The Italian Roman Catholic diocese of Trieste, in the Triveneto, has existed since no later than 524, and in its current form since 1977. The bishop's seat is in Trieste Cathedral. It is a suffragan of the archdiocese of Gorizia.[1]
Saint Frugifer, consecrated in 524, was the first bishop of Trieste; the diocese was then a suffragan of the archdiocese of Aquileia.
Among the bishops were:
From 1787 a series of administrative changes took place, beginning with the suppression of the diocese of Pedena, which was added to that of Trieste. Emperor Joseph II then abolished the diocese of Trieste in 1788, merging it into the archdiocese of Gradisca. In 1791 Joseph's brother, Emperor Leopold II, divided the archdiocese of Gradisca into the newly-created diocese of Gorizia-Gradisca, or Görz-Gradisca, and a re-created diocese of Trieste, appointing as its bishop the tutor of his children Sigismund Anton, Count of Hohenwart. Later attempts were made to suppress the see again, but the emperor decreed its preservation, appointing Ignatius Cajetanus von Buset zu Faistenberg bishop.[2] After his death in 1803 the see remained vacant for eighteen years, because of the disorders caused by Napoleon.
Emperor Franz II finally appointed Antonio Leonardis da Lucinico as the new bishop of Trieste in 1821. In 1828 the Slovenian diocese of Koper, or Capodistria-Koper, was united with Trieste, after which it was known as the Diocese of Trieste-Koper (Capodistria),[3] or Triest-Capo d'Istria (in the German spelling).
Bishop Bartholomew Legat was present at the Synod of Vienna in 1849, where he defended the views of the minority in the First Vatican Council. In 1909 Bishop Franz Xaver Nagl was appointed coadjutor cum jure successionis to the ninety-year-old Cardinal Prince-Archbishop Anton Gruscha of Vienna.
In 1977 Koper / Capodistria became an independent diocese once more, leaving the diocese of Trieste in its present state.[4]
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed (1913). Catholic Encyclopedia. Robert Appleton Company.