Diocese of Nusco was a Roman Catholic ecclesiastical territory in Campania, southern Italy, and was a suffragan of the archdiocese of Salerno. In 1986 the diocese was suppressed, and its territory was united with the archdiocese of Conza-Sant'Angelo dei Lombardi-Bisaccia, to form the Archdiocese of Conza-Sant'Angelo dei Lombardi-Nusco-Bisaccia.GCatholic.org: "Diocese of Nusco" retrieved February 17, 2016.
History
Nusco is in the Italian civil province of Avellino. The town is 22.08 mi (35.54 km) from Salerno in a direct line, but 44.3 mi (71.3 km) by land transportation, which takes one hour and ten minutes. In 1753, the town had a population estimated at 1,100 persons.Ritzler & Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VI, p. 316, note 1. In 2017, there were 4,148 inhabitants. In 1980, the entire diocese had a population of 32,775.David M. Cheney, "Diocese of Nusco," Catholic-hierarchy.org; retrieved: 8 October 2022. There were twenty-six priests to serve the Faithful.
The diocese of Nusco dates from the eleventh century.G. A. Loud, The Latin Church in Norman Italy (Cambridge U Press 2007), p. 186.
The cathedral of Nusco was originally dedicated in honor of S. Stephen the Protomartyr, but as its bishop Amatus came to be honored as a saint, the title of the cathedral was changed to S. Amatus. The cathedral was administered by a Chapter, composed of four dignities (the Archdeacon, the Archpriest, the Primicerius Major, and the Primicerius Minor) and six canons.Ughelli VII, pp. 532-533. In 1614, there were four dignities and eight canons.Gauchat, Hierarchia catholica IV, p. 263, note 1.
The diocese of Nusco was a suffragan of the archdiocese of Salerno.Bishop Amatus' name appears in the DIPTYCHON o Liber Vitae of the diocese of Salerno: "Risus Sarnensis episcopus. Mirandus Acernensis episcopus. Amatus Nuscensis episcopus. Petrus Polecastrensis episcopus. Iohannes Marsicensis episcopus. Oto Polecastrensis episcopus...." Carlo A. Garufi (ed.) (1922), "Necrologio del “Liber Confratrum” di S. Matteo di Salerno," in: Fonti per la storia d'Italia vol. LVI (Rome 1922), p. 231. Kehr VIII, p. 377.
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. On 27 June 1818, in the bull "De Utiliori", Pope Pius VII restored the ecclesiastical provinces in the Kingdom of Naples, and reorganized the suffragans. The archdiocese of Salerno was assigned as its suffragans the dioceses of Capaccio, Policastro, Marsico, and Nusco; the diocese of Acerno was given to the archbishop of Salerno in administratorship."Archiepiscopalis ecclesia Salernitana suffraganeas habebit episcopales ecclesias Caputaquensem, Policastrensem, Marsicensem, et Nuscanam; episcopalis vero Acernensis ecclesia ac dioecesis administrationem moderno ac prò tempore existenti archiepiscopo Salernitano, qui imposterum archiepiscopi Salernitanus simulque episcopalis ecclesiae Acernensis administrator nuncupabitur, perpetuo tribuimus." In the case of Nusco, the diocese of MontemaranoCappelletti XX, pp. 407-412. Kehr IX (Berlin 1962), pp. 132-133. was completely suppressed, and its territory and town incorporated into the diocese of Nusco.Bullarii Romani Continuatio Tomus 15 (Rome 1853), p. 57, § 7: "atque insuper episcopalem ecclesiam Montis Marani perpetuo extinguimus, ejusque civitatem ac dioecesim episcopali ecclesiae Nuscanae integre unimus et aggregamus." Cappelletti XX, pp. 406-407.
Diocesan Reorganization
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. Pope Paul VI ordered consultations among the members of the Congregation of Bishops in the Vatican Curia, the Italian Bishops Conference, and the various dioceses concerned. After twenty years, problems and objections were still apparent.
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. 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 Sant'Angelo dei Lombardi, Conza, Nusco, and Bisaccia be merged into one diocese with one bishop, with the Latin title Archidioecesis Sancti Angeli de Lombardis-Compsana-Nuscana-Bisaciensis. The seat of the diocese was to be in Sant'Angelo dei Lombardi, and the cathedral of Sant'Angelo dei Lombardi was to serve as the cathedral of the merged diocese. The cathedrals in Conza, Nusco, and Bisaccia were to become co-cathedrals, and their cathedral Chapters were each to be a Capitulum Concathedralis. There was to be only one diocesan Tribunal, in Sant'Angelo dei Lombardi, 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 suppressed dioceses of Conza, Nusco, and Bisaccia. The new archdiocese was to be a suffragan of the archdiocese of Benevento.Acta Apostolicae Sedis 79 (Città del Vaticano 1987), pp. 685-687.
The first archbishop of the new archdiocese of Sant'Angelo dei Lombardi-Conza-Nusco-Bisaccia was Antonio Nuzzi, who had been Bishop of Nusco from 21 February 1981 to 30 September 1986.
