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.[3] In 2017, there were 4,148 inhabitants. In 1980, the entire diocese had a population of 32,775.[4]
The diocese of Nusco dates from the eleventh century.[5]
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.[6] In 1614, there were four dignities and eight canons.[7]
The diocese of Nusco was a suffragan of the archdiocese of Salerno.[8]
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.[9] Lengthy, detailed, and acrimonious negotiations ensued.[citation needed]
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.[10] In the case of Nusco, the diocese of Montemarano[11] was completely suppressed, and its territory and town incorporated into the diocese of Nusco.[12]
Diocesan Reorganization
Following the Second Vatican Council, and in accordance with the norms laid out in the council's decree, Christus Dominus chapter 40,[13] 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.[14]
^Gauchat, Hierarchia catholica IV, p. 263, note 1.
^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.
^"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."
^Cappelletti XX, pp. 407-412. Kehr IX (Berlin 1962), pp. 132-133.
^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.
^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.
^Acta Apostolicae Sedis 79 (Città del Vaticano 1987), pp. 685-687.
^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.").
^In 1104, Bishop Guido blessed the abbot of S. Maria de Fontignano. Kehr VIII, p. 378.
^Guglielmo: Ughelli (Coleti) VII, pp. 534-536. Mattei-Cerasoli, p. 322.
^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: Ughelli VII, p. 536. Gams, p. 908, column 2. Eubel I, p. 374.
^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.
^Rogerius: Gams, p. 908, column 2. Eubel I, p. 374.
^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.
^Angelo was removed from office as a follower of Urban VI at a time unknown. Eubel I, p. 374.
^Bishop Petrus was transferred to the diocese of Ventimiglia by Pope Clement VII on 27 August 1392. Eubel I, pp. 374, 528)
^Marcus had been Bishop of Cremona (1383–1386), and Bishop of Ceneda (1386–1394). Eubel I, pp. 180, 214, 374.
^Carluccio had been Archdeacon of Sorrento. Eubel II, p. 206.
^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.
^Parisio was one of the presidents at the Council of Trent, during its first phase.
^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.
^Fra Lazaro was a master of theology in his Order. He was named Bishop of Nusco by Pope Clement VIII in the consistory of 20 November 1602. According to Gauchat, on 1 October 1607, Fra Lazaro da Florentiola was appointed Bishop of Modena. He died in 1610. Gauchat, pp. 250, 263 with note 3.
^Zuccato was born at Finale (diocese of Modena). He was a protonotary apostolic, and practiced for 37 years in the papal curia. He was vicar of Cardinal Camillo Borghese in the diocese of Jesi. He was a protege of Cardinal Bonifacio Bevilacqua. He held the position of auditor in papal legations to Spain, Bohemia, and Germany. He was appointed Bishop of Nusco on 19 November 1607, a post he resigned in 1614. He died in Rome on 14 April 1618, at the age of nearly eighty (according to his tombstone). L. Vedriani, Catalogo de' Vescovi di Modena (Modena: B. Soliani 1669), pp. 158-159. Gauchat, p. 263 with note 4.
^A patrician from Ragusa, Resti was a doctor of theology and a canon of the cathedral of Ragusa, when he was appointed Bishop of Stagno (Stonj, Dalmatia) in 1609; he required a dispensation, being only 28 and below the minimum age for consecration as a bishop. On 9 July 1614, he was transferred to the diocese of Nusco by Pope Paul V. On 8 August 1639, Rezzo was appointed Bishop of Ascoli Satriano in Apulia. He died in March or April 1648. Gauchat, pp. 96 with note 7; 263 with note 5; 321 with note 3.
^Arcudio, a Greek, was a native of the territory of Soliso (Otranto). He was archpriest of the collegiate church of Soliso. He was appointed Bishop of Nusco on 19 December 1639 by Pope Urban VIII. He died on 7 October 1641, having governed the church of Nusco for 22 months. Gauchat, p. 263 with note 6 (who points out that he is often confused with a homonymous person who was a Theatine, and Bishop of Bellecastro).
