The Diocese of Avellino () is a Latin diocese of the Catholic Church in the territory of the Irpini, some 55 km (30 mi) east of Naples and 23 km (14 mi) south of Benevento, in the modern Republic of Italy. It is suffragan to the archdiocese of Benevento."Diocese of Avellino" GCatholic.org. Gabriel Chow. Retrieved December 4, 2015."Diocese of Avellino" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved February 29, 2016. The bishop of Avellino, along with the bishop of S. Agata de' Goti, had the privilege, recognized at the provincial synod of 1654, of being summoned to attend upon the death and obsequies of the archbishop of Benevento.
Bishop Lorenzo Pollicini (1653–1656) attended the provincial synod in Benevento in 1654, and also held a diocesan synod in May 1654.
History of the diocese Avellino was traditionally said to have been founded by St. Sabinus, a disciple of Saint Peter the Apostle, at the beginning of the 2nd century. The list of bishops, however, begins in the 12th century.
On 5 December 1456, Campania and the former duchy of Benevento were hit with a major earthquake, with over 40,000 dead. It may have been the largest on record for all of southern Italy. It was followed by another on 30 December. Benevento was for the most part destroyed, suffering between 350 and 500 dead. Brindisi, with nearly all of its inhabitants, was destroyed. Apice, in the diocese of Benevento, was completely destroyed, as was Casalduni. 2.000 died at Ariano in the territory of Avellino, and the town was in ruins; Lacedonia was reduced to dust and abandoned completely. Sant' Agata dei Goti was assai conquassata ('practically crushed;). Bella Bona, p. 224. The extensive damage and death may account, at least in part, for the diocesan reorganization of the metropolitanate of Benevento.
The Diocese of Frigento, whose list of bishops extends from 1080 to 1455, was united with that of Avellino from 9 May 1466, until 27 June 1818, when it was suppressed. During that time, however, on two occasions, the dioceses were again separated, in both cases to benefit an uncle-nephew pair, one of whom became bishop of Avellino and the other bishop of Frigento, on the understanding that, on the death of either one, the survivor would reunite the two dioceses.
In the summer of 1561 the area of Avellino was struck by a series of natural disasters. Trouble began with a major earthquake, centered on the Vallo di Diano in the Basilicata, on 24 July. On the last day of July Avellino was the victim of an extraordinary windstorm with clouds of dust so thick that the sky was obscured, which was followed by a rain of pebbles and lightning flashes, the result of an aftershock of the quake of the 24th. Damages to buildings was severe, and the people abandoned their houses and lived in the open, outside the city. On 2 August at midday a third earthquake hit, less violent than the two preceding ones. The worst of all, whose epicenter was apparently near Avellino, occurred on the afternoon of 19 August. It was felt at Naples, and at Palo near Sale 20 people died; at Sicicgnano 40 died, at Vietro another 20, 40 at Pola, and at Caggiano 30. At Avellino nearly all the houses suffered from serious cracks, especially at the Torri del Castro and the Episcopal Palace.Bella-Bona, p. 233. Baratta, pp. 100-102.
In May 1698, when Bishop Scannagatta attended the provincial synod of Benevento, he signed his name Franciscus Episcopus Abellinensis, Frequintinensis, Aquae-putridae seu Mirabellae, et Quintodecimi,Zigarelli, II, p. 56. giving clear evidence of the incorporation of two other ancient dioceses besides Frigento into the diocese of Avellino.
Avellino and Frigento were both vacant from 1782 to 1792, due to disputes between the Papacy and the Kingdom of Naples;Cappelletti, XIX, p. 186. and each diocese had its own Vicar General.Zigarelli, II, pp. 184-186. The territory was captured by French forces in 1799, and Napoleon had his Minister of Foreign Affairs, Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord, named Prince of Benevento. From 1809 to 1815, Pope Pius VII was prisoner of Napoleon in France, and was unable and unwilling to cooperate with Napoleon's brother-in-law, Joachim Murat who had been named King of Naples (1808–1815). In 1815 the Congress of Vienna restored King Ferdinand I of Naples and Sicily (Kingdom of the Two Sicilies), and Pius VII ceded him the papal rights to Benevento (which included Avellino). A concordat (treaty) was signed on 16 February 1818,<ref></</ref> and in a separate document, dated 7 March 1818, Pius VII granted Ferdinand the right to nominate all bishops in the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.Bullarii romani continuatio VII. 2, pp. 1726-1727.