Bishops of Nusco to 1600
Amatus of Nusco (1076-1093)Amatus had been the archpriest of the principal church in Nusco, when he was chosen by the archbishop of Salerno to be the first bishop of Nusco. This happened c. 1048, according to Ughelli (VII, p. 533). He founded the monastery of S. Maria de Fontignano (Kehr VIII, p. 378). He died at the age of 96. He wrote his last will and testament (which still survives) on 31 August 1093, three days before his death. Gams, p. 908, column 2. This Amatus was not the Amatus who wrote the Historia Normannorum (Kehr VIII, p. 377: "Errant autem, qui hunc Amatum auctorem esse Historiae Normannorum opinati sunt."). Guido (1104)In 1104, Bishop Guido blessed the abbot of S. Maria de Fontignano. Kehr VIII, p. 378. Rogerius (attested 1143–1147)Rogerius: Mattei-Cerasoli, pp. 321-322. Willelmus attested 1164, 1167)Guglielmo: Ughelli (Coleti) VII, pp. 534-536. Mattei-Cerasoli, p. 322. Rogerius (1198)Rogerius is said to have lived in the time of Pope Celestine III (1191–1198), and to have restored the cathedral. It was he who renamed the cathedral in honor of Bishop Amatus. Ughelli VII, p. 536, citing no evidence. ... Lucas (c. 1240?)Lucas: Ughelli VII, p. 536. Gams, p. 908, column 2. Eubel I, p. 374. Jacobus, O.Min. (by 1285).Jacobus was already Bishop of Nusco under Pope Martin IV (Feb. 1281–March 1285). In the process, however, he had neglected to seek the permission of his Franciscan superiors, according to the privileges granted the Order by the Papacy. They therefore lodged a complaint with the papal legate in the Kingdom of Naples, Gerardo Blanco Bishop of Sabina, "petendo eum ab eodem episcopatu repelli." The legate collected the testimony and documentary evidence, but sent the case to the papal court for judgment. Martin IV assigned the Bishop of Palestrina (who became Pope Nicholas IV in 1288) to hear the case, which for various reasons did not proceed to judgment. The aggrieved parties then appealed directly to Pope Honorius IV (1285–1287). Honorius issued a mandate to the Archbishop of Benevento and the Bishop of Troia to cite Bishop Jacobus to appear at the papal court within one month, bringing with him all relevant documents. Nothing more is known. Ughelli VII, pp. 536-537. Cappelletti XX, p. 403. Eubel I, p. 374. P[ - - - ] ... Rogerius Gesualdo (d. 1350)Rogerius: Gams, p. 908, column 2. Eubel I, p. 374. Franciscus (1350–1365)Franciscus had been a canon of the cathedral Chapter of Sorrento. He was appointed Bishop of Nusco before 31 October 1350 by Pope Clement VI. He was transferred to the diocese of Sorra (Corsica) on 14 February 1365. Eubel I, pp. 374, 459. Arnaldus (1365–1374) Angelo Vitale (1375–1394) Roman ObedienceAngelo was removed from office as a follower of Urban VI at a time unknown. Eubel I, p. 374. Petrus, O.Min. (13 ?–1392) Avignon ObedienceBishop Petrus was transferred to the diocese of Ventimiglia by Pope Clement VII on 27 August 1392. Eubel I, pp. 374, 528) Marcus de Porres (1394–1396) Roman ObedienceMarcus had been Bishop of Cremona (1383–1386), and Bishop of Ceneda (1386–1394). Eubel I, pp. 180, 214, 374. Angelo Barrili (1396–1400) Roman Obedience Bernardus (1400– ? ) Guillelmus Antonius (1418–1435) Carluccio Paolucci (1435–1446)Carluccio had been Archdeacon of Sorrento. Eubel II, p. 206. Giovannuccio Pasquali, O.F.M. (1446–1471)A native of Montellino, Pasquali was a doctor of sacred theology of his Order. He died in 1471. Cappelletti XX, p. 404. Eubel II, p. 206. Stefano Moscatelli (11 October 1471 – 1485) Antonio Maramaldo (21 November 1485 – 1514) Marino Acciabianca (1514 – 1523 Resigned) Gerolamo Acciabianca (17 June 1523 – 1537) Pietro Paolo Parisio (11 January 1538 – 11 May 1545)Parisio was one of the presidents at the Council of Trent, during its first phase. Luigi Cavalcanti (1 June 1545 –1563)On 30 January 1563, Cavalcanti was appointed Bishop of Bisignano. Alessandro Gadaletta (30 January 1563 – 1572) Pietro Persio (23 Jan 1573 – 1578) Patrizio Lavosio (1578–1602)Lavosius was a native of Terra Cassiae (Cassiano), and held the degree of Doctor in utroque iure. He was appointed Bishop of Nusco in the consistory of 15 October 1578, by Pope Gregory XIII. Bishop Lavosius died on 22 April 1602. Cappelletti XX, p. 405. Eubel III, p. 261 with note 8. Gauchat, Hierarchia catholica IV, p. 263, note 2.
1500 to 1800