The Diocese of Cava (de' Tirreni) was a Roman Catholic diocese located in the Italian region Campania."Diocese of Cava e Sarno" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved February 29, 2016. "Diocese of Cava de' Tirreni" GCatholic.org. Gabriel Chow. Retrieved February 29, 2016. It existed from 1394 to 1986, and was informally known as Cava and Sarno (Cava e Sarno) from 27 June 1818 to 25 September 1972 while in union (aeque principaliter) with the neighboring Diocese of Sarno.
History The Diocese of Cava was established by Pope Boniface IX (Roman Obedience)Boniface IX, "Salvatoris Nostri," 7 August 1394, in: Bullarum diplomatum et privilegiorum sanctorum Romanorum pontificum, , Vol. 4 (Turin: Franco, Fory, & Dalmazzo 1859), pp. 624-627. on 7 August 1394 (centered on the monastery of La Trinità della Cava), on territory split off from the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Salerno.Ughelli, I, p. 612. Cappelletti, XXI, p. 380-384. Kehr, pp. 311-312. To facilitate the change, Liguori Majorini, the abbot of Santissima Trinità di Cava,Eubel, Hierarchia catholica I, p. 430 with note 13. 7 August 1394. was named Archbishop of Salerno, and in the vacancy Francesco d'Aiello, a canon of Salerno, was appointed the first bishop.Eubel I, p. 179 with note 2. Ughelli, Italia sacra I, p. 614. The abbey church became the Cathedral of the diocese, and monks of the abbey formed the Cathedral Chapter, whose head was the Prior.D'Avino, p. 187.
In 1513 the diocese lost territory to establish the Territorial Abbacy of Santissima Trinità di Cava de' Tirreni.
Concordat of 1818 Following the extinction of the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy, the Congress of Vienna authorized the restoration of the Papal States and the Kingdom of Naples. Since the French occupation had seen the abolition of many Church institutions in the Kingdom, as well as the confiscation of most Church property and resources, it was imperative that Pope Pius VII and King Ferdinand IV reach agreement on restoration and restitution. Ferdinand, however, was not prepared to accept the pre-Napoleonic situation, in which Naples was a feudal subject of the papacy. Lengthy, detailed, and acrimonious negotiations ensued.
In 1818, a new concordat with the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies committed the pope to the suppression of more than fifty small dioceses in the kingdom. In the bull "De Utiliori" of 27 June 1818,, § 24. Pope Pius VII permanently suppressed the diocese of Diocese of Nocera de' Pagani (Nuceria Paganorum), and its territory was assigned to the diocese of Cava de'Tirreni. At the same time Pope Pius VII reduced the cathedral of Sarno to the rank of co-cathedral, and united the diocese of Sarno with that of Cava aeque principaliter (two separate dioceses, each governed by one and the same bishop, the result to be known as Diocese of Cava and Sarno."De Utiliore, §24: "Itemque cathedralem ecclesiam Sarnensem ad concathedralitatis statum transferentes eamdem episcopali ecclesiae Cavensi in perpetuum aeque principaliter similiter unimus, ac supprimentes episcopalem cathedram Nucerinam Paganorum, illius ecclesiam et diocesim antedictae ecclesiae Cavensi perpetuo pariter adjicimus atque adjungimus."
On 7 December 1833, in the Bull In vinea Domini, Pope Gregory XVI restored the diocese of Nocera de' Pagani, and assigned it the territory which it had lost fifteen years earlier to the diocese of Cava.Catholic Encyclopedia, "Nocera Dei Pagani" (1913). On 23 June 1834 Agnello Giuseppe d'Auria of Naples was named Bishop of Nocera by Gregory XVI. On 21 September 1850 the diocese of Cava lost territory to establish the Diocese of Diano–Teggiano.
