Melfi-Rapolla-Venosa (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Gianfranco Todisco, P.O.C.R., Bishop
Vincenzo Cozzi, Bishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
United: 30 September 1986
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Potenza-Muro Lucano-Marsico Nuovo
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: Italy
Square Kilometers: 1,316 (508 Square Miles)
Conference Region: Basilicata
Official Web Site: http://www.webdiocesi.chiesacattolica.it/cci_new/vis_diocesi.jsp?idDiocesi=114
Mailing Address: Largo Duomo 12, 85025 Melfi [Potenza], Italia
Telephone: 0972.23.86.04

Historical Details

Diocese of Melfi
- Latin Name: Melphiensis
- Erected: 11th Century
- Country: Italy
Diocese of Melfi e Rapolla
- Latin Name: Melphiensis et Rapollensis
- United: 16 May 1528
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Potenza e Marsico Nuovo
- Country: Italy

Past and Present Ordinaries

Francesco Carosio † (4 Jul 1412 Appointed - 26 Jan 1418 Appointed, Archbishop of Trani)
Juan de Borja Lanzol de Romaní † (19 Sep 1494 Appointed - 3 Dec 1498 Resigned)
Juan Ferrer † (3 Dec 1498 Appointed - 26 Jul 1499 Appointed, Archbishop of Arles)
Raffaele di Ceva, O.F.M. † (26 Jul 1499 Appointed - 1513 Resigned)
Lorenzo Pucci † (12 Aug 1513 Appointed - 16 Mar 1528 Resigned)
Giannotto Pucci † (16 Mar 1528 Appointed - 1537 Died)
Giovanni Vincenzo Acquaviva d’Aragona † (7 Feb 1537 Appointed - 16 Aug 1546 Died)
Roberto Pucci † (7 Dec 1546 Appointed - 17 Jan 1547 Died)
Mario Ruffino † (7 Feb 1547 Appointed - 1548 Died)
Alessandro Ruffino † (27 Apr 1548 Appointed - 1573 Resigned)
Gaspare Cenci † (8 Jan 1574 Appointed - 1590 Resigned)
Orazio Celsi † (16 Jul 1590 Appointed - 1591 Died)
Marco Antonio Amidano † (13 Sep 1591 Appointed - Nov 1591 Resigned)
Matteo Brumani, O.S.A. † (13 Nov 1591 Appointed - 9 Aug 1594 Died)
Placido Marra † (6 Mar 1595 Appointed - 2 Dec 1620 Died)
Desiderio Scaglia, O.P. † (17 Mar 1621 Appointed - 14 Nov 1622 Appointed, Bishop of Como)
Lazzaro Carafino † (19 Dec 1622 Appointed - 7 Jan 1626 Appointed, Bishop of Como)
Deodato Scaglia, O.P. † (19 Jan 1626 Appointed - 18 Apr 1644 Appointed, Bishop of Alessandria (della Paglia))
Giacomo Raimondi † (2 May 1644 Appointed - Dec 1644 Died)
Gerolamo Pellegrini † (16 Jan 1645 Appointed - 12 Apr 1648 Died)
Luigi Branciforte † (28 Sep 1648 Appointed - 1666 Died)
Giulio Caracciolo, C.R. † (1 Mar 1666 Appointed - 1671 Resigned)
Tommaso de Franchi † (24 Aug 1671 Appointed - May 1696 Died)
Francesco Antonio Triveri, O.F.M. Conv. † (24 Sep 1696 Appointed - May 1697 Died)
Antonio Spinelli, C.R. † (19 Nov 1697 Appointed - Oct 1724 Died)
Mondilio Orsini, C.O. † (20 Nov 1724 Appointed - 8 Mar 1728 Appointed, Archbishop of Capua)
Giovanni Saverio di Leoni † (22 Nov 1730 Appointed - 5 Mar 1735 Died)
Domenico Rossi (Rosso e Colonna), O.S.B. † (26 Sep 1735 Appointed - 8 Jul 1737 Appointed, Archbishop of Palermo)
Luca Antonio della Gatta † (8 Jul 1737 Appointed - 25 Sep 1747 Died)
Pasquale Teodoro Basta † (29 Jan 1748 Appointed - 27 Dec 1765 Died)
Ferdinando de Vicariis, O.S.B. † (14 Apr 1766 Appointed - 19 Jun 1780 Died)
Agostino Gervasio, O.S.A. † (17 Nov 1784 Appointed - 27 Feb 1792 Appointed, Archbishop of Capua)
Filippo de Aprile † (27 Feb 1792 Appointed - 1811 Died)
Gioacchino de Gemmis † (26 Jun 1818 Confirmed - 12 Dec 1822 Died)
Vincenzo Ferrari, O.P. † (3 May 1824 Confirmed - 4 May 1828 Died)
Luigi Bovio, O.S.B. † (18 May 1829 Confirmed - 6 Nov 1847 Died)
Ignazio Selitti † (5 Nov 1849 Confirmed - 1880 Resigned)
Giuseppe Camassa † (4 Aug 1881 Appointed - 15 Apr 1912 Resigned)
Alberto Costa † (4 Jan 1912 Appointed - 7 Dec 1928 Appointed, Bishop of Lecce)
Luigi dell’Aversana (Orabona) † (29 Jul 1930 Appointed - 6 Nov 1934 Died)
Domenico Petroni † (1 Apr 1935 Appointed - 5 Oct 1966 Retired)
Giuseppe Vairo † (5 Mar 1973 Appointed - 25 Oct 1976 Appointed, Bishop of Tricarico)
Armando Franco † (25 Oct 1976 Appointed - 12 Sep 1981 Appointed, Bishop of Oria)
Vincenzo Cozzi (12 Sep 1981 Appointed - 13 Dec 2002 Retired)
Gianfranco Todisco, P.O.C.R. (13 Dec 2002 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Melfi
11th Century	Erected		Diocese of Melfi (erected)
Diocese of Melfi e Rapolla
16 May 1528	United	Diocese of Melfi Diocese of Rapolla	Diocese of Melfi e Rapolla
Diocese of Melfi-Rapolla-Venosa
30 September 1986	United	Diocese of Melfi e Rapolla Diocese of Venosa	Diocese of Melfi-Rapolla-Venosa