In 1861, after the revolution in the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies in favor of Italian unity under the House of Savoy, Bishop Francesco Gallo of Avellino, who was staying in Naples in the house of the Fathers of the Mission, was arrested and deported to Turin, where he was kept in prison for more than two years. His exile from Avellino lasted until 1866.
Cathedral and Chapter
In the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, all of the cathedrals, including those of Avellino and of Frigento, were dedicated to the Bodily Assumption of the Virgin Mary into Heaven.
The Cathedral of Avellino was begun in the episcopate of Bishop Robert (early 12th century), and carried out during the reigns of King William I of Sicily and William II of Sicily. It was dedicated by Bishop Guillelmus in 1166. It replaced the church which had been built by King Roger II of Sicily and Rainulf Count of Avellino.Zigarelli (1848), p. 39, column 2. Zigarelli (1856), I, pp. 90-91.
In 1673 the Chapter of the Cathedral of the Assumption was composed of four dignities and twelve Canons. In the Cathedral of Frigento there were three dignities and seven Canons.Ritzler-Sefrin, V, p. 108 note 1. By 1745 the number of Canons at Avellino had increased to twenty.Ritzler-Sefrin, VI, p. 110 note 1. In 1900 the Chapter was composed of four dignities (the Archdeacon, the Archpriest, the Primicerius Major, and the Primicerius Minor) and twenty-three Canons (one of whom served as Penitentiary and another as Theologian). The Archdeacon is attested as early as 1250: Zigarelli (1848), p. 38 column 2.
Bishops
Diocese of Avellino Latin Name: Avellinensis seu Abellinensis Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Benevento
[Sabinus]Sabinus is claimed to have been a disciple of Saint Peter the Apostle (mid 1st century). Lanzoni, p. 241, points out that the two inscriptions referring to him are of the 5th or 6th century; he notes that there was a Campanian Bishop Sabinus who accompanied Pope John I on an embassy to Constantinople in 525. Kehr, p. 127, also states that Sabinus belongs at the end of the 5th century, and warns that he should not be confused with the famous Bishop Sabinus of Canusium. Timotheus (c. 496–c. 499)Pope Gelasius I wrote to five bishops of Campania about Beneventan affairs. He was present at the Symmachian synod of 499. Ughelli, p. 191. Gams, p. 854 column 1. Kehr, p. 127 no. 1. Monumenta Germaniae Historica Auctores Antiquissimi Tomus XII, pp. 401, 409. ... Joannes (1124–1132)Joannes: Gams, p. 854 column 1. Robertus (1132–1145)Robertus: Zigarelli, I (1856), pp. 83-95. Vigiliantius (c. 1145)Vigiliantius: Zigarelli (1856), I, pp. 96-98. Guillelmus (1166–1189)Bishop Guillelmus consecrated the cathedral in 1182. He subscribed a charter of King William I in 1185. He died in 1189. Ughelli, pp. 193-194. Zigarelli, I, pp. 98-111. Gams, p. 854 column 1. Rogerius (1189–c. 1218 ?)Ruggiero: Ughelli, p. 194. Zigarelli, I, pp. 111-119. Gams, p. 854 column 1. Eubel, I, p. 122. Jacobus (c. 1265)Jacobus is said to have submitted his resignation to Pope Clement IV (1265–1268). Ughelli, p. 194. Zigarelli, pp. 119-120. Gams, p. 854. Eubel, I, p. 122. Joannes (c. 1266)Joannes is said to have resigned. Ughelli, p. 194. Zigarelli, p. 120. Gams, p. 854. Eubel, I, p. 122. Leonardus (c. 1267–c. 1287/1288)Leonardus had been the Archdeacon, and was elected by the Chapter. Ughelli, p. 194. Zigarelli, pp. 120-122. Gams, p. 854. Eubel, I, p. 122. Benedictus (1288–1294/1295)Benedictus was approved by Pope Nicholas IV on 20 April 1288. Eubel, I, p. 122. Gams then inserts