Suppression of diocese
Following the Second Vatican Council, and in accordance with the norms laid out in the council's decree, Christus Dominus chapter 40,Christus Dominus 40. Therefore, in order to accomplish these aims this sacred synod decrees as follows: 1) The boundaries of ecclesiastical provinces are to be submitted to an early review and the rights and privileges of metropolitans are to be defined by new and suitable norms. 2) As a general rule all dioceses and other territorial divisions that are by law equivalent to dioceses should be attached to an ecclesiastical province. Therefore dioceses which are now directly subject to the Apostolic See and which are not united to any other are either to be brought together to form a new ecclesiastical province, if that be possible, or else attached to that province which is nearer or more convenient. They are to be made subject to the metropolitan jurisdiction of the bishop, in keeping with the norms of the common law. 3) Wherever advantageous, ecclesiastical provinces should be grouped into ecclesiastical regions for the structure of which juridical provision is to be made. Pope Paul VI ordered a reorganization of the ecclesiastical provinces in southern Italy.
Subsequently, a revised Concordat was agreed between the Vatican and the Italian Republic on 18 February 1984.Agreement between the Holy See and the Italian Republic: Modifications to the Lateran Concordat; signed by the Italian Republic and the Holy See on 18 February 1984; ratified by the Italian Parliament on 25 March 1985. After extensive consultations, Pope John Paul II decreed that the status of the bishop governing several dioceses aeque personaliter was abolished, and other changes were ordered.
By a decree of the Sacred Congregation of Bishops, with the approval of the pope, the diocese of Cava was suppressed on 30 September 1986. The cathedral of Cava de' Tirreni was renamed a co-cathedral, and its Chapter retitled the Chapter of the co-cathedral.The priests and deacons of the former diocese were incardinated in the Archdiocese of Amalfi-Cava de'Terreni. The territories of the former diocese of Cava were divided. Cava de Tirreni merged with the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Amalfi as Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Amalfi-Cava de' Tirreni, while the territory of the former diocese of Sarno merged with the restored diocese of Nuceria Paganorum to form the diocese of Nocera Inferiore-Sarno.Acta Apostolicae Sedis vol. 79 (1987), pp. 634-636.
Bishops (all Roman rite)
Bishops of Cava
from 1394 to 1550
Francesco de Aiello (1394–1407)Aiello was later Bishop of Todi (Italy) (December 1407–1424), Metropolitan Archbishop of Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bari (Italy), from 1424 until his death in 1453 Francesco Mormile (1408–1419)Mormile had previously been Bishop of Sarno (Italy) (1407 – 1408) Sagace dei Conti (1419–1426) :it:Angelotto Fosco (1426.05.22 – 1431) and Administrator (1431–1444)Fosco was previously Bishop of Anagni (Italy) (1418.02.04 – 1426.05.22); later remained apostolic administrator (1431 – 1444.09.12) when created Cardinal-Priest of S. Marco (1431.09.19 – death 1444.09.12), became Camerlengo of Sacred College of Cardinals (1437 – 1438) and Archpriest of Papal Archbasilica of St. John Lateran (1437 – 1444.09.12) Ludovico Scarampi-Mezzarota Trevisano (1444.09.03 – 1465.03.22) Apostolic AdministratorLudovico Scarampi was Patriarch of Aquileia (Italy) (1439.12.18 – death 1465.03.22), Cardinal-Priest of S. Lorenzo in Damaso (1440.07.01 – 1465.01.07) and Chamberlain of the Holy Roman Church of Reverend Apostolic Camera (1440 – 1465.03.22) Giovanni d'Aragona (1465 – 1485.10.17) Apostolic AdministratorGiovanni d'Aragona, the son of King Ferdinand I of Naples, was later Abbot Ordinary of Montecassino (Italy) (1471–1485), Apostolic Administrator of Taranto (Italy) (1477–1485), created Cardinal-Deacon of Sant'Adriano al Foro (1477–1480), Apostolic Administrator of