Diocese of Mileto

(MILETENSIS)

Located in Calabria, in the province of Reggio, southern Italy. According to tradition, the city was founded, not far from the site of the ancient Medama by fugitives from Miletus in Asia Minor, destroyed by Darius. It suffered much from earthquakes, especially from those of 1905 and 1906, and, although in a less degree, from that of 28 December, 1908, which destroyed Reggio and Messina. Mileto was made an episcopal see by Gregory VII in 1073. The earthquake of 1783 destroyed the cathedral, built by Count Roger, who also built the monastery of the Most Holy Trinity and St. Michael for Greek Basilian monks. Callistus II united this diocese with those of Tauriana and Vibona, the latter destroyed by the Saracens. The first bishop was Arnolfo; after him were Godfrey (1094), under whom the see became immediately subject to Rome ; Cardinal Corrado Caracciolo (1402); Cardinal Astorgio Agnensi (1411); Antonio Sorbilli (1435), who founded the seminary in 1440; Felice Centini (1611), afterwards a cardinal ; Gregorio Ponziani (1640), charged with a mission to England by Urban VIII. The present incumbent (since 1898), Mgr. Morabito, has been a charitable father to the sufferers from the recent earthquakes. The diocese has 124 parishes, containing 220,000 souls ; 2 convents of men, and 12 houses of nuns, 2 schools for boys, and 7 for girls.