Roman Catholic Diocese of Lucera–Troia

The diocese of Lucera-Troia is a Roman Catholic ecclesiastical territory in southern Italy, with its episcopal see in Lucera. It is heir to several other neighbouring former sees, not only the diocese of Troia which has a co-cathedral, but also the diocese of Farentino, diocese of Tortiboli and diocese of Montecorvino, which had before been united with the diocese of Volturaria.

The Cathedral of Lucera.

Ecclesiastical history

Local tradition traces the origin of the to the third century (St. Bassus). The first historically certain bishop is Marcus (c. 743).

In 1391 the Diocese of Lucera was increased by the addition of that of Castel Fiorentino, a city founded in 1015 by the Byzantine catapan Basil Mesardonites. It was the place of Emperor Frederick II's death.

After 1409 the diocese of Tortiboli - created before 1236 - was united to Lucera. However it remains a titular diocese by its Latin name of Tortibulum; since 2001 it has an Asian incumbent, Joseph Vu Duy Thong, Auxiliary Bishop of Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam.

Finally in 1818, the united Dioceses of Montecorvino and Vulturaria were added to Lucera. Motta Montecorvino became an episcopal see in the tenth century, and among its bishops was St. Albert (died 1037); Montecorvino would later be assigned as a titular archbishopric. Montecorvino's union with Vulturaria, a town now almost deserted, took place in 1433; it would however also repeatedly be assigned as a titular diocese.

On September 30, 1986 the Diocese of Troia was united with Lucera and it was renamed the diocese of Lucera–Troia, as a suffragan of the also renamed Metropolitan archdiocese of Foggia-Bovino (only promoted as archbishopric of Foggia in 1979). Both its cathedral in Lucera and its co-cathedral in Troia have the rank of minor basilica.

Sources and references

• "Lucera". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. 1913. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09406a.htm. 
• GigaCatholic- Italy, various

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed (1913). "Lucera". Catholic Encyclopedia. Robert Appleton Company.