Diocese of Piana degli Albanesi, Italy 🇮🇹 (Italo-Albanese Rite)

Continent: West Europe

Rite: Italo-Albanese (Byzantine)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Piana degli Albanesi (Italiano) / Hora / Planen(sis) Albanensium (Latin)

Immediately subject to the Holy See

Depends on: Dicastery for the Eastern Churches

Website:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: S. Demetrio Megalomartire (October 26)

History

1784.02.06: Established as Ordinariate of Silicia
1937.10.26: Promoted as Diocese of Piana dei Greci (Italiano) / Pianen(sis) Græcorum (Latin) (gained territory from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Monreale and Metropolitan Archdiocese of Palermo and without ecclesiastical province)
1941.10.25: Renamed as Diocese of Piana degli Albanesi (Italiano) / Hora / Planen(sis) Albanensium (Latin)
1960.07.08: Gained territory from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Palermo

Contact Info

Address: Piazza San Nicola 1, 90037 Piana degli Albanesi, Italy

Phone: 091 8571029

Papal Visits

Pope John Paul II (1982.11)

Present Prelates

Bishop (2025.08.30 – ...):

Bishop Papàs Raffaele De Angelis (46)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Piana degli Albanesi (Italo-Albanese Rite)

Bishop Papàs Raffaele De Angelis (46)
(2025.08.30 – ...)

Bishop of Piana degli Albanesi of the Italo-Albanese (Italy)

Born:	1979.10.24 (Castrovillari, Italy)
Ordained Priest:	2006.11.05
Consecrated Bishop:	2025.11.08

Priest of Piana degli Albanesi of the Italo-Albanese (Italy) (2006.11.05 – 2025.08.30)

Bishop of Piana degli Albanesi of the Italo-Albanese (Italy) (2025.08.30 – ...)

Cardinal Francesco Montenegro (79)
(Apostolic Administrator 2023.06.19 – 2025.08.30)

Archbishop Giorgio Demetrio Gallaro (77)
(Apostolic Administrator 2020.02.25 – 2023.06.19)

Bishop Giorgio Demetrio Gallaro (77) (later Archbishop)
(2015.03.31 – 2020.02.25)

Titular Archbishop of Tricala
Secretary emeritus of Dicastery for the Eastern Churches

Edificando nell’Unità

Born:	1948.01.16 (Pozzallo, Italy)
Ordained Priest:	1972.05.27
Consecrated Bishop:	2015.06.28

Priest of Newton of the Greek-Melkites (USA) (1972.05.27 – 2015.03.31)

Bishop of Piana degli Albanesi of the Italo-Albanese (Italy) (2015.03.31 – 2020.02.25)

Secretary of Dicastery for the Eastern Churches (2020.02.25 – 2023.02.15)

Apostolic Administrator of Piana degli Albanesi of the Italo-Albanese (Italy) (2020.02.25 – 2023.06.19)

Titular Archbishop of Tricala (2020.02.25 – ...)

Cardinal Paolo Romeo (87)
(Apostolic Administrator 2013.04.08 – 2015.03.31)

Bishop Sotìr Ferrara
(1988.10.15 – 2013.04.08)

Born:	1937.12.05 (Piana degli Albanesi, Italy)
Ordained Priest:	1960.11.19
Consecrated Bishop:	1989.01.15
Died:	2017.11.25 (Piana degli Albanesi, Italy † 79)

Bishop of Piana degli Albanesi of the Italo-Albanese (Italy) (1988.10.15 – 2013.04.08)

Bishop Ercole Lupinacci
(1981.03.25 – 1987.11.30)

Born:	1933.11.23 (San Giorgio Albanese, Italy)
Ordained Priest:	1959.11.22
Consecrated Bishop:	1981.08.06
Died:	2016.08.06 (San Cosmo Albanese, Italy † 82)

Bishop of Piana degli Albanesi of the Italo-Albanese (Italy) (1981.03.25 – 1987.11.30)

Bishop of Lungro of the Italo-Albanese (Italy) (1987.11.30 – 2010.08.10)

Bishop Giuseppe Perniciaro
(1967.07.12 – 1981.03.25)

Born:	1907.01.11 (Mezzojuso, Italy)
Ordained Priest:	1929.07.07
Consecrated Bishop:	1938.01.16
Died:	1981.06.05 (Piana degli Albanesi, Italy † 74)

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)

Bishop of Piana degli Albanesi of the Italo-Albanese (Italy) (1967.07.12 – 1981.03.25)

Ordinaries of Silicia (Italo-Albanese Rite)

Cardinal Ernesto Ruffini
(Apostolic Administrator 1947.01.03 – 1967.06.11)

Cardinal Luigi Lavitrano
(Apostolic Administrator 1937.10.26 – 1946.12.20)

Bishop Paolo Schirò
(1904.01.26 – 1937.10.26)