Year Catholics Total Population Percent Catholic Diocesan Priests Religious Priests Total Priests Catholics Per Priest Permanent Deacons Male Religious Female Religious Parishes Source

Diocese of Melfi e Rapolla

1950 50,380 51,000 98.8% 36 2 38 1,325 2 62 14 ap1951

1970 49,000 49,350 99.3% 27 8 35 1,400 8 70 17 ap1971

1980 46,700 55,220 84.6% 28 8 36 1,297 8 65 24 ap1981

Diocese of Melfi-Rapolla-Venosa

1990 82,000 91,000 90.1% 43 15 58 1,413 3 19 106 32 ap1991

1999 90,160 90,680 99.4% 47 10 57 1,581 8 12 101 32 ap2000

2000 90,140 90,600 99.5% 44 10 54 1,669 9 12 100 32 ap2001

2001 90,000 91,000 98.9% 43 11 54 1,666 11 12 96 32 ap2002

2002 89,000 90,900 97.9% 46 10 56 1,589 10 12 98 32 ap2003

2003 89,000 90,168 98.7% 47 10 57 1,561 10 11 73 32 ap2004

2004 89,000 90,000 98.9% 46 11 57 1,561 10 11 73 32 ap2005

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Diocese of Melfi e Rapolla
1950	50,380	51,000	98.8%	36	2	38	1,325		2	62	14	ap1951
1970	49,000	49,350	99.3%	27	8	35	1,400		8	70	17	ap1971
1980	46,700	55,220	84.6%	28	8	36	1,297		8	65	24	ap1981
Diocese of Melfi-Rapolla-Venosa
1990	82,000	91,000	90.1%	43	15	58	1,413	3	19	106	32	ap1991
1999	90,160	90,680	99.4%	47	10	57	1,581	8	12	101	32	ap2000
2000	90,140	90,600	99.5%	44	10	54	1,669	9	12	100	32	ap2001
2001	90,000	91,000	98.9%	43	11	54	1,666	11	12	96	32	ap2002
2002	89,000	90,900	97.9%	46	10	56	1,589	10	12	98	32	ap2003
2003	89,000	90,168	98.7%	47	10	57	1,561	10	11	73	32	ap2004
2004	89,000	90,000	98.9%	46	11	57	1,561	10	11	73	32	ap2005

Note: Any changes in boundaries over time are not indicated in the above table.

