The archdiocese of Potenza-Muro Lucano-Marsico Nuovo is a Roman Catholic ecclesiastical territory in Basilicata, southern Italy, created in 1986. In that year the diocese of Muro Lucano was united into the archdiocese of Potenza e Marsico Nuovo, which had been elevated to an archdiocese in 1973, and made a metropolitan see in 1976. The historical diocese of Potenza was united with the diocese of Marsico Nuovo in 1818.[1] The joint diocese was then a suffragan of the archdiocese of Salerno.
Potenza was destroyed by the Emperor Frederick II, and was rebuilt by Bishop Oberto in 1250, to be destroyed again by Charles of Anjou. On 21 December, 1857, it was greatly damaged by an earthquake.
The town claims that it was evangelized by Saint Peter; Saint Aruntius and his companions suffered martyrdom there under Maximian. The first known bishop was Amandus (about 500). Other bishops were Saint Gerardo della Porta (1099-1119) - to whom the cathedral, built by Bishop Oberto and restored by Giovanni Andrea Serra (1783-99), is dedicated - and Achille Caracciolo (1616).[2]
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed (1913). Catholic Encyclopedia. Robert Appleton Company.