The Diocese of Patti (Latin: Dioecesis Pactensis) is a Latin diocese of the Catholic Church located on the north shore of the island of Sicily. It is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Messina-Lipari-Santa Lucia del Mela. Its patron saint is Bartholomew the Apostle, in whose honor the cathedral is named.

Geography

The diocese includes the city of Patti and 41 other municipalities of the metropolitan city of Messina: Acquedolci, Alcara Li Fusi, Brolo, Capizzi, Capo d'Orlando, Capri Leone, Caronia, Castel di Lucio, Castell'Umberto, Cesarò, Ficarra, Floresta, Frazzanò, Galati Mamertino, Gioiosa Marea, Librizzi, Longi, Militello Rosmarino, Mirto, Mistretta, Montagnareale, Motta d'Affermo, Naso, Oliveri, Pettineo, Piraino, Raccuja, Reitano, San Fratello, San Marco d'Alunzio, San Piero Patti, San Salvatore di Fitalia, San Teodoro, Sant'Agata di Militello, Sant'Angelo di Brolo, Santo Stefano di Camastra, Sinagra, Torrenova, Tortorici, Tusa and Ucria. The natural borders of the diocese are the Tyrrhenian Belt which goes from Oliveri to Tusa, for a length of about 102 kilometres, and the Nebrodi mountain range.

History

The diocese of Patti had an ancient precursor, the diocese of Tyndaris. Four of its bishops are known by name:

• Severinus (501)
• Eutychius (593)
• Benenatus (599)
• Theodorus (649).

There was also a predecessor in the form of a Diocese of Lipari, which appears to have become extinct, perhaps due to Saracen raids in the 9th century. The bishops known by name are:

• Augustus (501, 502)
• Venantius (553)
• Agatho (593)
• [Paulinus] (under Pope Gregory I)

The importance of Patti grew, however, when Duke Robert Guiscard and Count Roger I founded on the island of Lipari Patti a Benedictine abbey, dedicated to Saint Bartholomew, in c. 1085; the abbey was joined to the Abbey of S. Salvatore when it was founded in 1094. On 14 September 1131 Anacletus II, the pope from the double election of 1130 who was recognized in the Kingdom of Sicily, made the monastery of S. Bartholomew in Patti an episcopal see, and at the same time made the Abbey of Lipari an episcopal seat, uniting them in the person of one bishop, who would be consecrated by the Archbishop of Messana. The new See was endowed by King Roger II of Sicily, making it richer than the long established See of Syracuse. Pope Eugenius III in 1157 confirmed the action of Anacletus II.

In 1206, it lost territory to establish the territorial prelature of Santa Lucia del Mela.

Frederick III of Sicily (1295–1337) devastated Patti because the town was a supporter of his Angevin rivals, Robert and Philip of Naples. The French Pope John XXII, who supported the Angevins, laid all of Sicily under an interdict, which lasted from 1321 to 1335, causing severe problems between the Sicilian episcopate and the monarchy.

On 18 April 1399, Lipari and Patti were separated, and the first bishop of the separate see of Patti was Francesco Hermemir. His predecessor, Francesco Gaptulus, continued as Bishop of Lipari.

The Cathedral of S. Bartolommeo in Patti had a chapter consisting of five dignities and nine canons.

In 1827 the bishopric gained territory from the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Messina. On 20 May 1844 the diocese exchanged territory with the bishopric of Cefalù.

The diocese had in the early 20th century 49 parishes, 20,000 inhabitants, 5 religious houses of men, and 15 of sisters, conducting 4 institutes for girls and several schools.

Pope John Paul II visited the diocese in June 1988.

Bishops

Diocese of Patti

Erected: 12th century

from 1500 to 1800

Since 1800