Diocese of Acireale, Italy

Continent: West Europe

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Acireale / Iacien(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Catania

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Websites:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: SS. Vergine Annunziata

Cathedral Dedication Anniversary: August 18

Liturgical Calendar 📅

History

1872.06.03: Established as Diocese of Acireale / Iacien(sis) (Latin) (from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Messina and Archdiocese of Catania and without ecclesiastical province)
2000.12.02: Became suffragan of Catania

Contact Info

Address: Largo Giovanni XXIII 3, 95024 Acireale, Italy

Phone: 095 601102

Present Prelates

Bishop (2011.07.26 – ...):

Bishop Antonino Raspanti (65)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Acireale (Roman Rite)

Bishop Antonino Raspanti (65)
(2011.07.26 – ...)

Bishop of Acireale (Italy)

Humilitas ac dulcedo

Born:	1959.06.20 (Alcamo, Italy)
Ordained Priest:	1982.09.07
Consecrated Bishop:	2011.10.01

Priest of Trapani (Italy) (1982.09.07 – 2011.07.26)

Bishop of Acireale (Italy) (2011.07.26 – ...)

Apostolic Administrator of Messina–Lipari–Santa Lucia del Mela (Italy) (2015.09.24 – 2016.04.04)

Vice-President of Episcopal Conference of Italy (2017.05.24 – 2022.05.27)

Archbishop Pio Vittorio Vigo
(2002.10.15 – 2011.07.26)

In simplicitate cordis

Born:	1935.11.04 (Acireale, Italy)
Ordained Priest:	1958.09.20
Consecrated Bishop:	1981.02.14
Died:	2021.04.30 (Verona, Italy † 85)

Titular Bishop of Écija (1981.01.13 – 1985.03.07)

Auxiliary Bishop of Catania (Italy) (1981.01.13 – 1985.03.07)

Bishop of Nicosia (Italy) (1985.03.07 – 1997.05.24)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Monreale (Italy) (1997.05.24 – 2000.12.02)

Archbishop of Monreale (Italy) (2000.12.02 – 2002.10.15)

Archbishop-Bishop of Acireale (Italy) (2002.10.15 – 2011.07.26)

Bishop Salvatore Gristina (78) (later Archbishop)
(1999.01.23 – 2002.06.07)

Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Catania (Italy)

In spe resurrectionem ministrare

Born:	1946.06.23 (Sciara, Italy)
Ordained Priest:	1970.05.17
Consecrated Bishop:	1992.10.03

Priest of Palermo (Italy) (1970.05.17 – 1992.07.16)

Titular Bishop of Musti in Numidia (1992.07.16 – 1999.01.23)

Auxiliary Bishop of Palermo (Italy) (1992.07.16 – 1999.01.23)

Bishop of Acireale (Italy) (1999.01.23 – 2002.06.07)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Catania (Italy) (2002.06.07 – 2022.01.08)

Bishop Giuseppe Malandrino (93)
(1979.11.30 – 1998.06.19)

Bishop emeritus of Noto (Italy)

Dei verbum audiens

Born:	1931.07.12 (Pachino, Italy)
Ordained Priest:	1955.03.19
Consecrated Bishop:	1980.01.26

Priest of Noto (Italy) (1955.03.19 – 1979.11.30)

Bishop of Acireale (Italy) (1979.11.30 – 1998.06.19)

Bishop of Noto (Italy) (1998.06.19 – 2007.07.16)

Bishop Pasquale Bacile
(1964.07.05 – 1979.11.30)

Ad fontes aquarum

Born:	1916.08.26 (Italy)
Ordained Priest:	1940.08.24
Consecrated Bishop:	1962.09.16
Died:	1987.12.10 († 71)

Titular Bishop of Colbasa (1962.07.07 – 1964.07.05)

Auxiliary Bishop of Acireale (Italy) (1962.07.07 – 1964.07.05)

Bishop of Acireale (Italy) (1964.07.05 – 1979.11.30)

Bishop Salvatore Russo
(1932.08.13 – 1964.04.08)

Caritas omnia sustinet

Born:	1885.01.02 (Italy)
Ordained Priest:	1907.12.21
Consecrated Bishop:	1932.10.23
Died:	1964.04.08 († 79)

Bishop of Acireale (Italy) (1932.08.13 – 1964.04.08)

Bishop Evasio Colli (later Archbishop)
(1927.10.30 – 1932.05.07)

Audiant colles vocem tuam

Born:	1883.05.09 (Italy)
Ordained Priest:	1905.11.05
Consecrated Bishop:	1927.11.20
Died:	1971.03.14 († 87)

