The Diocese of Mazara del Vallo is a Latin diocese of the Catholic Church in far western Sicily. It is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Palermo.

History

In the struggle of the Saracens against the Normans for the possession of Sicily, Mazara was hotly contested, especially in 1075 when Roger I of Sicily emerged victorious. The area had previously been the Diocese of Lilybaeum, but this was not reestablished and instead a new see established at Mazzara. Of the bishops of Lilybaeum, the best known is Paschasinus, legate of Pope Leo I at the Council of Chalcedon (451). He had previously been invited to the Roman synod of 447 by Leo I. In 1093, Count Roger granted the territories forming the diocese of Mazara to Bishop Stephen and his successors, with permission of Pope Urban II. The privileges were confirmed by Pope Paschal II in a bull of 15 October 1100. The first bishop of Mazara (1093) was Stefano de Ferro, a relative of Count Roger. The cathedral was then founded, and later embellished by Bishop Tustino (1157–1180). In 1742, the town of Mazara had approximately 6000 citizens. The Cathedral, dedicated to the Holy Savior, had a Chapter composed of four dignities and eighteen Canons. The dignities are: the Cantor, the Archdeacon, the Dean, and the Treasurer. The right of appointment of the Cantor belongs to the Pope. The appointment of the other dignities and the Canons belongs to the Pope, if the vacancy occurs between January and June, and to the Bishop if the vacancy occurs between July and December.

Bishops of Mazara del Vallo

to 1300

from 1300 to 1500

from 1500 to 1700

since 1700

Books

Reference Works

Studies

Acknowledgment