The historical Diocese of San Marco was created in the twelfth century,[4] out of the remains of the diocese of Malvito.[5] From its beginning, the diocese of San Marco was directly dependent on the Roman See, and was not (unlike Malvito) part of any metropolitan province.[6]
Bishop Ruben (Radulfus Melfensis) of San Marco was present at the III Lateran Council of 1179, signing last among the bishops directly dependent upon the Holy See.[7]
In April 1275, Pope Gregory X, who had completed the II Council of Lyon and was still in Lyon organizing the next Crusade, was impelled to issue a mandate to the Archbishop of Capua to investigate the situation of the Church of San Marco, which was involved in a contested episcopal election. The Pope's stated causa (reason for acting) was that the diocese was attached to the Roman Church, ad Romanam ecclesiam nullo medio spectare dignoscitur.[8] In other words, Pope Gregory was the immediate ecclesiastical superior, with no other authority intervening, not even a metropolitan archbishop.[9]
The seminary of San Marco was established by Bishop Giovanni Antonio Grignetti (1578–1585), in accordance with the decrees of the Council of Trent.[10] The new seminary buildings were built by Bishop Greco in the nineteenth century.[11] Up until the mid-eighteenth century, the seminaries were simple schools of grammar, practical mathematics, ecclesiastical computations, Christian doctrine (as prescribed by Roberto Bellarmine), and Gregorian chant.[12]
In 1818, in accordance with the terms of the Concordat between the Holy See and the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies,[13] the diocese of San Marco was combined with the diocese of Bisignano, becoming the diocese of San Marco e Bisignano and was ranked as immediately subject to the Holy See.[14] In 1834 the territory of Cetraro on the Tyrrhenian coast was added to the diocese of San Marco e Bisignano. Certraro had been founded as a monastery by Robert Guiscard and his wife Sigelgaita and given to the Monastery of Montecassino in 1086; its first abbot was Desiderius, who became Pope Victor III. Since Cetraro was too far distant from Montecassino for effective administration, the Benedictines of Montecassino had assigned the administration of Cetraro to the bishops of San Marco.[15] In 1411 Pope Gregory XII sold Cetraro to King Ladislaus of Naples.[16]
In 1912, the diocese contained 64 parishes, 256 priests, 110,000 inhabitants, some convents of religious, and a house of nuns.[17]
On February 13, 1919, congregations within the diocese were transferred to form the Eparchy of Lungro in the Italo-Albanian Catholic Church.[18] On April 4, 1979, Bisignano passed to Cosenza and the Diocese was renamed to San Marco Argentano–Scalea.[14] On January 30, 2001, the Archdiocese of Cosenza-Bisignano was elevated to a metropolitan see, with the Diocese of San Marco Argentano-Scalea as a suffragan.[19]
Cathedrals
The Cathedral of Saint Nicholas in San Marco had a Chapter composed of six dignities and twelve Canons.[20] The dignities were: the Archdeacon, the Dean, the Cantor, the Treasurer, the Archpriest, and the Primicerius. One of the twelve Canons, called the Canon of S. Marco, was the Theologian of the Chapter.[21] The Chapter currently (2017) has six dignities (Dean, Primicerius, Theologian, Treasurer, Penitentiary, and Cantor), seven Canons, and four honorary Canons.[22]
The Cathedral of Bisignano, which was dedicated to the Bodily Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven, also had a Chapter. It was composed of eight dignities and twenty Canons. The dignities were: the Archdeacon, the Dean, the Cantor, the Treasurer, the Sub-Cantor (Succentor), the Archpriest, the Penitentiary, and the Theologian.[21]
There was only one Collegiate Church in both of the dioceses, Santa Maria del Popolo in Belvedere Marittimo. It had four dignities (Archdeacon, Archpriest, Dean and Treasurer). It was founded in 1608 and lasted only thirty years.[23]
^The notion espoused by David M. Cheney, that San Marco was formed within the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Rossano is contrary to the evidence and to scholarly opinion, and cannot be maintained. In the Diatyposis of Leo the Wise (c. 900), an official list of episcopal Seats, the diocese of Rossano is entered as a suffragan of the Metropolitan of Reggio Calabria, both of whom are subordinate to the Patriarch of Constantinople (L. Duchesne, p. 9). In the Liber Censuum (c. 1192) Rossano is listed as a See dependent upon the Holy See, along with four other bishoprics in northern Calabria: Cassano, Bisignano, Cosenza, and Malvito. Bisignano, Cosenza and Malvito were suffragans of the Archbishop of Salerno. Paul Fabre, Le Liber Censuum de l'Église romaine I (Paris: Fontemoing 1905), p. 243 and 247. Malvito was not suffragan to Rossano. Louis Duchesne, Melanges Paul Favre, p. 14, points out that, if Rossano were an archdiocese, it was an autocephalous Greek archdiocese.
