CATANZARO, DIOCESE of. — The city of C., capital of the province of the same name in Calabria, rises between the gulfs of Squillace and S. Eufemia. It is of Byzantine origin and, owing to its position, has enjoyed considerable importance from the Norman period onward.
The origins of the diocese of C. are a matter of controversy among historians, many of whom deny any objective value to the Chronica Trium Tabernarum, which they regard as a forgery of the 13th century, attributable to the canon Ruggero di Loritello, while others accept its substantial truth. According to this source, C. is the heir of the see of Tres Tabernae, corresponding to present-day Taverna. The existence of this diocese is attested in a Greek diploma of 1091, in which Teodoro Mesimeros signs himself bishop of Squillace, Stilo, and Taverna. Pope Callistus II, who came to Calabria to meet with the Norman princes, is said to have transferred its see to C., where he is said to have consecrated the Cathedral, presenting it with the body of St. Vitalian, who thereby became its patron. In more recent times the Chronica Trium Tabernarum has
gained considerable ground through the work of Caspar, Jaffé, and Fabre. The latter recalls that in the Liber Censuum Tres Tabernae also appears among the sees subject to the Holy See; he recalls the bulls of Callistus II, published by Jaffé, and concludes: “This foundation and these documents have been disputed, but they withstand criticism, and our list gives them solid support.”
The see of Tres Tabernae, transferred to C. in the 12th century, lost its exemption and became a suffragan see of Reggio, as is shown by the Provinciale Vetus of Albino (PL 98, 474), remaining so until 5 June 1927, when it was elevated to an archiepiscopal see.
The territory of the diocese comprises 5 vicariates, 46 parishes, and more than 90,000 souls, assisted by 63 secular priests and 12 regular priests (1948). One of the first regional seminaries in Italy was established at C.; dedicated to Pius X, it was inaugurated in 1914. At present, however, a serious fire has rendered it unusable. The Cathedral is of good classical design. It was restored in 1665 by Bishop Consalvo Caputo.