The Archdiocese of Monreale is a Latin archdiocese of the Catholic Church in Sicily. As of 2000 it is no longer a metropolitan see, and is now a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Palermo.

History

In 1174 the abbey of Monreale was declared a prælatura nullius; two years later its abbot was vested with the title and jurisdiction of a bishop. On 2 February 1183, thanks to the Bull Licet Dominus of Pope Lucius III, Monreale became the metropolitan see for the diocese of Catania and the diocese of Siracusa. At first the archbishops were elected by the monks, but were not always Benedictines; since 1275 the election has been reserved to itself by the Holy See. In time the diocese of Girgenti and diocese of Caltagirone also became suffragan to Monreale; but Siracusa, in 1844, and Catania, in 1860, became archiepiscopal sees. The former having become the metropolitan of Caltagirone, Monreale received the new diocese of Caltanisetta (1860), which see and Girgenti became its only suffragans. From 1775 to 1802 Monreale and Palermo were united under a single archbishop.

Bishops and Archbishops

Diocese of Monreale

Erected: 1176 Latin Name: Montis Regalis

Archdiocese of Monreale

Elevated: 5 February 1183 Latin Name: Montis Regalis

to 1500

1500 to 1700

since 1700

Archbishop of Palermo and of Monreale Archbishop of Palermo and of Monreale

Auxiliary bishops

Books

Reference Works

Studies

Acknowledgment