CASTELLUM NOVAS. — This locality must have been situated along the Adriatic coast not far from Caorle; others, without solid foundation, have thought of a place near Capodistria.
It is mentioned in the letters of May 599 by St Gregory the Great concerning a Bishop John of Pannonia, who, taking advantage of the disturbances stirred up by the schism of the Three Chapters in Venice, had settled in Caorle, which he later abandoned to join the schismatics. From him the diocese of Caorle would trace its origin. CASTELLUM NOVAS remained within the diocese of Concordia.
Bibl.: S. Gregory, Registrum, IX, 10; X, 95-96: PL 77. 950, 1021 sg., and ed. P. Ewald-L. M. Hartmann, in MGH, Epistulae, II, pp. 132, 153; E. Degani, La diocesi di Concordia, 2ª ed., Udine 1924, p. 50 sg.; P. Paschini, Le memorie politiche e religiose del territorio friulano da Costantino a Carlo M., in Mem. stor. forogiul., 8 (1912, iv): id., Storia del Friuli, I, Udine 1934, p. 103 sg.