Roman Catholic Diocese of Massa Carrara-Pontremoli

The Diocese of Massa Carrara-Pontremoli (Dioecesis Massensis-Apuana) is a Latin diocese of the Catholic Church situated in north-western Tuscany, in the valley of the Frigido River. The city of Massa is on the south side of the river, 5 km (3 mi) from the Tyrrhenian Sea. The city of Carrara is 6 km (4 mi) north of Massa, on the Carrione River. The diocese is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Pisa.

The historical Diocese of Massa Carrara had its name changed in 1939 to Diocese of Apuania; and again in 1986 to Diocese of Massa. In 1988 it was united with the Diocese of Pontremoli.

History
The see of Massa Carrara was created on 18 February 1822 by Pope Pius VII, at the instance of Maria Beatrice d'Este, Duchess of Massa, in the bull "Singularis Romanorum". The collegiate church of S. Pietro e Francesco was suppressed, and the church was elevated to the status of cathedral of the new diocese and a parish church. The cathedral was to be staffed and administered by a corporation called the Chapter, consisting of an archpriest and twelve canons. The archpriest was to act as the pastor of the cathedral parish.

An episcopal palace, which had been his "Pallazina", was donated to the diocese by Duke Francesco IV.

The diocese was then suffragan of the Archdiocese of Pisa; but for a period from 22 August 1855 to 1926 it was a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Modena.

Its first bishop was Francesco Maria Zoppi. The second bishop, Francesco Strani, held the first diocesan synod in the cathedral in Massa in September 1839.

On 18 November 1900, Bishop Emilio Miniati of Massa and Bishop Angelo Fiorini of Pontremoli reached an agreement to transfer sixteen parishes from the diocese of Pontremoli to Massa. The agreement was ratified by Pope Leo XIII on 9 January 1901.

On 16 December 1938, the Fascist government of Italy ordered the amalgamation of three cities, Massa, Carrara, and Montignoso, into one comune, called Apuania, in a province also called Apuania. The Vatican had no option but to change the name of the diocese of Massa to conform with civil requirments; this took place on 20 July 1939. On 10 January 1946, a legal decree of the Italian government restored the former names. The Vatican, however, continued to use "Apuania".

On 18 November 1964, the cathedral of Ss. Peter the Apostle and Francis of Assisi in Massa (still called Apuania) was granted the title and privileges of a minor basilica by Pope Paul VI.

By a decree of the Sacred Congregation of Bishops on 30 September 1986, with the approval of Pope John Paul II, the name of the diocese was changed from "Dioecesis Apuanus" to "Diocese Massanensis". This, in effect, cancelled the papal degree of 20 July 1939, so that the name of the diocese and the name of the city in which the bishop's seat was located should be the same.

On 5 September 1992, the Congregation of Bishops removed a number of parishes from the diocese of Massa-Apuana (including the Garfagnana) and attached them to the diocese of Lucca.

Diocese of Massa
Erected: 18 February 1822 Latin Name: Massensis Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Pisa


 * Francesco Maria Zoppi (17 Nov 1823 – 1 Oct 1832 Resigned)
 * Francesco Strani (23 Jun 1834 – 16 Dec 1855)
 * Giacomo Bernardi (16 Jun 1856 – 23 Dec 1871)
 * Giovanni Battista Alessio Tommasi (6 May 1872 – 7 Aug 1887)
 * Amilcare Tonietti (25 Nov 1887 – 1893)
 * Emilio Maria Miniati (18 May 1894 – 29 Apr 1909 Resigned)
 * Giovanni Battista Marenco, S.D.B. (29 Apr 1909 – 1917)
 * Giuseppe Bertazzoni (30 Jun 1917 – 2 Jul 1933)
 * Cristoforo Arduino Terzi, O.F.M. (11 May 1934 – 10 Jul 1945 Resigned)

Diocese of Apuania
Name Changed: 20 July 1939 Latin Name: Apuaniensis Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Pisa


 * Carlo Boiardi (30 Oct 1945 – 24 Feb 1970)
 * Aldo Forzoni (23 Apr 1970 – 23 Feb 1988 Retired)

Diocese of Massa
Name Changed: 30 September 1986 Latin Name: Massensis


 * Aldo Forzoni (23 Apr 1970 – 23 Feb 1988 Retired)

Diocese of Massa Carrara-Pontremoli
United: 23 February 1988 with the Diocese of Pontremoli

Latin Name: Massensis-Apuanus

Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Pisa


 * Bruno Tommasi (23 Feb 1988 – 1991)
 * Eugenio Binini (20 Jul 1991 – 19 May 2010 Retired)
 * Giovanni Santucci (19 May 2010 – January 2021 Resigned)
 * Gianni Ambrosio (Apostolic administrator, 15 January 2021 –)

Reference works for bishops

 * pp. 739-741.

Studies

 * Camaiani, Bruna Bocchini (1994), "I vescovi toscani nel periodo lorense,", in: Istituzioni e societa in Toscana nell'eta moderna. Atti delle giornate di studio dedicate a Giuseppe Pansini Firenze 4-5 dicembre 1992 (Roma: Ministero per i beni culturali e ambientale 1994), pp. 681-716.