , ad provisionem ipsius Ecclesiae celerem et felicem, de qua nullus praeter Nos hac vice se intromittere potuit neque potest, reservatione et decreto obsistentibus supradictis, ne Ecclesia ipsa longae vacationis subiaceret incommodis...." The bull of provision, dated 28 November 1373, is printed by: Domenico Taccone-Gallucci (1902), Regesti dei Romani pontefici della Calabria.(in Latin and Italian) Roma: Tip. Vaticana, 1902, pp. 210-212. According to his tomb inscription Bishop Tommaso died on 8 January 1391. Capialbi, pp. 32–33. Eubel, I, p. 341.
^A native of Naples and a member of the nobility, De Solana held the degree of Doctor in utroque iure (Civil and Canon Law). In 1397 he obtained the legitimization of his nephew Beltrano. Capialbi, pp. 33-34.
^Andreas was provided (appointed) by Pope Boniface IX (1389–1404. EubelI, p. 341
^Caracciolo was the Chamberlain of Pope Boniface IX, and titular Archbishop of Nicosia (Cyprus) (1395–1402). He became a Cardinal on 12 June 1405, but continued as Administrator of the diocese of Mileto. He died on 15 February 1411. Eubel, I, pp. 26 no. 1; 341; 366.
^Agnensi (Inglesius) was transferred to the diocese of Ravello on 15 February 1413 by John XXIII. Eubel, I, pp. 341, 414.
^Jacobus had been the Abbot of the Cistercian monastery of S. Sebastiano alle Catacombe in Rome. Capialbi, p. 39. Eubel, I, p. 341;
^Narciso was a native of Catalonia. Capialbi, p. 45.
^De' Pazzi was a Protonotary Apostolic, and had previously been Bishop of Sarno (1475–1477). Eubel, II, pp. 192, 230.
^Della Rovere was a nephew of Pope Sixtus IV. In 1482, Ferdinand of Aragon had the income from the diocese of Mileto, its benefices and spoils, and the property of the Bishop, sequestered and assigned to Prospero Colonna, Count of Tagliacozzo. Della Rovere constructed a new sacristy for the Cathedral. He was appointed Bishop of Savona on 6 March 1504, and became a Cardinal in 1510. Capialbi, pp. 46–48.
^Alidosi was Thesaurius Generalis S.R.E. He was appointed Bishop of Pavia on 26 March 1505. He died on 24 May 1511. Eubel, III, p. 244, 269.
^Sixtus Franciotti della Rovere was appointed Bishop of Camerino, and then Bishop of Padua. Eubel, III, p. 149, 244.
^"Andrea Cardinal Della Valle"Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved May 16, 2016. Della Valle began his career as an Apostolic Scriptor. He was also a Canon of the Vatican Basilica. Della Valle had previously been Bishop of Cotrone (1496–1508). Eubel, II, p. 139; III, p. 244.
^Leni had been a Referendary of the Two Signatures (a judge). Leni was appointed Bishop of Ferrara. Capialbi, pp. 61–62. Gauchat, Hierarchia catholica, IV, pp. 186, 242 with note 2.
^Centini had been Procurator General of the Conventual Franciscans in the Roman Curia. He was named a Cardinal by Pope Paul V on 17 August 1611. He was appointed Bishop of Macerata e Tolentino on 23 September 1613. Capialbi, pp. 62–63. Gauchat, IV, pp. 12 no. 30; 227; 242 with note 3.
^Cappone: Capialbi, pp. 63–67. Gauchat, IV, p. 242 with note 4.
^Panzani was charged with a mission to England by Pope Urban VIII. Taccone-Gallucci, pp. 53–54. Gauchat, IV, p. 242 with note 6. Umberto Benigni. "Diocese of Mileto." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 10. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911. Retrieved: 2016-10-11.
^Paravicini: Ritzler-Sefrin, V, p. 267 with note 3.
^Bernardini: Ritzler-Sefrin, V, p. 267 with note 4.
^Michele d'Aragona: He was appointed titular Archbishop of Perge (Turkey) on 26 September 1725 (which he held until his death). Appointed Bishop of Aversa on 27 September 1734. He died in Naples in July or August 1735. Ritzler-Sefrin, V, pp. 111 with note 3; 267 with note 5; 310 with note 2.
^Filomarini: Ritzler-Sefrin, VI, p. 288 with note 2.
^Minutolo: Ritzler-Sefrin, VI, p. 288 with note 4.
^Carvelli was a native of Policastro (diocese of Santa Severina). On 3 July 1882, in public Consistory, Pope Leo XIII appointed Carvelli to the diocese of Mileto.; he had previously been Bishop of the Marsi and Potenza. He took possession of the diocese by proxy on 10 June 1883, and in person on 27 August. Taccone-Gallucci La Chiesa cattedrale, pp. 75–77.
^Nicodemo was appointed Archbishop of Bari (-Canosa).
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Diocese of Mileto". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
