The Diocese of Minori was a Roman Catholic diocese in Italy, located in Minori, province of Salerno, region of Campania in the ecclesiastical province of Amalfi. It lies on the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea, 4 km or 3.5 mi east of Amalfi. In 1818, it was suppressed, and its territory and Catholic population assigned to the Archdiocese of Amalfi.

History The Diocese of Minori was established around 987. It served as a Roman Catholic diocese in Italy, with its seat in Minori, Campania.

Chapter and cathedral

The cathedral in Minori was dedicated to S. Trofimena. The body of that martyr, the patron of the city, is preserved in the church.Cappelletti XX, p. 615. In 1910, the former cathedral in Minori was named a Minor Basilica.Acta Apostolicae Sedis vol. 3 (1911), pp. 10-11.

It was served and administered by an ecclesiastical body called the Chapter, which was composed of five dignities (the Archdeacon, the Cantor, the Primicerius, the Archpriest, and the Dean) and twelve (later fifteen) canons.Cappelletti XX, p. 615. Ritzler & Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VI, p. 290, note 1.

In 1670, the city of Minori had a population of 200 persons.Ritzler & Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica V, p. 269, note 1. In 1762, it is reported to have had a population of 700.Ritzler & Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VI, p. 290, note 1. The diocese had 2,000 members.Cappelletti XX, p. 615.

Reorganization 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. These were carried out in the papal bull "De Utiliore" of 27 June 1818. Amalfi lost its status as a metropolitan archdiocese and became merely the Archdiocese of Amalfi, when its suffragan dioceses, Minori and Ravello, and Scala were suppressed. : "Archiepiscopali ecclesiae Amalphitanae quae nullum imposterum habebit suffraganeum, praevia suppressione et extinctione Scalensis, Ravellensis, et Minoriensis episcopalium ecclesiarum, illarum tres civitates cum integro respective dioecesano territorio perpetuo unimus, adjungimus, atque incorporamus."

Titular diocese In 1968, the name, but not the diocese itseelf, was revived, as the Titular See of Minori.

Bishops of Minori Erected: 987 (Dioecesis Minorensis) Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Amalfi

987–1500

Sergius ( 987)Sergius was consecrated by Archbishop Leo, the first archbishop of Amalfi, who received his pallium in 987, and was granted the privilege of consecrating other bishops in his province. The date of Leo's consecration depends on textual emendment, and Sergius' consecrated is not dated, but occurred after Leo's return from Rome. Ughelli VII, p. 292. Cappelletti XX, p. 615. UrsusOrso: Ughelli VII, p. 292-293. Jacquintus ( 1069)Jacquintus: Ughelli VII, p. 293-294. Maurus ( 1091–1103)Maurus was transferred to the archdiocese of Amalfi in 1103. Ughelli VII, p. 294-296. Gams, p. 898, col. 1. Leo ( 1103, 1105)Leo: Ughelli VII, p. 296. Stephanus Constantinus Maurus Scannapeco ( 1162) Laurentius ( 1178) Joannes de Cavellis ( 1217)Joannes: Ughelli VII, pp. 303-304. Eubel I, p. 343. Gerbinus ( 1247)Gervinus had been sacellanus of Cardinal Pietro Capuano. Ughelli VII, pp. 304-305. Petrus ( 1266)Petrus: Ughelli VII, pp. 306-308. Andreas de Capua (1281–1305)Andrea da Capua: Eubel I, p. 343. Andreas de Alaneo (1305–1342) Bartolommeo Marcutius ( 1345–1348) Jacobus Philippus (1360–1363) Romanus (1363–1387) Thomas Scotti (1387–1390?) Avignon Obedience Paulus de Surrento (26 March 1390 – 1393) Roman ObedienceBishop Paulus de Surrento was transferred to Amalfi Eubel, I, pp. 85 and 344. ... (Sede vacante ? ) Ambrosius Romano (attested 1411) Cristoforo Oliva (attested 1418) Nicola Moccia (Macza) (7 Jan 1426 – 1474)Nicola: Eubel, I, p. 344; II, p. 193. Ludovico da Senis, O.F.M. (1474–1475) Palamedes de Cuncto (1475–1483) Andrea de Conto (Cuncto) (6 Jun 1483 – 1484On 4 Feb 1484, Andrea was appointed Archbishop of Amalfi. Eubel II, p. 193. Giovanni Battista di Constabili (1484–1493) Santillo de Simione (1493–1498)