Affiliated Bishops, Living

Vincenzo Cozzi (Bishop: 12 Sep 1981 to 13 Dec 2002)
Rocco Talucci (Priest: 23 Jul 1961 to 25 Jan 1988)
Gianfranco Todisco, P.O.C.R. (Bishop: 13 Dec 2002 - )

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Giovanni Vincenzo Acquaviva d’Aragona † (Bishop: 7 Feb 1537 to 16 Aug 1546)
Marco Antonio Amidano † (Bishop: 13 Sep 1591 to Nov 1591)
Filippo de Aprile † (Bishop: 27 Feb 1792 to 1811)
Pasquale Teodoro Basta † (Bishop: 29 Jan 1748 to 27 Dec 1765)
Juan de Borja Lanzol de Romaní † (Bishop: 19 Sep 1494 to 3 Dec 1498)
Luigi Bovio, O.S.B. † (Bishop: 18 May 1829 to 6 Nov 1847)
Luigi Branciforte † (Bishop: 28 Sep 1648 to 1666)
Matteo Brumani, O.S.A. † (Bishop: 13 Nov 1591 to 9 Aug 1594)
Giuseppe Camassa † (Bishop: 4 Aug 1881 to 15 Apr 1912)
Giulio Caracciolo, C.R. † (Bishop: 1 Mar 1666 to 1671)
Lazzaro Carafino † (Bishop: 19 Dec 1622 to 7 Jan 1626)
Francesco Carosio † (Bishop: 4 Jul 1412 to 26 Jan 1418)
Alfredo Caselle † (Auxiliary Bishop: 24 Aug 1965 to 24 Sep 1965)
Orazio Celsi † (Bishop: 16 Jul 1590 to 1591)
Gaspare Cenci † (Bishop: 8 Jan 1574 to 1590)
Raffaele di Ceva, O.F.M. † (Bishop: 26 Jul 1499 to 1513)
Alberto Costa † (Bishop: 4 Jan 1912 to 7 Dec 1928)
Luca Antonio della Gatta † (Bishop: 8 Jul 1737 to 25 Sep 1747)
Luigi dell’Aversana (Orabona) † (Bishop: 29 Jul 1930 to 6 Nov 1934)
Michele Federici † (Coadjutor Bishop: 22 Sep 1962 to 27 Oct 1963)
Vincenzo Ferrari, O.P. † (Bishop: 3 May 1824 to 4 May 1828)
Juan Ferrer † (Bishop: 3 Dec 1498 to 26 Jul 1499)
Tommaso de Franchi † (Bishop: 24 Aug 1671 to May 1696)
Armando Franco † (Bishop: 25 Oct 1976 to 12 Sep 1981)
Gioacchino de Gemmis † (Bishop: 26 Jun 1818 to 12 Dec 1822)
Agostino Gervasio, O.S.A. † (Bishop: 17 Nov 1784 to 27 Feb 1792)
Giovanni Saverio di Leoni † (Bishop: 22 Nov 1730 to 5 Mar 1735)
Placido Marra † (Bishop: 6 Mar 1595 to 2 Dec 1620)
Mondilio Orsini, C.O. † (Archbishop (Personal Title): 20 Nov 1724 to 8 Mar 1728)
Gerolamo Pellegrini † (Bishop: 16 Jan 1645 to 12 Apr 1648)
Domenico Petroni † (Bishop: 1 Apr 1935 to 5 Oct 1966)
Domenico Picchinenna † (Priest: 21 Jul 1935 to 2 Jul 1954)
Giannotto Pucci † (Bishop: 16 Mar 1528 to 1537)
Lorenzo Pucci † (Administrator: 12 Aug 1513 to 16 Mar 1528)
Roberto Pucci † (Bishop: 7 Dec 1546 to 17 Jan 1547)
Giacomo Raimondi † (Bishop: 2 May 1644 to Dec 1644)
Domenico Rossi (Rosso e Colonna), O.S.B. † (Bishop: 26 Sep 1735 to 8 Jul 1737)
Alessandro Ruffino † (Bishop: 27 Apr 1548 to 1573)
Mario Ruffino † (Bishop: 7 Feb 1547 to 1548)
Deodato Scaglia, O.P. † (Bishop: 19 Jan 1626 to 18 Apr 1644)
Desiderio Scaglia, O.P. † (Bishop: 17 Mar 1621 to 14 Nov 1622)
Ignazio Selitti † (Bishop: 5 Nov 1849 to 1880)
Antonio Spinelli, C.R. † (Bishop: 19 Nov 1697 to Oct 1724)
Francesco Antonio Triveri, O.F.M. Conv. † (Bishop: 24 Sep 1696 to May 1697)
Giuseppe Vairo † (Bishop: 5 Mar 1973 to 25 Oct 1976)
Ferdinando de Vicariis, O.S.B. † (Bishop: 14 Apr 1766 to 19 Jun 1780)

Diocese of Melfi-Rapolla-Venosa

Dioecesis Melphiensis-Rapollensis-Venusinus