• Established circa 250 as
Diocese of Trani (Italian) / Tranen(sis) (Latin), without known precursor see • Gained territory in 844 from
Diocese of Canosa • Promoted in 1063 as
Metropolitan Archdiocese of Trani (Italiano) / Tranen(sis) (Latin) • Lost territories in 1100 to Metropolitan Archdiocese of Nazareth, and to establish
Diocese of Andria • Lost territory in 1327 to establish Metropolitan
Archdiocese of Nazareth in Barletta (at the ancient
Barduli). • Gained territory in 1424 from the suppressed Diocese of Salpi, lost it again in 1523 to (re)establish the Diocese of Salpi and on 1547.04.22 gained it back from the (again) suppressed Diocese of Salpi • Gained territories on 1818.06.27 from the suppressed above Metropolitan daughter Archdiocese of Nazareth in Barletta and from the
Diocese of Canne, and gained the 'adopted' title of Nazareth [dropping in Barletta] • Lost territory on 1860.04.21 to (re)establish the
Archdiocese of Barletta • Demoted on 1980.10.20 as non-metropolitan
Archdiocese of Trani (Italiano) / Tranen(sis) (Latin) • Renamed on 1986.09.30 as
Archdiocese of Trani–Barletta–Bisceglie (Italiano) / Tranen(sis)–Barolen(sis)–Vigilien(sis) (Latin), having gained territories (and adopting their titles) from the suppressed
Archdiocese of Barletta (above daughter) and
Diocese of Bisceglie • Gained in 1989 the (honorary) title of the see of Nazareth The legend of
St. Magnus relates that there was at Trani about the middle of the third century a bishop,
Redemptus, who was succeeded by St. Magnus. The legend is recent in origin, and its character is so fantastic that it is not to be believed. The first bishop whose date is known with certainty is Eutychius, who was present at the dedication of the
Basilica of Monte Gargano in 493. Until the end of the 10th century, Trani had followed the
Latin Church and
it's liturgies, and Bishop Bernardo opposed the decree of the Patriarch Polyeuctes (968) introducing the
Byzantine Rite; it is uncertain whether
Joannes, bishop of Trani, who embraced the schism of
Michael Caerularius and in consequence was deposed by
Pope Nicholas II (1059), belonged to the Greek Rite. His successor was Delius, and thenceforward Trani continued in the Latin Church. In 1073 Trani fell into the hands of the Normans, and Count Pierre d'Hauteville became Count of Trani, though he was quickly put down by Robert Guiscard. In 1098
Nicholas the Pilgrim, a Byzantine Christian, died there; under another Byzantine the new cathedral was dedicated to that saint.
Bertrand II (1157–87) tried to arrange a Byzantine–Sicilian marriage alliance.
Samarus was granted the lordship of the Jews of Trani by
Emperor Henry VI for his support against
Tancred.
Bartolommeo Brancacci (1328) distinguished himself on several embassies and was chancellor of the Kingdom of Naples. In 1455 the Diocese of Cannae (Italian
Canne) was united with that of Nazareth.
Cannae was destroyed in 1083 by Robert Guiscard, with the exception of the cathedral and the episcopal residence. It had bishops in the sixth century, for
Gregory the Great entrusted the see to the care of the
bishop of Siponto; its bishops are again mentioned after the tenth century. In 1534 Cannae was separated from Nazareth and united to the
diocese of Monteverde, but in 1552 the united dioceses were incorporated with Nazareth. In 1860 the See of Nazareth (Barletta) was united with Trani, the archbishop of which had been appointed in 1818 perpetual administrator of the see of Bisceglie. With the See of Trani is united the ancient
diocese of Salpe (Salapia of the Greeks), its known bishops comprising Palladius (465) and 23 successors before the definitive union in 1547. Another is the
see of Carnia, which had bishops before the time Gregory, who entrusted it to the care of the
Bishop of Reggio Calabria; in 649 it had a new ordinary, but later the city fell into decay. == Bishops and Archbishops ==