Parishes 66 Area 930 km² | Established 13th century Phone +39 0966 653676 Bishop Francesco Milito | |
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Population- Total- Catholics (as of 2013)187,200 (est.)180,200 (est.) (96.3%) Address Via Roma, 21, 89022 Cittanova RC, Italy Province Province of Reggio Calabria Ecclesiastical province Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Reggio Calabria-Bova | ||
The Diocese of Oppido Mamertina-Palmi (Latin: Dioecesis Oppidensis-Palmarum) is a Roman Catholic ecclesiastical territory in southern Italy, existing under that name since 1979. Historically it was the Diocese of Oppido Marmertina (Oppidensis). It is a suffragan see of the Archdiocese of Reggio Calabria.
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History
Bishop Stefano (1295) is the first prelate of whom there is mention. The Chapter of the Cathedral already existed in the XIII century. The Chapter maintained its right to elect a new bishop until 1338. The Chapter was composed of six dignities (the Archdeacon, the Dean, the Cantor, the Treasurer, the Archpriest, and the Ecclesiarch-Theologian) and fourteen Canons.
In 1472 the see was united to that of Gerace, under Bishop Athanasius Calceofilo, by whom the Greek Rite was abolished, although it remained in use in a few towns.
In 1536 Oppido became again an independent see, under Bishop Pietro Andrea Ripanti; among other bishops were Antonio Cesconi (1609) and Giovanni Battista Montani (1632), who restored the cathedral and the episcopal palace; Bisanzio Fili (1696), who founded the seminary; Michele Caputo (1852), who was transferred to the See of Ariano, where it is suspected that he poisoned King Ferdinand II; eventually, he apostatized.
In 1748 the town of Oppido is estimated to have had 2,000 inhabitants. The town was heavily damaged by the earthquakes of 1783, in the first of which Oppido was at the epicenter, and the population decimated by the plague that followed.
In 2007 the town had some 5,484 inhabitants.
Diocese of Oppido Mamertina
Erected: 13th Century
Latin Name: Oppidensis
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Reggio Calabria
since 1700
Diocese of Oppido Mamertina-Palmi
10 June 1979: Name Changed