Born:	1866.01.02 (Piana dei Greci, Italy)
Consecrated Bishop:	1904.03.20
Died:	1941.09.12 (Piana degli Albanesi, Italy † 75)

Ordinary of Silicia of the Italo-Albanese (Italy) (1904.01.26 – 1937.10.26)

Titular Bishop of Benda (1904.01.26 – 1941.09.12)

Bishop Giovanni Barcia
(1902.04.24 – 1912.12.02▼)

Born:	1829? (Monreale, Italy)
Consecrated Bishop:	1902.06.24
Died:	1912.12.02 (San Demetrio Corone, Italy † 82)

Titular Bishop of Croia (1902.04.20 – 1912.12.02)

Ordinary of Italia continentale of the Italo-Albanese (Italy) (1902.04.24 – 1912.12.02)

Ordinary of Silicia of the Italo-Albanese (Italy) (1902.04.24 – 1912.12.02▼)

Archbishop Giuseppe Schirò
(1889.07.30 – 1896.11.29▼)

Born:	1846.01.01 (Contessa Entellina, Italy)
Consecrated Bishop:	1889.08.18
Died:	1927.08.01 (Contessa Entellina, Italy † 81)

Titular Bishop of Gadaræ (1889.07.30 – 1895.11.29)

Ordinary of Italia continentale of the Italo-Albanese (Italy) (1889.07.30 – 1896.11.29)

Ordinary of Silicia of the Italo-Albanese (Italy) (1889.07.30 – 1896.11.29▼)

Titular Archbishop of Neocæsarea (1895.11.29 – 1927.08.01)

Bishop Giuseppe Masi
(1878.01.29 – 1903.04.11)

Born:	1826.01.12 (Mezzoiuso, Italy)
Consecrated Bishop:	1878.04.28
Died:	1903.04.11 († 77)

Titular Bishop of Tempe (1878.01.29 – 1903.04.11)

Ordinary of Silicia of the Italo-Albanese (Italy) (1878.01.29 – 1903.04.11)

Bishop Agostino Franco
(1858.06.15 – 1859▼)

Born:	1823 (Mezzoiuso, Italy)
Consecrated Bishop:	1858.07.04
Died:	1877? († 54)

Ordinary of Silicia of the Italo-Albanese (Italy) (1858.06.15 – 1859▼)

Ordinary of Italia continentale of the Italo-Albanese (Italy) (1858.06.15 – 1860)

Titular Bishop of Hermopolis maior (1858.06.15 – 1877?)

Bishop Giuseppe Crispi
(1835.12.20 – 1859.09.10)

Born:	1781.07.30 (Palazzo Adriano, Italy)
Ordained Priest:	1808.05.26
Died:	1859.09.10 († 78)

Ordinary of Silicia of the Italo-Albanese (Italy) (1835.12.20 – 1859.09.10)

Titular Bishop of Lampsacus (1836.07.11 – 1859.09.10)

Bishop Francesco Chiarchiaro
(1813.09.23 – 1834)

Born:	1748.03.07 (Palazzo Adriano, Italy)
Ordained Priest:	1772.11.25
Consecrated Bishop:	1816.09.26
Died:	1834 († 86)

Ordinary of Silicia of the Italo-Albanese (Italy) (1813.09.23 – 1834)

Titular Bishop of Lampsacus (1816.09.23 – 1834)

Bishop Giuseppe Guzzetta
(1801.03.29 – 1813)

Born:	1731.05.29 (Piana dei Greci, Italy)
Ordained Priest:	1754.12
Consecrated Bishop:	1802.05.01
Died:	1813 († 82)

Ordinary of Silicia of the Italo-Albanese (Italy) (1801.03.29 – 1813)

Titular Bishop of Lampsacus (1802.03.29 – 1813)

Bishop Giorgio Stassi
(1784.06.25 – 1801.03.26)

Born:	1712.03.26 (Piana dei Greci, Italy)
Consecrated Bishop:	1784.07.04
Died:	1801.03.26 († 89)

Titular Bishop of Lampsacus (1784.06.25 – 1801.03.26)

Ordinary of Silicia of the Italo-Albanese (Italy) (1784.06.25 – 1801.03.26)

Former Prelates

Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Giuseppe Perniciaro (1937.10.26 – 1967.07.12)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Cattedrale di San Demetrio Megalomartire, Piana degli Albanesi, Palermo, Sicilia
Co-Cathedral, World Heritage Site: Concatedral Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio, Palermo, Palermo, Sicilia

Churches by City (18)

Monreale (↑), Palermo (↗), Agrigento (↘)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 418 km²

Population: 23,400 Catholics (95.5% of 24,500 total)

Pastoral Centres: 16 parishes

Personnel: 23 priests (21 diocesan, 2 religious), 66 religious (17 brothers, 49 sisters), 3 seminarians

Italo-Albanese Diocese of

Piana degli Albanesi

Italy