VOLTURARA. - An ancient diocese and town, now Volturara Irpina in the province of Salerno.
It seems to have arisen after the Romans had destroyed Sebaste and ca. 200 B.C. In a document of 797 it is called "Veterale."
The diocese was created by John XIII in 969, who made it a suffragan of Benevento, which he had elevated to metropolitan status. But the first known bishop is John, in 1037; then came Alderard in 694; Pelagius, who in 1059 attended the Lateran Council; Hugh in 1229; Benedict in 1265; James in 1349, transferred to Telese in 1353, succeeded by John of Montepulciano; from 1402 to 1412 Thomas. Pope Eugenius IV on 9 April 1434 perpetually united, aequo principaliter, the diocese of V. Monte Corvino (v.) and the first bishop of the united dioceses was Anthony, who was already bishop of Monte Corvino.
Pope Pius VII with the bull De utiliori dominicae of 28 June 1818 suppressed the two dioceses, uniting them with that of Lucera.
The cathedral was first dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel, then to the Blessed Virgin Mary, assumed into heaven.