DODECANESO. – Group of 14 islands (some excluded 2, namely Rodi and Castelrosso, so that there were 12 islands according to the strict meaning of the term) in the Aegean Sea, Rodi (v.), Calchi, Calino, Caso, Castelrosso, Coo, Lero, Lisso, Nisiro, PATMOS (v.), Piscopi, Scarpanto, Simi, Stampalia. These passed to Italy in 1912 (Castelrosso in 1921); they now belong to Greece. Their inhabitants are for the overwhelming majority Greek Orthodox, under 4 metropolitans belonging to the Patriarchate of Constantinople. For Rodi and Patmo V. their respective entries. The Catholic Church re-established the residential see of Rodi in 1928; as early as 1897 it had erected the Apostolic Prefecture of Rodi (
V. GRECIA)
See plate CV.BIBL.: GM, pp. 355–56. Giorgio Hofmann