The diocese of Pozzuoli is said to have been founded around 100 AD. The conjecture is based on the fact that Paul of Tarsus landed at Pozzuoli on his way to trial in Rome, and the fact that Ignatius of Antioch, when being conducted to Rome, landed in Pozzuoli. Neither reference proves the existence of a diocese, or even an established community. Proculus, Acutius, Eutyches and Artemas were martyrs of Pozzuoli, and St. Januarius of Benevento and his companions suffered martyrdom here. In 1198, the Solfatera volcano, which is less than two miles west of the cathedral of Pozzuoli, exploded violently, and the earth tremors damaged every building in Pozzuoli. In the 12th century, piracy increased considerably in the Tyrrhenian Sea. Some pirate bands captured Cumae, fortified its castello, and made it the headquarters of their activities. The bishops of Aversa, who were frequent targets, appealed to Naples for assistance, and, in 1207, obtained the aid of the military captain Goffredo de Montefuscolo, who sent aid from Naples, led by Pietro di Lettra. The pirates were scattered, and the town and castello of Cumae were taken and completely destroyed. The Archbishop of Naples recovered and removed the sacred relics, the head of the cathedral chapter of Cumae, the Primicerius, was incorporated into the diocese of Aversa, and the diocese of Aversa and the diocese of Pozzuoli gained territory from the suppressed Diocese of Cuma. The archbishops of Naples permanently assumed the title of bishops of Cumae. In 1536, a series of earthquakes began in the neighborhood of Pozzuoli, culminating in the explosions of 26 and 27 September 1538, which brought into existence a new volcano only two miles west of the cathedral, called Monte Nuovo. Just before the explosion the sea receded from the beach by two hundred feet. Virtually every building in the area was damaged. In 2016, there was one Catholic priest for every 4,119 Catholics.
Cathedral
The seat of the bishop is in Pozzuoli Cathedral, dedicated to the local martyrProculus of Pozzuoli. By the 6th century, the Temple of Augustus, a building consisting principally of marble, had been converted for use as the Christian cathedral. In the 17th century, Bishop Martín de León Cárdenas had the old cathedral restored by enclosing it entirely in a baroque structure, which survived until 1964. The cathedral was closed after a major fire in 1964 but reopened for worship in 2014, though in 2019 it is still open only on Saturdays and Sundays, due to archaeological and restoration work on the Temple of Augustus. During that building's closure the nearby church of Santa Maria della Consolazione in Pozzuoli served as a pro-cathedral. The cathedral is administered and served by a Chapter, consisting of three dignities and twelve Canons. In 1775, there were four dignities. On 7 May 1300, the Canons of Pozzuoli surrendered their right to elect their bishop to Pope Boniface VIII. The diocese's Co-Cathedral in Monterusciello is the Concattedrale di S. Paolo Apostolo, devoted to St. Paul the Apostle. A diocesan synod was held by Bishop Martín de León Cárdenas )