Bishop of Acireale (Italy) (1927.10.30 – 1932.05.07)

Bishop of Parma (Italy) (1932.05.07 – 1971.03.14)

General Ecclesiastical Assistant of Italian Catholic Action (1939 – 1943)

Archbishop ad personam (1955.10.18 – 1971.03.14)

Bishop Fernando Cento (later Cardinal)
(1922.07.22 – 1926.06.24)

Impendam superimpendar

Born:	1883.08.10 (Pollenza, Italy)
Ordained Priest:	1905.12.23
Consecrated Bishop:	1922.09.03
Created Cardinal:	1958.12.15
Died:	1973.01.13 (Roma, Italy † 89)

Bishop of Acireale (Italy) (1922.07.22 – 1926.06.24)

Apostolic Nuncio to Venezuela (1926.06.24 – 1936.07.26)

Titular Archbishop of Seleucia Pieria (1926.06.24 – 1959.03.12)

Apostolic Nuncio to Peru (1936.07.26 – 1946.03.09)

Apostolic Internuncio to Luxembourg (1946.03.09 – 1950)

Apostolic Nuncio to Belgium (1946.03.09 – 1953.10.26)

Apostolic Nuncio to Luxembourg (1950 – 1953.10.26)

Apostolic Nuncio to Portugal (1953.10.26 – 1958)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Eustachio pro hac vice Title (1959.03.12 – 1965.04.23)

Major Penitentiary of Sacred Apostolic Penitentiary (1962.02.12 – 1967.04.07)

Cardinal-Bishop of Velletri (1965.04.23 – 1973.01.13)

Bishop Salvatore Bella
(1920.12.17 – 1922.03.29)

Veritatem in caritate

Born:	1862.03.12 (Italy)
Ordained Priest:	1886.04.10
Consecrated Bishop:	1909.06.13
Died:	1922.03.29 († 60)

Bishop of Foggia (Italy) (1909.04.29 – 1920.12.17)

Bishop of Acireale (Italy) (1920.12.17 – 1922.03.29)

Bishop Giovanni Battista Arista, C.O.
(1907.11.04 – 1920.09.27)

Omnia in caritate

Born:	1863.04.02 (Italy)
Ordained Priest:	1887.03.26
Consecrated Bishop:	1904.11.30
Died:	1920.09.27 († 57)

Titular Bishop of Nyssa (1904.11.14 – 1907.11.04)

Auxiliary Bishop of Acireale (Italy) (1904.11.14 – 1907.11.04)

Bishop of Acireale (Italy) (1907.11.04 – 1920.09.27)

Bishop Gerlando Maria Genuardi
(1872.06.21 – 1907.07.04)

Pax vobis

Born:	1839.09.09 (Italy)
Ordained Priest:	1863.03.16
Consecrated Bishop:	1872.08.11
Died:	1907.07.04 († 67)

Bishop of Acireale (Italy) (1872.06.21 – 1907.07.04)

Former Prelates

Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Giuseppe Costanzo (92) (later Archbishop) (1976.02.21 – 1979.11.17)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Ignazio Cannavò (later Archbishop) (1970.10.31 – 1976.02.21)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Pasquale Bacile (1962.07.07 – 1964.07.05)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Giovanni Battista Arista, C.O. (1904.11.14 – 1907.11.04)

Special Churches

Cathedral, Minor Basilica: Basilica Cattedrale di Maria Santissima Annunziata, Acireale, Catania, Sicilia
Minor Basilica: Basilica di San Filippo d’Agira, Aci San Filippo, Catania, Sicilia
Minor Basilica: Basilica di San Giacomo e Maria Santissima della Catena, Castiglione di Sicilia, Catania, Sicilia
Minor Basilica: Basilica di San Pietro, Riposto, Catania, Sicilia
Minor Basilica: Basilica di San Sebastiano Martire, Acireale, Catania, Sicilia
Minor Basilica: Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta, Randazzo, Catania, Sicilia
Minor Basilica: Basilica di Santi Pietro e Paolo, Acireale, Catania, Sicilia
Jubilee Churches in the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy (2016)

Churches by City (112)

Patti (↖), Messina–Lipari–Santa Lucia del Mela (↑), Catania (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 666 km²

Population: 229,000 Catholics (98.3% of 233,000 total)

Pastoral Centres: 111 parishes

Personnel: 152 priests (121 diocesan, 31 religious), 13 deacons, 139 religious (39 brothers, 100 sisters), 10 seminarians