The Diocese of Sapë is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in Northern Albania. It is a suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Shkodër-Pult. The diocese is named after the town of Sapë (Sappa), which is located near the Drin, southeast of Lake Scutari. However, the cathedral of the diocese is Katedralja e Nënë Terezja, in the town of Vau-Dejës, Shkodër County. The former cathedral is Kisha e Shën Gjergjit, in Nënshat in the same county. The diocese is one of six Catholic jurisdictions in Albania. It is located in the vicinity of Lake Scutari, at the river basin of Drin.

Statistics and extent

, it pastorally served 70,701 Catholics (34.9% of 202,800 total) on 2,544 km2 in 32 parishes with 19 priests (11 diocesan, 8 religious), 1 deacon, 60 lay religious (9 brothers, 51 sisters) and 2 seminarians. The ecclesiastical students of this diocese are educated at the seminary of Scutari. The Diocese of Sappa also includes the Franciscan monastery at Troshan (Trosciani), where the Minorites have a "Collegium seraphicum" for their students of philosophy.

History

The bishopric was established in 1062, by Pope Alexander II. During the 11th century, the diocese was located within Dioclea. In the 12th century the jurisdiction of the diocese belonged to the Serbian Grand Principality and in period 13th century – mid 14th century it belonged to the Kingdom of Serbia succeeded by the Serbian Empire. In 1491 Pope Innocent VIII joined to it the Bishopric of Sardë (Sardoniki), and the united sees were suffragans of the Archbishopric of Antivari until the end of the eighteenth century. The See of Sardë comprised also the Diocese of Dagnum (Daynum, Dagno, Danj; Daynensis), founded as suffragan of Antivari during the second half of the fourteenth century and united with Sarda by Pope Martin V in 1428. By the Albanian Council in 1703, the Bishop of Sappa obtained some parishes previously belonging to the Diocese of Pulati. The exact number of bishops of Sappa is unknown. The first Bishop of Sappa mentioned is Peter in c. 1291. Notable bishops of Sappa include Gjergj Bardhi and Lazër Vladanji later became Archbishops of Bar. Pjetër Zarishi was a secretary to the Bishop of Sappa.

Episcopal ordinaries