a bishop named Valerunus, severely truncating Benedictus' term of office; but Valerunus was Bishop of Avlona, not Avellino. Franciscus (1295–1310)Franciscus was transferred from the diocese of Terracina by Pope Boniface VIII on 8 April 1295. Ughelli, p. 194. Eubel, I, p. 122. Nicolaus (1311– )Nicolaus had been Bishop of Butrinto. He was requested by the Cathedral Chapter, and transferred to Avellino by Pope Clement V on 15 February 1311. Eubel, I, p. 122, 143. Gotifridus de Tufo ( ? –1325 ?)Gotifridus: Eubel, I, p. 122. Natimbene, O.E.S.A. (1326–1334)Natimbene was appointed Bishop of Avellino on 21 February 1326 by Pope John XXII. He was transferred to the diocese of Trivento on 17 June 1334. Zigarelli, I, pp. 133-136. Eubel, I, pp. 122, 495. Nicolaus, O.P. (1334–1351)Nicolaus was appointed on 17 June 1334 by Pope John XXII. He died in 1351. Ughelli, p. 272. Zigarelli, I, pp. 136-140. Eubel, I, p. 122 Raimundus (1351–1363)Raimundus was appointed on 27 June 1351 by Pope Clement VI. He was present at a meeting held in Avellino on 9 October 1353. Zigarelli, I, pp. 140-146. Zigarelli and Gams report that Raimundus was succeeded by Albertus Albertini (attested in 1357), but his name is not listed by Eubel, I, p. 122, who reports that the immediate successor was Bishop Nicolaus de Serpito. Nicolaus de Serpito, O.Min. (1363–1391)Serpito was appointed by Pope Urban V on 16 October 1363. Eubel, I, p. 122. Matthaeus (1391–1423)Matthaeus was elected and provided by Pope Boniface IX (Roman Obedience) on 1 March 1391. Zigarelli, pp. 158-166. Eubel, I, p. 122. Cicco Francesco Palombo, O.S.B. (1423–1431)Cecchus had been Abbot of the monastery of S. Benedetto in Avellino. He was appointed to Avellino by Pope Martin V on 25 October 1423. He was transferred to the diocese of Melfi on 12 December 1431, where he died in 1437. Zigarelli, pp, 166-169. Eubel, I, p. 122; II, p. 100, 189. Fuccio (1432–1465)Fuccio was elected bishop, and approved on 10 February 1432 by Pope Eugene IV. He died in 1465. Zigarelli, pp. 169-189. Eubel, II, p. 100. Baptista (1465–1492)Baptista Buonaventura (or Ventura) had previously been Bishop of Frigento (1455–1465). On 9 May 1466 the diocese of Frigento was united with that of Avellino in the person of Bishop Battista by Pope Paul II. Zigarelli, pp. 189-195. Eubel, II, pp. 100, 156.
Diocese of Avellino e Frigento
Battista de Ventura (20 May 1465 – 1492 Died)Ventura had already been Bishop of Frigento (from 1455). On 9 May 1466 the diocese of Frigento was united with that of Avellino in the person of Bishop Battista by Pope Paul II. He died in 1492. Ughelli, p. 200. Cappelletti, p. 181. Zigarelli, pp. 189-195. Eubel, II, pp. 100, 156. Antonius Pirro (1492–1503)Zigarelli, pp. 195-200. Eubel, II, p. 100. Cardinal Bernardino de Carvajal, Administrator (1503 – 1505?)Carvajal was a native of Plascentia in Spain. He was appointed Administrator of Avellino by Pope Alexander VI on 28 July 1503. He resigned upon the appointment of Antonio de Caro by Pope Julius II, who was an enemy of Carvajal. He and King Louis XII of France called the schismatic Council of Pisa in 1511. Ughelli, p. 200 (who places the resignation in 1503). Zigarelli, pp. 200-203. Eubel, III, p. 126. Antonio de Caro (1505?–1507)Caro was a native of Bari, and had been Treasurer of the Basilica of S. Nicholas. He was appointed to Avellino in 1503, according to Ughelli (p. 200) and Caro, or perhaps in 1505, depending on the date of the resignation of Cardinal Carvajal. On 27 October 1507 he was appointed Bishop of Nardò by Pope Julius. Zigarelli, pp. 203-205. Eubel, II, p. 100; III, p. 126, 256.