Badajoz (Spain) (1479–1479), promoted Cardinal-Priest of S. Adriano al Foro pro hac vice Title (1480–1483), Apostolic Administrator of Cosenza (Italy) (1481–1485), Apostolic Administrator of Salerno (Italy) (1483–1485), transferred Cardinal-Priest of S. Lorenzo in Lucina (1483.09.10 – 1485.10.17). He died on 17 October 1485. Eubel, Hierarchia catholica II, pp. 18 no. 21, with note 7; 124, note 2. Oliviero Carafa (1485–1497) Apostolic AdministratorCarafa was Cardinal-Bishop of Sabina (31 January 1483–29 November 1503). He administered the diocese of Cava from 1485 to 15 April 1497. Arsenio da Terracina (1497–1498) Paolo da Milano first time (1498–1499 see below) Giustino da Taderico-Harbès first time (1499–1501 see below) Vincenzo De Riso (1501–1503) Giustino da Taderico-Harbès second time (see above 1503–1504) Michele Tarsia (1504–1506) Benedetto da Vicenza (1506–1507) Paolo da Milano second time (see above 1507–1511) ○ Luigi d'Aragona (1511 – 5 May 1514 Resigned) Apostolic Administrator Pietro de Sanfelice (1514–1520)Pietro was appointed by Pope Leo X on 5 May 1514. He resigned on 14 March 1520, in favor of his nephew Giovanni Tommaso. Ughelli I, p. 617. Eubel III, p. 161. Joannes Thomas Sanfelice (14 March 1520 – 1550)Bishop Sanfelice spoke at the 6th Session of the Council of Trent in favor of the Protestant idea of justification by faith alone. He was expelled by the Council and excommunicated, reserving his punishment for the Pope. He was absolved from his heresy on 29 May 1560. Ludwig Pastor, The History of the Popes, from the close of the Middle Ages Vol. XII (London 1912), pp. 152-166, and 211-214. Eubel, III, p. 161, with note 5.
from 1550 to 1818
Thomas Caselius, O.P. (3 October 1550 – 1572)A native of Rossano in Calabria, Caselius had been Bishop of San Leone (1542–1544); Bishop of Bertinoro (1544–1548); and Bishop of Oppido (1548–1550). He attended the Council of Trent. He died in Rome on 7 March 1571/2, and was buried in Santa Maria sopra Minerva. Ughelli I, p. 617. Eubel III, pp. 139 with noe 8; 161; 223; 263. Cesare de Alamaña y Cardoña (della Magna) (2 June 1572 – 1606) Cesare Lippi, O.F.M.Conv. (11 December 1606 – May 1622).Lippi was born in Mordani in the Romandiola, and was a Doctor of Theology. He taught theology in the gymnasium at Padua. Gauchat, Hierarchia catholica IV, p. 144 with note 2. Matteo Granito (26 October 1622 – 17 September 1635)Granito was born at Ravello (Salerno), and was a Doctor in utroque iure (Civil and Canon Law). He was a Canon of the Cathedral Chapter of Salerno. He was transferred to the diocese of Amalfi on 17 September 1635. He died in May 1638. Cappelletti, p. 382. Gauchat, pp. 80 with note 4; 144 with note 3. Gerolamo Lanfranchi (12 January 1637 – 1660?)He was consecrated in Rome on 25 January 1637 by Cardinal Antonio Barberini. Gauchat, p. 144 with note 4. Luigi di Gennaro (5 April 1660 – 1670Di Gennaro was born in Naples, and was a Canon of the Cathedral Chapter of Naples. He was Vicar General of Naples. Di Gennaro resigned the diocese of Cava before 30 June 1670, after a long and contentious quarrel with the Canons of his cathedral. Cappelletti, p. 382. Gauchat, p. 144 with note 5. Gaetano d'Afflitto, O.Theat. (30 June 1670 – April 1682)D'Afflitto was born in Scala (near Amalfi) in 1615. He was a Doctor in utroque iure (Civil and Canon Law), and a Consultor at the Holy Office (Inquisition) in Naples. Ritzler-Sefrin, V, p. 152 with note 2. Giovanni Battista Giberti (15 February 1683 – 17 December 1696)Giberti was born in the diocese of Camerino. He was Master of Theology and Doctor in utroque iure (Civil and Canon Law) from the Sapienza in Rome, and then Canon of S. Maria in Trastevere in Rome. He was Archpriest of Tusculum and Vicar General of the diocese. He was consecrated a bishop in Rome by Cardinal Alessandro Crescenzio on 21 February 1683. Giberti was transferred to the diocese of Fano on 17 December 1696. He died on 26 November 1720. Ritzler-Sefrin, V, pp. 152 with note 3; 198 with note 4.