^Monforte was born in Avellino, and joined the Order of S. Augustine, from whom he obtained a master's degree in theology in 1652. He became Vice-Chancellor of the College of theologians of Naples. He became Provincial of the Neapolitan Province of the O.S.A., and held the office of Qualificator of the Holy Office (Inquisition) for Sicily. He was appointed Theologian of Ferdinando II de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany. He was appointed Bishop of Nusco on 1 April 1669, by Pope Clement IX, and was consecrated in Rome by Cardinal Francesco Maria Brancaccio on 7 April. He resigned the diocese before 7 October 1680. Ritzler & Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica V, p. 294 with note 2.
^Sangermano was a native of Bisignano, and held the degree of Doctor in utroque iure (Rome, Sapienza). He became Vicar General of the diocese of Bisignano. He was appointed Bishop of Nusco on 7 October 1680, by Pope Innocent XI. He died on 7 June 1702 in Monteverde. Ritzler & Sefrin V, p. 294 with note 3.
^On 11 September 1724, Dragonetti was appointed Bishop of Marsi. Ritzler & Sefrin V, p. 294 with note 4.
^Tupputi was born at Barletta. in 1665. He held the degree of Doctor in utroque iure (Naples 1693). He was appointed Vicar Apostolic and Vicar General of the diocese of Nazareth. He was a canon of the collegiate church of S. Maria Major in Barletta. He was appointed Bishop of Nusco by Pope Benedict XIII on 11 September 1724. He died in Barletta, in the Palazzo de Russis, on 21 January 1740. D'Avino, p. 497 col. 2. F. S. Vista Note storiche sulla città di Barletta, Volume 2 (Barletta; G. Dellisanti 1907), p. 34. Ritzler & Sefrin V, p. 294 with note 5.
^D'Arco: Ritzler & Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VI, p. 316 with note 2.
^Bonaventura: Ritzler & Sefrin VI, p. 316 with note 3.
^De Vivo: Ritzler & Sefrin VI, p. 316 with note 4.
^Aceto, the Archdeacon of the cathedral of Salerno, held the degree of Doctor in utroque iure. He was nominated by King Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies on 1 September 1818, and confirmed by Pope Pius VII on 21 December 1818. He died on 18 August 1819, never having been consecrated. Cappelletti (XX, p. 412) omits his name. D'Avino, p. 499, column 1. Ritzler & Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VII, p. 288.
^Born in Cervinara (diocese of Benevento) in 1776, De Nicolais was a priest of the diocese of Benevento, and was a master of theology. He was nominated by King Ferdinand on 19 January 1820, and confirmed by Pope Pius VII on 21 February 1820. Pope Gregory XVI (1831–1846), realizing that De Nicolais was incompetent, appointed the archbishop of Salerno to be Administrator of the diocese on 15 May 1835. He died in 1837. Cappelletti XX, p. 412. D'Avino, p. 499 column 1. Ritzler & Sefrin VII, p. 289.
^Mastropasqua was a native of Molfetta, and a canon of the cathedral Chapter, as well as Rector of the diocesan seminary. In 1834, he was appointed Vicar General of Conza, and in 1835 he was named Vicar Apostolic of Nusco. He was nominated by King Ferdinand II on 30 August 1837, and approved by Pope Gregory XVI on 2 October 1837. He died on 26 June 1848. Michele Romano (1842), Saggio sulla storia di Molfetta dall'epoca dell'antica Respa sino al 1840, Parte II (Napoli: De Bonis, 1842), p. 141. Cappelletti XX, p. 412. D'Avino, p. 499 column 1. Ritzler & Sefrin VII, p. 289.
^Born in Bova in 1800, Autelitano held the degree of Doctor in utroque iure. He had been Canon Theologus and then Dean of the cathedral Chapter of Bova. In 1848, he was offered the bishopric of S. Marco e Bisignano, which he refused. He was nominated Bishop of Nusco by King Ferdinand II on 29 August 1849, and was approved by Pope Pius IX on 28 September. He was dead by 11 January 1854. Ritzler & Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VIII, p. 421. Annuario Pontificio, various dates, 1849 to 1855.
^Born in Avellino in 1802, Adinolfi had been a canon of the cathedral of Avellino. He was nominated Bishop of Nusco on 3 November 1854 by King Ferdinand II, and confirmed by Pope Pius IX on 30 November 1854. He was nominated Bishop of Nocera de' Pagani on 13 March 1860 by King Francis II, and confirmed by Pope Pius IX on 23 March 1860. He died in 1863. Ritzler & Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VIII, p. 421.
