Italo-Albanese Eparchy of Piana degli Albanesi



The Italo-Albanese Eparchy of Piana degli Albanesi / Hora e Arbëreshëvet (Italian: Eparchia di Piana degli Albanesi; Albanian: Eparhia e Horës së Arbëreshëvet), is an eparchy (Eastern Catholic diocese) of the Italo-Albanian (Byzantine/Greek) Catholic Church sui iuris (Byzantine Rite in Albanese language and Greek language) covering the Italian island of Sicily, where it has 15 parishes.[2]

Its cathedral episcopal see is the Cattedrale di S. Demetrio Megalomartire dedicated to the marty Deemetrio, in Piana degli Albanesi, province of Palermo. It also has a Marian Co-Cathedral, which is a World Heritage Site: Concatedral Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio Concatedral Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio, in Palermo.

Contents

1 History 2 Territory 3 Episcopal Ordinaries 4 References 5 See also 6 External links

History
On February 6, 1784, was established the Ordinariate of Silicia, the first jurisdiction with on ordinary for this particular church sui iuris, and appointed to it the first titular bishop of the Byzantine-Orthodox Rite for the Albanians of Sicily: Giorgio Stassi, Titular Bishop of Lampsacus. Before, the Albanians faithful and their Orthodox priests they had no right and were at risk in assimilation in the Roman rite.

On October 26, 1937, the Eparchy of Piana dei Greci was created by promoting the Ordinariate of Silicia and transferring to it territories from the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Palermo and Metropolitan Archdiocese of Monreale (both on Sicily).

On October 25, 1941, the Eparchy (Diocese) of Piana dei Greci was renamed as Eparchy of Piana degli Abanesi / Hora e Arbëreshëvet.[3]

Territory
The Eparchy of Piana degli Albanesi includes the comunes of Piana degli Albanesi, Contessa Entellina, Mezzojuso, Palazzo Adriano and Santa Cristina Gela. Eparchia See is the town of Piana degli Albanesi, where the Cathedral of Saint Demetrio Megalomartire is located. In Palermo, there is the Co-Cathedral of San Nicolò dei Greci alla Martorana.[3] The territory is divided into 15 parishes.[1]

Interior of the Cathedral of San Demetrio Megalomartire

Episcopal Ordinaries
Ordinaries of Silicy of the Italo-AlbaneseGiorgio Stassi (1784.06.25 – † 1801), Titular Bishop of Lampsacus (1784.06.25 – † 1801) Giuseppe Guzzetta (1802.03.29 – † 1813), Titular Bishop of Lampsacus (1802.03.29 – 1813) Francesco Chiarchiaro (1816.09.23 – † 1834), Titular Bishop of Lampsacus (1816.09.23 – 1834) Giuseppe Crispi (1836.07.11 – † 1859.09.10), Titular Bishop of Lampsacus (1836.07.11 – 1859.09.10) Agostino Franco (1858.06.15 – † 1877?), Titular Bishop of Ermopolis Minor Giuseppe Masi (1878.01.29 – † 1903.04.11) Titular Bishop of Tempe Paolo Schirò, † (1904.01.26 – retired 1937), Titular Bishop of Benda (1904.01.26 – death 1941.09.12) [3] Apostolic Administrator Luigi Lavitrano (October 26, 1937 - 1946.12.20), while Metropolitan Archbishop of Palermo (Sicily, Italy) (1928.09.29 – retired 1944.12), created Cardinal-Priest of S. Silvestro in Capite (1929.12.19 – death 1950.08.02), Prefect of Sacred Congregation of Religious (1945.05.14 – 1950.08.02) Auxiliary Bishop Giuseppe Perniciaro (10/26/1937 – 07/12/1967 see below), Titular Bishop of Arbanum

Apostolic Administrator Ernesto Ruffini † (January 3, 1947 - June 11, 1967 died), while Metropolitan Archbishop of Palermo (Sicily, Italy) (1945.10.11 – 1967.06.11), Cardinal-Priest of S. Sabina (1946.02.22 – 1967.06.11) Eparchs (Bishops) of Piana degli AlbanesiGiuseppe Perniciaro † (see above 07/12/1967 - 06/05/1981 died), previously Titular Bishop of Arbanum (1937.10.26 – 1967.07.12) & Auxiliary Bishop of Piana degli Albanesi of the Italo-Albanese (Italy) (1937.10.26 – 1967.07.12) Ercole Lupinacci (March 25, 1981 - November 30, 1987), later Eparch (bishop) of Eparchy of Lungro (1987.11.30 – retired 2010.08.10) Sotir Ferrara (October 15, 1988 – retired April 8, 2013)[3] Apostolic Administrator Paolo Romeo (2013.04.08 – 2015.03.31), while Metropolitan Archbishop of Palermo (Sicily, Italy) (2006.12.19 – 2015.10.27), Cardinal-Priest of S. Maria Odigitria dei Siciliani pro hac vice Title (2010.11.20 [2011.01.22] – ...) Giorgio Demetrio Gallaro (31 March 2015 – ...)[4]