Diocese of Piazza Armerina

(PLATIENSIS)

Located in the province of Caltanissetta, Sicily. The city of Piazza Armerina is situated on a high hill in a very fertile district. Its origin is obscure. Gulielmo il Malo destroyed it in 1166 on account of a rebellion, and Gulielmo il Buono rebuilt it, together with the church of l'Asunta, now the cathedral, and in which there is an admirable picture of the Assumption by Paladino. The church of the priory of S. Andrea also has fine paintings and frescoes. The diocese, taken from that of Catania was created in 1817, its first prelate was Girolamo Aprile e Benzi; it is a suffragan of Syracuse, has 23 parishes, with 184,500 inhabitants, 7 religious houses of men and 19 of women, 1 school for boys and 7 for girls, and 1 Catholic weekly.