The Diocese of Sapë ( la, Dioecesis Sappensis, sq, Dioqeza e Sapës) is a
Latin Church
, native_name_lang = la
, image = San Giovanni in Laterano - Rome.jpg
, imagewidth = 250px
, alt = Façade of the Archbasilica of St. John in Lateran
, caption = Archbasilica of Saint Jo ...
ecclesiastical territory or
diocese
In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop.
History
In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associ ...
of the
Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwide . It is am ...
in Northern
Albania
Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and share ...
. It is a
suffragan diocese
A suffragan diocese is one of the dioceses other than the metropolitan archdiocese that constitute an ecclesiastical province. It exists in some Christian denominations, in particular the Catholic Church, the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandri ...
in the
ecclesiastical province
An ecclesiastical province is one of the basic forms of jurisdiction in Christian Churches with traditional hierarchical structure, including Western Christianity and Eastern Christianity. In general, an ecclesiastical province consists of sev ...
of the
metropolitan
Metropolitan may refer to:
* Metropolitan area, a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories
* Metropolitan borough, a form of local government district in England
* Metropolitan county, a typ ...
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
A cathedral is a church that contains the ''cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denominations ...
of the diocese is Katedralja e Nënë Terezja, in the town of
Vau-Dejës,
Shkodër County
Shkodër County ( sq, Qarku i Shkodrës) is a county in northwestern Albania, with the capital in Shkodër. The county spans and had a total population of 197,177 people as of 2021. The county borders on the counties of Lezhë, Kukës and the ...
. The former cathedral is Kisha e Shën Gjergjit, in
Nënshat in the same county.
The diocese is one of six Catholic jurisdictions in Albania.
Catholic Hierarchy: Current Dioceses in Albania
/ref> It is located in the vicinity of Lake Scutari
Lake Skadar ( sh-Cyrl-Latn, Скадарско језеро, Skadarsko jezero, ; sq, Liqeni i Shkodrës, ) also called Lake Scutari, Lake Shkodër and Lake Shkodra lies on the border of Albania and Montenegro, and is the largest lake in Southern ...
, 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
, image = FrancescoCoA PioM.svg
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, caption = A cross, Christ's arm and Saint Francis's arm, a universal symbol of the Franciscans
, abbreviation = OFM
, predecessor =
, ...
monastery at Troshan (Trosciani), where the Minorites
, image = FrancescoCoA PioM.svg
, image_size = 200px
, caption = A cross, Christ's arm and Saint Francis's arm, a universal symbol of the Franciscans
, abbreviation = OFM
, predecessor =
, ...
have a "Collegium seraphicum" for their students of philosophy.
History
The bishopric was established in 1062, by Pope Alexander II
Pope Alexander II (1010/1015 – 21 April 1073), born Anselm of Baggio, was the head of the Roman Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 1061 to his death in 1073. Born in Milan, Anselm was deeply involved in the Pataria reform ...
. During the 11th century, the diocese was located within Dioclea. In the 12th century the territory under jurisdiction of this diocese belonged to the Serbian Grand Principality
Grand Principality of Serbia ( sr, Великожупанска Србија, Velikožupanska Srbija), or Rascia ( sr, Рашка, Raška), was a medieval Serbian state that existed from the second half of the 11th century up until 1217, when it ...
and in period 13th century – mid 14th century it belonged to the Kingdom of Serbia
The Kingdom of Serbia ( sr-cyr, Краљевина Србија, Kraljevina Srbija) was a country located in the Balkans which was created when the ruler of the Principality of Serbia, Milan I, was proclaimed king in 1882. Since 1817, the Prin ...
succeeded by the Serbian Empire.
In 1491 Pope Innocent VIII
Pope Innocent VIII ( la, Innocentius VIII; it, Innocenzo VIII; 1432 – 25 July 1492), born Giovanni Battista Cybo (or Cibo), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 29 August 1484 to his death in July 1492. Son of th ...
joined to it the Bishopric of Sardë (Sardoniki), and the united sees were suffragan
A suffragan bishop is a type of bishop in some Christian denominations.
In the Anglican Communion, a suffragan bishop is a bishop who is subordinate to a metropolitan bishop or diocesan bishop (bishop ordinary) and so is not normally jurisdiction ...
s 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
Pope Martin V ( la, Martinus V; it, Martino V; January/February 1369 – 20 February 1431), born Otto (or Oddone) Colonna, was the head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 11 November 1417 to his death in February 1431. Hi ...
in 1428. By the Albanian Council in 1703, the Bishop of Sappa obtained some parishes previously belonging to the Diocese of Pulati
The Diocese of Pult (Latin Pulati) ( la, Dioecesis Pulatensis) was a Latin Catholic diocese in northern Albania until abolished in 2005, when it was merged into the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Shkodër-Pult.
History
The bishopric was founded ...
.
* Lost territory on 1890.12.30 to Territorial Abbacy of Shën Llezhri i Oroshit
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
;''Bishops of Sapë''
* Pietro = Peter I (11 June 1291 – ????)
* Paolo = Paul (ca. 1370–1376?)
* Benevenuli = Benvenuto, Friars Minor (O.F.M.) (2 July 1376 – ????)
