Early history Through a fanciful reading of
The Book of Acts of the Apostles 27,
St. Paul was said to have preached the Gospel at Reggio Calabria, and to have consecrated his companion, St. Stephen, (
it) bishop. The first bishop known is Bishop
Marcus of Calabria, who was one of five legates of
Pope Sylvester I at the
Council of Nicaea (325).
Medieval period When all Southern Italy was united to the
Patriarchate of Constantinople in 732, Reggio became a metropolitan see with thirteen suffragans, and followed the
Greek Rite, which was changed to the
Gallican Rite after the Norman Conquest in the eleventh century. Reggio had been conquered by the Normans before 1079 and when Basil, the candidate chosen by the patriarch of Constantinople
Cosmas I., attempted to take his position, the Normans prevented him from doing so as they saw him as an agent of a foreign power
whose lands they were preparing to invade. The seat remained empty for some time until the
synod of Melfi in 1089 where Basil appealed to the gathered bishops. He clashed however with pope Urban II when he rejected Urban's authority over the bishops of Italy and his right to
appoint bishops in Italy, which was affirmed by the Greek bishops of
Rossano and
San Severina. His claim was therefore rejected and Rangerius, a monks from
Marmoutier, was elected as bishop.
Modern period Archbishop Ricciullo adopted the
Roman Rite in 1580. The Greek Rite, however, continued to be used in the church of Santissima Maria della Cattolica, built by King Roger, and governed by a
protopope with a numerous Greek clergy. Questions of jurisdiction caused frequent controversies with the archbishop. About 1600 Archbishop Annibale d'Afflitto suppressed the Greek Rite in that church, and the entire diocese now follows the Roman Rite. In 1594 the city of Reggio suffered a devastating attack of the Turkish fleet, which did severe damage to churches, monasteries and hospitals. In 1783 an earthquake struck the city and damaged the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Body of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven. On 28 December 1908 a severe earthquake heavily damaged the Cathedral of Reggio. Reconstruction was immediately put in motion by Archbishop Rinaldo Rousset. The cathedral is served by a Chapter composed of four dignities and twenty four Canons. The dignities are: the Dean, the Cantor, the Archdeacon, and the Treasurer. Originally there were only twelve Canons, but Archbishop Centelles increased the number to eighteen, and Archbishop Gaspare de Creales brought the number up to twenty-four. Earlier collections were lost during the Turkish assault of 1594 and subsequent dispersals, but significant materials were recovered and restored during the twentieth century, notably under Msgr. Rocco Bevacqua and Msgr. Nicola Ferrante. Digitization projects have made parts of the collection accessible online. Parish registers and diplomatic fonds are published through
Monasterium.net and
BeWeB (Beni ecclesiastici in web), while digital images of visitations and registers are available on the archive’s own website.
Cultural Initiatives The Archdiocesan Museum, Archive, and Library (MAB) organize cultural and educational programs. In 2024, they hosted a training course entitled
Paul of Tarsus and the Origins of the Church in Reggio, combining lectures with guided visits to the Cathedral, the Seminary Chapel, the National Archaeological Museum of Reggio Calabria, and local Orthodox and Jewish places of worship. The initiative was designed to prepare guides and students for the Jubilee Year 2025.
Devotional Traditions The archdiocese is known for regional pilgrimages and processions, including the annual
Procession of the Madonna della Consolazione in Reggio Calabria, during which a large painting of the Virgin is carried from the Sanctuary of the Madonna della Consolazione to the Cathedral. In the Bova area, Greek-speaking communities maintain traditional devotions at the Co-Cathedral of Maria SS. dell'Isodia and the Sanctuary of Saint Leo. ==Bishops==