Diocese of Massa Carrara–Pontremoli, Italy

Continent: West Europe

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Massa Carrara–Pontremoli / Massen(sis)–Apuan(us) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Pisa

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Website:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: S. Maria Assunta, Saint Francis of Assisi

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1100: Established as Abbacy nullius of Massa Carrara / Massen(sis) (Latin) (from Diocese of Lucca)
1822.02.18: Promoted as Diocese of Massa Carrara / Massen(sis) (Latin) (gained territory from Diocese of Luni–Sarzana and became suffragan of Pisa)
1822.07.03: Gained territory from Archdiocese of Lucca
1853.12.17: Gained territory from Archdiocese of Lucca
1854: Gained territory from Diocese of Brugnato and Diocese of Luni–Sarzana
1855.08.22: Became suffragan of Modena
1926.04.23: Became suffragan of Pisa
1939.07.20: Renamed as Diocese of Apuania / Apuanien(sis) (Latin)
1959.07.26: Lost territory to Diocese of Brugnato and Diocese of Luni–Sarzana
1986.09.30: Renamed as Diocese of Massa / Massen(sis) (Latin)
1988.02.23: Renamed as Diocese of Massa Carrara–Pontremoli / Massen(sis)–Apuan(us) (Latin) (gained territory from the suppressed Diocese of Pontremoli)
1992.09.05: Lost territory to Archdiocese of Lucca
2003.01.14: Gained territory from Diocese of La Spezia–Sarzana–Brugnato and lost territory to Diocese of Piacenza–Bobbio

Contact Info

Address: Via Francesco M. Zoppi 14, 54100 Massa, Italy

Phone: 0585 8990210

Present Prelates

Bishop (2022.02.24 – ...):

Bishop Mario Vaccari, O.F.M. (65)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Massa Carrara–Pontremoli (Roman Rite)

Bishop Mario Vaccari, O.F.M. (65)
(2022.02.24 – ...)

Bishop of Massa Carrara–Pontremoli (Italy)

Cœpit lavare pedes discipulorum

Born:	1959.02.05 (Genova, Italy)
Ordained Priest:	1998.12.08
Consecrated Bishop:	2022.05.22

Bishop of Massa Carrara–Pontremoli (Italy) (2022.02.24 – ...)

Bishop Gianni Ambrosio (80)
(Apostolic Administrator 2021.01.15 – 2022.02.24)

Bishop Giovanni Santucci (75)
(2010.05.19 – 2021.01.15)

Bishop emeritus of Massa Carrara–Pontremoli (Italy)

A minimis incipe

Born:	1949.05.14 (Pietrasanta, Italy)
Ordained Priest:	1974.06.28
Consecrated Bishop:	1999.12.05

Priest of Pisa (Italy) (1974.06.28 – 1999.10.28)

Bishop of Massa Marittima–Piombino (Italy) (1999.10.28 – 2010.05.19)

Bishop of Massa Carrara–Pontremoli (Italy) (2010.05.19 – 2021.01.15)

Bishop Eugenio Binini (89)
(1991.07.20 – 2010.05.19)

Bishop emeritus of Massa Carrara–Pontremoli (Italy)

In omnibus pax

Born:	1934.12.21 (Traversetolo, Italy)
Ordained Priest:	1957.06.15
Consecrated Bishop:	1984.01.06

Priest of Parma (Italy) (1957.06.15 – 1983.12.03)

Bishop of Sovana–Pitigliano–Orbetello (Italy) (1983.12.03 – 1986.09.30)

Bishop of Pitigliano–Sovana–Orbetello (Italy) (1986.09.30 – 1991.07.20)

Bishop of Massa Carrara–Pontremoli (Italy) (1991.07.20 – 2010.05.19)

Bishop Bruno Tommasi (later Archbishop)
(1988.02.23 – 1991.03.20)

In infirmitate virtus

Born:	1930.01.14 (Montignoso, Italy)
Ordained Priest:	1958.07.06
Consecrated Bishop:	1983.07.12
Died:	2015.09.17 (Viareggio, Italy † 85)

Bishop of Pontremoli (Italy) (1983.06.10 – 1988.02.23)

Coadjutor Bishop of Massa (Italy) (1983.06.10 – 1988.02.23)

Bishop of Massa Carrara–Pontremoli (Italy) (1988.02.23 – 1991.03.20)

Archbishop of Lucca (Italy) (1991.03.20 – 2005.01.22)

Bishops of Massa (Roman Rite)

Bishop Aldo Forzoni
(1986.09.30 – 1988.02.23)

Deus fortitudo mea

Born:	1912.08.18 (Italy)
Ordained Priest:	1940.05.31
Consecrated Bishop:	1953.08.09
Died:	1991.12.07 († 79)

Bishop of Gravina (Italy) (1953.05.14 – 1961.11.30)

Bishop of Irsina (Italy) (1953.05.14 – 1961.11.30)

Bishop of Diano–Teggiano (Italy) (1961.11.30 – 1970.04.23)

Bishop of Apuania (Italy) (1970.04.23 – 1986.09.30)

