The Diocese of Tursi-Lagonegro is a Latin diocese of the Catholic Church in Basilicata, southern Italy. It is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Potenza-Muro Lucano-Marsico Nuovo.

History

The diocese of Tursi is first attested as a Greek diocese. In the privilege granted by Polyeuktos, the Patriarch of Constantinople to the Metropolitan of Otranto in 968, the Metropolitan is granted the right to consecrate the bishops of Acerenza, Tursi, Gravina, Matera, and Tricarico. The first bishop to call himself Bishop of Anglona was Petrus (1110). Simeon, a bishop of Anglona, was present at the ceremony of donation of some fields, made by Hugo di Chiaromonte and his wife Ginarga to the Basilian monastery of Sts. Elias and Anastasius. On 16 June 1102 (or 1106, or 1108), Pope Paschal II confirmed the privileges of the metropolitan archbishop of Acerenza, which included the suffragan dioceses of Venosa, Gravina, Tricarico, Tursi, and Potenza. The privilege was repeated by Pope Eugenius III on 1 April 1151; by Pope Alexander III on 7 September 1179; and by Pope Innocent III on 10 December 1201. In October 1167, King William II of Sicily granted the castle of Nucara to Bishop Guilelmus of Anglona, for the good of his soul. In July 1181, Bishop Roboan of Anglona relinquished his rights over the abbey of Ss. Elias and Anastasius of Carbone to the archbishop of Monreale. Following the death of the Emperor Frederick II in 1250, the struggle for the succession between Conrad and Manfred involved not only the papacy, but also most of the vassals of the Empire in south Italy. Pope Innocent IV (Fieschi) excommunicated Manfred in July 1254. One of the leaders of the opposition to Manfred, and a papal supporter, was Borello, the lord of Anglona. In October 1254, five months after the death of Conrad, Manfred killed Borello. Manfred fled to Lucera where he was favorably received, and assumed control over the town and fortress. Anglona was destroyed in the days of Queen Johanna of Naples. The name of the diocese was officially changed from Diocese of Anglona to Diocese of Anglona-Tursi in 1545 or 1546, Tursi being a town in the diocese of Anglona.

Reorganization of 1976

On 8 September 1976, the diocese of Diano-Policastro lost seven towns, including Lagonegro, when the Diocese of Tursi-Lagonegro was established. The church of S. Nicholas of Bari in Lagonegro was promoted to the status of co-cathedral. The name (titulus) of "Anglona" was suppressed from the diocesan name, but the name was retained and placed among the names of future titular sees. Following the Second Vatican Council, and in accordance with the norms laid out in the council's decree, Christus Dominus chapter 40, Pope Paul VI ordered a reorganization of the ecclesiastical provinces in southern Italy by the bull Quo aptius of 21 August 1976. The ecclesiastical provinces of Acerenza and of Matera were abolished, and a new province, that of Potenza, was created. On 12 September 1976, Pope Paul continued the reorganization by dissolving the Episcopal Conference of Benevento and of Lucana-Salernitana. He created a new Episcopal Conference in the area of Basilicata, to be called "Apulia", and which included the dioceses of Potenza, Marsico Nuovo and Venosa; Acerenza and Tricarico; Melphi, Rapolla and Venosa; Tursi-Lagonegro; and Materana and Montepeloso. The diocese of Tursi-Lagonegro was a suffragan of the archdiocese of Potenza-Marsico Nuovo-Venosa.

Chapter and Cathedral

In 1702, both the bishop and the Chapter were living in Tursi. The Cathedral of the Annunciation in Tursi was administered by a Chapter consisting of three dignities (the Archdeacon, the Archpriest, and the Dean) and ten canons. In 1763, there were three dignities and fourteen canons. In 1870, the cathedral was administered by a Chapter, consisting of three dignities and eleven canons.

Bishops

Diocese of Anglona

Erected: 11th Century Latin Name: Anglonensis Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Acerenza e Matera

Diocese of Anglona-Tursi

Name Changed: 8 August 1545 Latin Name: Anglonensis-Tursiensis Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Matera

to 1700

1700 to 1900

since 1900

Diocese of Tursi-Lagonegro

Name Changed: 8 September 1976 Latin Name: Tursiensis-Lacunerulonensis Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Potenza-Muro Lucano-Marsico Nuovo

Episcopal lists

Studies