1500 to 1818

Alessandro Salati (30 Apr 1498 – 1509)"Bishop Alessandro Salati" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved August 29, 2016 Tommaso di Sicilia, O.P. (30 Sep 1510 – 1 Jan 1526)"Bishop Tommaso di Sicilia, O.P." Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved August 29, 2016 Giovanni Pietro de Bono, O.P. (28 Feb 1526 – 6 Jun 1546 Died)"Bishop Giovanni Pietro de Bono, O.P." Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved August 29, 2016 Ambrogio Catarino Politi, O.P. (27 Aug 1546 –1552)On 3 June 1552, Politi was appointed Archbishop of Conza by Pope Julius III. Antonio Simeoni, O.S.B. (3 Jun 1552 –1553)On 3 July 1553, Simeoni was appointed Bishop of Nepi e Sutri by Pope Julius III. Pierre de Affatatis (3 Jul 1553 – 1557) Donato Laurenti (21 Jun 1557 –1563)On 29 January 1563, Laurenti was appointed Bishop of Ariano by Pope Paul IV. Alessandro Mollo (Moro) (15 Feb 1563 – 1565) Giovanni D'Amato (12 Oct 1565 – 1567 Resigned) Giovanni Agostino Campanile (8 Aug 1567 – 4 Jul 1595)"Bishop Giovanni Agostino Campanile" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved March 21, 2016 Orazio Basilisco (29 May 1596 – 29 Jul 1596)Gauchat, Hierarchia catholica IV, p. 244. Tommaso Zerula (8 Jan 1597 – 6 Dec 1603) Giorgio Lazzari, O.P. (1604–1615)Lazzari was a native of Treviso, and had been Prior of the Dominican convent in Pavia. He was appointed bishop of Minori on 19 July 1604, by Pope Clement VIII. He died on 17 August 1615. Ughelli, p. 316. Gauchat, p. 244. "Bishop Giorgio Lazzari, O.P." Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved March 21, 2016 Tommaso Brandolini, O.P. (1615–1636)Brandolini was born of a noble Neapolitan family. He held the degree of master of theology, and rose to hold the office of Concionator in his Order. He was appointed bishop of Minori by Pope Paul V on 2 December 1615, on the recommendation of Cardinal Cajetani. He completely rebuilt the episcopal palace in Minori, and redecorated the cathedral. He died on 29 February 1636. Ughelli, p. 316-317. Gauchat, p. 244 with note 4. Loreto de Franchis (1636–1638)Loretus de Franchiis wa born in the castle of Sangro (Sanguine) in the diocese of Trivento. He held doctorates in Civil and Canon Law and in theology. He had been Vicar-General in Avignon under Archbishop Filonardi. He had been Bishop of Capri (1634–1636), and was appointed bishop of Minori by Pope Urban VIII on 1 December 1636. He died in Naples on 25 November 1638. Ughelli, p. 317. Gauchat, Hierarchia catholica IV, pp. 133 with note 4; 244 with note 6. David M. Cheney, Catholic-Hierarchy.org, "Bishop Loreto Di Franco (De Franchis)"; retrieved 24 January 2017 Patrizio Donati (1639–1648 Resigned)Patrizio Donati was a native Roman. He held the degree of Doctor in utroque iure (JUD). He had been Auditor of Cardinal Giovanni Battista Palotta. He was appointed bishop of Minori by Pope Urban VIII on 28 February 1639, and was consecrated in Rome at the Minerva by Cardinal Palotta on 13 March. In bad health, he resigned the office of Bishop of Minori in August or September 1648, and died in Rome on 31 August 