* Peter II ( Pjetër Zakaria) = Pietro Zaccaria (1395.05.04 – )
* Nicholas I (1414–????)
* Michael (March 1422 – ????)
* Peter III (1425–????)
* Peter IV (1431–????)
* Matthew (Mateo/Mateu Hermollaji) (1433–????)
* George I (1440–1451)
* Emmanuel (1460–????)
* Unknown (1472–????)
* Marinus I (Marin Suma) (1473–????)
* Gabriel I (1479–????)
* Blasius (1489–1490)
* Prodokimi (January 1490 – 1500)
* Peter V (Pjetër Stërbinja) (1501–1507)
* Dominic (Domingo García) (5 July 1508 – ????)
* Ambrosius (Ambrosius Montemini) (1512–????)
* George III (1513–????)
* Didak Fernandez (1514–????)
* John I (Juan Buenaventura de Valderrama) (3 September 1518 – 1520)
* Alphonse (Alfons Kavaçiri) (1521–????)
* ''Diocese ceased to function for 50 years for unknown reasons''
* Theobald (Tossoli Blanco) (1582–????)
* George IV (Gjergj Palma) (1583–????)
* Nicholas II ( Nikollë Bardhi) (1594–????)
* Simon I (Simon Gjeçi/Jeçi) (1620–1621)
* Peter VI ( Pjetër Budi) (20 July 1621 – ????)
* George IV ( Gjergj Bardhi) (1623–1635)
* Francis ( Frang Bardhi) (1635–????)
* George IV ( Gjergj Bardhi) (1644–1646)
* Simon II ( Simeoni Suma) (1647–1670s)
* Stephen ( Shtjefën Gaspari) (1675–????)
* Martin (Martin Jelić) (1682–????)
* George V ( Gjergj Teodori) (1685–1705)
* Egidius ( Egidio Quinto) (21 March 1707 – 8 February 1719)
* Marinus II ( Marin Gjini) (1719–????)
* John II ( Gjon Gallata) (1720–????)
* Basil (Vasil Lindi) (1738–1744)
* Lazarus I ( Lazër Vladanji) (1746–1749)
* George ( Gjergj Vladanji) (1750–1765)
* Nicholas III (25 August 1765 – 1791)
* John III (Gjon Logoreci) (2 April 1791 – 21 December 1794)
* Anthony (Anton/Ndoc Radovani) (1796–????)
* Marcus (Mark Negri) (1808–????)
* Alexander (Lekë Suma) (24 December 1825 – ????)
* Lazarus I (Lazër Vladanji) (1827 – 15 February 1830)
* Peter VII (Pjetër Borçi) (18 December 1829/13 February 1836) – ????)
* George VII (Gjergj Labella) (1844 – ????)
* Peter VIII (Pietro Severini) (26 November 1843/1 February 1845 – 7 November 1873)
* Julius (Giulio Marsili) (December 1873 – 12 August 1890)
* Lawrence (Lorenzo Petris de Dolammare) (5 August 1890 – 20 December 1892)
* Gabriel II (Gabriel Nev(r)iani) (10 January 1893 – 28 March 1900)
* Lazarus II ( Lazër Mjeda) (10 November 1900 – 24 December 1904)
* Jacob (Jak(ë) Serreqi) (7 August/29 October 1905 – 14 April/22 April 1910)
* George VI (Gjergj Koleci) (21 September 1911 – 2 January 1928)
** Gaspar ( Gaspër Thaçi) (1928 – ca. 13 June 1928) – Apostolic Administrator
* Joseph (Zef Gjonali) (13 June/25 July 1928 – 9 October/30 October 1935)
* Nicholas IV (Nikollë Vinçenc Prennushi Nikollë or Kolë is an Albanian male given name, derived from the Greek name Νικόλαος ('' Nikolaos''). The definite form is Nikolla.
Notable people bearing this name include:
*Nikollë Bardhi (1551-1617), Albanian prelate of the Roman C ...
) (27 January/6 February 1936 – 26 June 1940)
* George VIII (Gjergj Volaj) (25 May/26 June 1940 – February 1947/3 February 1948)
* John IV (Gjon Kovaçi) (June 1950 – ????)
** Francis II ( Frano Illia) (25 April 1993 – 1997) – Apostolic Administrator
** Angel (Angelo Massafra) (1997 – ca. 2000) – Apostolic Administrator
** Dodë Gjergji (6 January 2000 – 12 December 2006) – Apostolic Administrator
* Lucian ( Lucjan Avgustini) (12 December 2006 – 22 May 2016)
* Bishop-elect Simon Kulli (2017.06.15 – ...)
See also
* List of Catholic dioceses in Albania
The Catholic Church in Albania is composed of:
* two Roman Catholic ecclesiastical provinces, comprising two metropolitan archdioceses and three suffragan dioceses
* one pre-diocesan jurisdiction of the Albanian Greek Catholic Church, a particular ...
References
Sources and external links
GigaCatholic - data for all sections
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sape, Roman Catholic Diocese
Roman Catholic dioceses in Albania
Roman Catholic Ecclesiastical Province of Shkodër-Pult
1062 establishments in Europe
Roman Catholic dioceses established in the 11th century
Vau i Dejës