^Kehr, p. 88. Kamp, p. 824 note 5. There was a long controversy as to whether San Marco immediately replaced Malvito, or whether Malvito continued on for a time after the establishment of San Marco. The former position is more favored by the current state of the evidence.
^Kehr, X, p. 88, points out that Bishop Ruben, who attended the Lateran Council of 1179, was seated with the bishops immediately subject to the Holy See.
^J-D. Mansi (ed.), Sacrorum conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio, editio novissima (Venice 1778), pp. 214 and 459. Kamp. p. 823 note 5.
^A. Potthast, Regesta pontificorum Romanorum, II (Berlin: Decker 1875), p. 1695, no. 21023.
^It is claimed by Taccone-Gallucci, who publishes the text of the mandate at pp. 168-169 (wrongly dated to 1276), that San Marco had always been directly dependent upon the Holy See: pp. 326 and 350.
^Luigi Tosti, Storia della Badia di Monte-Cassino Tomo II (Napoli 1842), pp. 5-6. Taccone-Gallucci, p. 321. Luigi Mezzadri; Maurizio Tagliaferri; Elio Guerriero (2008). Le diocesi d'Italia (in Italian). Vol. 3. Cinisello Balsamo (Milano): San Paolo. p. 1117. ISBN978-88-215-6172-6.
^Pietro Ebner (1982). Chiesa, baroni e popolo nel Cilento (in Italian). Vol. I. Roma: Ed. di Storia e Letteratura. pp. 664, with note 50. GGKEY:BHHFPJFJGZ9.
^A document states that Francesco was Marbello's immediate predecessor: Taccone-Gallucci, p. 440.
^Marbellus had been a Canon of San Marco. Though elected in 1268 or 1269, he could not obtain bulls of consecration or installation during the long papal Sede Vacante of 1268–1271. Kamp, p. 827. Eubel, I, p. 325.
^Pietro had been elected before April 1275, when Pope Gregory X issued a mandate to have the election examined. The examiner was the Archbishop of Capua, Marino Filomarino (1252–1285). The election may have been uncanonical or defective, since there were several candidates (the Archdeacon, the Treasurer and a Canon) and it was unclear how a successful election of a fourth party had been achieved. The Pope mentions that the Provincial of the Franciscans had given his support to the candidacy of Pietro. The Pope's letter was dated 7 April 1275, and therefore Pietro was only Bishop-elect.
^Marcus was transferred to the diocese of Sorrento on 25 February 1286. Eubel, I, p. 325, 469.
^Manfred had been a Canon of Cosentino. Eubel states that he had gone into exile. He became Apostolic Administrator of Bisaccia on 2 June 1291. Eubel, I, pp. 136, 326.
^Thomas had been the Abbot of the monastery of S. Maria de Matina. His appointment to S. Marco was approved by Pope John XXII. Gams, p. 850. Eubel, I, p. 326. On S. Maria de Matina see: Kehr, X, pp. 89–92.
^Giovanni had been a Canon of the Cathedral of Cassano. Eubel, I, p. 326.
^Nicolaus was transferred to S. Marco from the diocese of Umbriatico by Pope Gregory XI. Eubel, I, p. 326, 507.
^Mainerius had been Abbot of the Monastery of S. Sebastiano (Naples). He was offered the diocese of Nola on 15 February 1400, but he declined the appointment. He accepted S. Marco. Ughelli, p. 879. Eubel, I, p. 326, with note 6.
^Ludovico Embriaco-Brancaccio was a Neapolitan aristocrat. Ughelli, p. 879. Eubel, I, p. 326, with note 7.