1666. Ughelli, p. 317. Gauchat, p. 244 with note 7."Bishop Patrizio Donati" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved July 10, 2016 Leonardo Leria, O. Carm. (1649–1670 Resigned)Born in Rome, Leria belonged to the nobility of Vercelli. He became Vicar-general of all the Carmelite in Germany, and was named Commissry of the Congregation de propaganda fide. He became theologian to Archduke Ferdinand Charles of Austria. Returning to Rome with the Archduke's recommendation, he was appointed bishop of Minori by Pope Innocent X on 22 March 1649. He resigned the episcopal office, before 17 November 1670, citing extreme old age. Ughelli, p. 319. Gauchat, p. 244 with note 8. Antonio Bottis, C.R.S. (17 Nov 1670 – 1679)"Bishop Antonio Bottis, C.R.S." Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved August 21, 2016. Ritzler, V, p. 269, with note 2. Domenico Menna (20 Dec 1683 – Aug 1691)"Bishop Domenico Menna" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved August 18, 2016. Ritzler, V, p. 270, with note 3. Gennaro Crespino (10 Mar 1692 – 1694)On 19 July 1694, Bishop Crespino was appointed Bishop of Squillace. Ritzler & Sefrin V, p. 270, with note 4. Carlo Cutillo, O.S.B. (13 Sep 1694 – Dec 1704)Ritzler, V, p. 270, with note 5. Francesco Morgioni (18 May 1705 – 18 Nov 1712)Ritzler & Sefrin V, p. 270, with note 6. Raffaele Tosti (8 Feb 1719 – Mar 1722)Ritzler, V, p. 270, with note 7. Silvestro Stanà (Staria) (1 Jun 1722 – 26 Nov 1761)Ritzler, V, p. 270, with note 8. Andrea Torre, C.P.O. (25 Jan 1762 – 24 Dec 1791)Torre was born in Amalfi. He was lecturer in theology, Master of Novices, and then rector of the House of S. Balbina in Rome. He was appointed bishop on 25 January 1762, and consecrated in Rome on 31 January by Cardinal Giuseppe Spinelli. Ritzler, VI, p. 290 with note 2. Serafino Vitale, O.S.B. (29 Jan 1798 – 1806)Born at Cava, Vitale's baptismal name was Michelangelo. He obtained a doctorate in theology from the University of Naples (1797). He was parish priest of San Matteo in Imola, then vicar of the monastery of S. Michele in Bosco in Bologna. He became archivist of the monastery of Montis Oliveti Maioris in the diocese of Siena. He was then Abbot of the monastery of S. Leone in Bitonto. He was nominated Bishop of Minori by the King of Naples on 31 October 1797, and approved by Pope Pius VI on 29 January 1798. He was consecrated in Rome on 2 February by Cardinal Leonardo Antonelli. Ritzler, VI, p. 290 with note 3. Sede vacante (1806–1818)

Titular bishops of Minori Mario Giordana (2004 – ...)Giordana was named titular bishop on 27 April 2004, to which was added the title of Archbishop, to qualify him as papal Nuncio to Haiti (2004–2008), and then to Slovakia (2008–2017). Gabriel Chow, GCatholic.org "Archbishop Mario Giordana;" retrieved: 6 September 2026.

See also Archdiocese of Amalfi-Cava de' Tirreni Catholic Church in Italy

References

Books Lists of bishops (in Latin)

Studies

Moroni, (Gaetano (ed.) (1847). " Minori," , in: Dizionario di erudizione storico-ecclesiastica vol. 40 (Venice: Tip. Emiliana 1847), pp. 197-201.

de:Liste der Bischöfe von Minori