Bishop of Massa (Italy) (1986.09.30 – 1988.02.23)

Bishops of Apuania (Roman Rite)

Bishop Aldo Forzoni
(1970.04.23 – 1986.09.30)

(see above)

Bishop Alberto Ablondi
(Apostolic Administrator 1966.08.09 – 1970.09.26)

Bishop Carlo Boiardi
(1945.10.30 – 1970.02.24)

Born:	1899.07.14 (Italy)
Ordained Priest:	1925.03.07
Consecrated Bishop:	1946.01.27
Died:	1970.02.24 († 70)

Bishop of Apuania (Italy) (1945.10.30 – 1970.02.24)

Bishop Cristoforo Arduino Terzi, O.F.M.
(1939.07.20 – 1945.07.10)

Born:	1884.09.29 (Italy)
Ordained Priest:	1907.05.25
Consecrated Bishop:	1934.07.25
Died:	1971.07.11 († 86)

Bishop of Massa Carrara (Italy) (1934.05.11 – 1939.07.20)

Bishop of Apuania (Italy) (1939.07.20 – 1945.07.10)

Titular Bishop of Diocletiana (1945.07.10 – 1971.07.11)

Bishops of Massa Carrara (Roman Rite)

Bishop Cristoforo Arduino Terzi, O.F.M.
(1934.05.11 – 1939.07.20)

(see above)

Bishop Giuseppe Bertazzoni
(1917.06.30 – 1933.07.02)

Born:	1865.03.20 (Italy)
Ordained Priest:	1889
Consecrated Bishop:	1917.09.12
Died:	1933.07.02 († 68)

Bishop of Massa Carrara (Italy) (1917.06.30 – 1933.07.02)

Bishop Giovanni Battista Marenco, S.D.B. (later Archbishop)
(1909.04.29 – 1917.01.07)

Born:	1853.04.27 (Italy)
Died:	1921.10.22 († 68)

Bishop of Massa Carrara (Italy) (1909.04.29 – 1917.01.07)

Titular Archbishop of Edessa (1917.01.07 – 1921.10.22)

Apostolic Internuncio to Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Honduas (1917.01.07 – 1921.10.22)

Bishop Emilio Maria Miniati (later Archbishop)
(1894.05.18 – 1909.04.29)

Born:	1839.01.06 (Italy)
Died:	1918.03.17 († 79)

Bishop of Massa Carrara (Italy) (1894.05.18 – 1909.04.29)

Titular Archbishop of Stauropolis (1909.04.29 – 1918.03.17)

Bishop Amilcare Tonietti (later Archbishop)
(1887.11.25 – 1893.06.12)

Born:	1847.06.23 (Italy)
Ordained Priest:	1871.09.23
Consecrated Bishop:	1887.12.08
Died:	1927.03.22 († 79)

Bishop of Massa Carrara (Italy) (1887.11.25 – 1893.06.12)

Bishop of Montalcino (Italy) (1893.06.12 – 1899.09.25)

Titular Archbishop of Tyana (1899.09.25 – 1927.03.22)

Bishop Giovanni Battista Alessio Tommasi
(1872.05.06 – 1887)

Born:	1823.07.16 (Italy)
Died:	1887 († 64)

Bishop of Massa Carrara (Italy) (1872.05.06 – 1887)

Bishop Giacomo Bernardi
(1856.06.16 – 1871.12.23)

Born:	1799.05.02 (Italy)
Died:	1871.12.23 († 72)

Bishop of Massa Carrara (Italy) (1856.06.16 – 1871.12.23)

Bishop Francesco Strani
(1834.06.23 – 1855.12.16)

Born:	1780.11.15 (Italy)
Died:	1855.12.16 († 75)

Bishop of Massa Carrara (Italy) (1834.06.23 – 1855.12.16)

Bishop Francesco Maria Zoppi
(1823.11.17 – 1832.10.01)

Born:	1765.06.06
Ordained Priest:	1788.12.20
Consecrated Bishop:	1823.11.23
Died:	1841.04 († 75)

Bishop of Massa Carrara (Italy) (1823.11.17 – 1832.10.01)

Titular Bishop of Gerrha (1833.04.15 – 1841.04)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Bruno Tommasi (later Archbishop) (1983.06.10 – 1988.02.23)

Special Churches

Cathedral, Minor Basilica: Basilica Cattedrale di San Pietro Apostolo e San Francesco d’Assisi, Massa, Massa-Carrara, Toscana
Co-Cathedral: Concattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta, Pontremoli, Massa-Carrara, Toscana
Shrines in the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy

Churches by City (242)

La Spezia–Sarzana–Brugnato (←), Parma (↑), Reggio Emilia–Guastalla (↗), Lucca (↘), Pisa (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 1,174 km²

Population: 204,100 Catholics (98.2% of 207,910 total)

Pastoral Centres: 244 parishes

Personnel: 123 priests (105 diocesan, 18 religious), 28 deacons, 177 religious (20 brothers, 157 sisters), 6 seminarians