^Antonio had been Canon of Rossano. Antonio was transferred to the diocese of Martorano on 11 February 1446. Ughelli, p. 879. Eubel, II, p. 135, 186.
^Goffridus had been Bishop of Martorano (1442–1446). Eubel, II, p. 135, 186.
^Matteo was a priest of the diocese of Cosentino, and was a doctor of theology. He had previously been Bishop of Fondi (1567–1576). Eubel, III, pp. 200, 234.
^D'Affitto had been Canon of Amalfi. He held the degree Doctor in utroque iure (Civil and Canon Law). He was Vicar of Amalfi for seven years. His funeral inscription states that he had been nominated Archbishop of Acerenza and Matera. Ughelli, p. 880-881. Eubel, III, p. 235, with note 10.
^Bishop Indelli was a native of Monopoli. He was a Doctor in utroque iure (Civil and Canon Law), and held the office of Referendary of the Two Signatures in the Roman Curia. He was consecrated in Rome on 7 July 1624 by Cardinal Cosimo de Torres. Indelli held a diocesan synod in San Marco. Taccone-Gallucci, p. 392. Gauchat, IV, p. 231 with note 6.
^Papa was born in S. Nicolao vallis longae (diocese of Mileto) in 1627. He obtained the degree Doctor in utorque iure (Civil and Canon Law) from the Sapienza in Rome in 1649. Ritzler-Sefrin, V, p. 255 with note 3.
^D'Alessandro was born in the town of Galatone (diocese of Nardò) in 1628. He was a Doctor of theology from the Sapienza in Rome (1656). Ritzler-Sefrin, V, p. 255 with note 4.
^Carafa was appointed Bishop of Nola. He died on 6 January 1737. Ritzler-Sefrin, V, pp. 255 with note 5; 291 with note 5.
^Sacchi was born in Motta S. Lucia (diocese of Marturano) in 1863. He obtained the degree of Doctor in utroque iure (Civil and Canon Law) at the Sapienza in Rome in 1710. He was named Vicar General of the diocese of Policastro and Rossano, and then of Albano. He was consecrated in Rome on 30 November 1745 by Cardinal Pierluigi Carafa. Ritzler-Sefrin, VI, p. 275 with note 3.
^Coppola (Gerard Gaspar) was born in Altomonte (diocese of Cassano) in 1730. He became a Master in theology (1778); he lectured in philosophy and theology in various convents of his Order. He was Prior in several convents, and Prior General of the Dominican Province of Calabria. He was appointed by the King of Naples as Visitor of all the monastic institutions in Calabria. On 31 October 1797 he was nominated by the King to be Bishop of S. Marco, receiving papal approval on 18 December 1797. He was consecrated a bishop in Rome on 21 December 1797 by Cardinal Giuseppe Doria. He died in Altomonte on 7 February 1810. Ritzler-Sefrin, VI, p. 275 with note 6.
^Greco was born in Catanzaro in 1775. He was a laureate in theology (Naples 1819). He served as Vicar Capitular and Dean of the Cathedral Chapter of Catanzaro. He was then Vicar of the diocese of Oppido. He was elected bishop of San Marco Argentano e Bisignano on 3 May 1824, and consecrated in Rome on 9 May by Cardinal Francesco Bertazzoli. He restored the façade of the cathedral and the episcopal palace of San Marco (1835), as well as that of Bisignano. He died in San Marco on 22 February 1840 and was interred in the Cathedral. His brother Ignacio was Bishop of Oppido (1819–1821). Leonardo Calabretta (2004). Le diocesi di Squillace e Catanzaro. Cardinali, arcivescovi e vescovi nati nelle due diocesi (in Italian). Cosenza: Pellegrini Editore. pp. 147–148. ISBN978-88-8101-229-9. D'Avino, p. 72.
^Diocesi di San Marco Argentano–Scalea, Ernesto Castrillo: La vita, retrieved: 2017-03-05. A more extensive biography can be viewed by clicking on the PDF file at the bottom of the diocese's page. The biography is part of a campaign to have the Bishop elevated to the rank of sainthood.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "San Marco and Bisignano". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
