Massa Carrara-Pontremoli (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Mario Vaccari, O.F.M., Bishop
Eugenio Binini, Bishop Emeritus
Giovanni Santucci, Bishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
United: 23 February 1988
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Pisa
Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: Italy
Square Kilometers: 1,174 (453 Square Miles)
Conference Region: Toscana
Official Web Site: http://www.massacarrara.chiesacattolica.it/
Mailing Address: Vescovado, Via Francesco M. Zoppi 14, 54100 Massa, Italia
Telephone: 0585.89.90.210
Fax: 0585.81.02.87

Historical Details

Diocese of Massa Carrara
- Latin Name: Massensis
- Erected: 18 February 1822
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Pisa
- Country: Italy
Diocese of Apuania
- Latin Name: Apuaniensis
- Name Changed: 20 July 1939
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Pisa
- Country: Italy
Diocese of Massa
- Latin Name: Massensis
- Name Changed: 30 September 1986
- Country: Italy

Past and Present Ordinaries

Francesco Maria Zoppi † (17 Nov 1823 Appointed - 1 Oct 1832 Resigned)
Francesco Strani † (23 Jun 1834 Appointed - 16 Dec 1855 Died)
Giacomo Bernardi † (16 Jun 1856 Appointed - 23 Dec 1871 Died)
Giovanni Battista Alessio Tommasi † (6 May 1872 Appointed - 7 Aug 1887 Died)
Amilcare Tonietti † (25 Nov 1887 Appointed - 12 Jun 1893 Appointed, Bishop of Montalcino)
Emilio Maria Miniati † (18 May 1894 Appointed - 29 Apr 1909 Resigned)
Giovanni Battista Marenco, S.D.B. † (29 Apr 1909 Appointed - 7 Jan 1917 Appointed, Titular Archbishop of Edessa in Macedonia)
Giuseppe Bertazzoni † (30 Jun 1917 Appointed - 2 Jul 1933 Died)
Cristoforo Arduino Terzi, O.F.M. † (11 May 1934 Appointed - 10 Jul 1945 Resigned)
Carlo Boiardi † (30 Oct 1945 Appointed - 24 Feb 1970 Died)
Aldo Forzoni † (23 Apr 1970 Appointed - 23 Feb 1988 Retired)
Bruno Tommasi † (23 Feb 1988 Appointed - 20 Mar 1991 Appointed, Archbishop of Lucca)
Eugenio Binini (20 Jul 1991 Appointed - 19 May 2010 Retired)
Giovanni Santucci (19 May 2010 Appointed - 15 Jan 2021 Resigned)
Mario Vaccari, O.F.M. (24 Feb 2022 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Massa Carrara
18 February 1822	Erected		Diocese of Massa Carrara (erected)
23 April 1926	Metropolitan Changed		Diocese of Massa Carrara (from Modena)
Diocese of Apuania
20 July 1939	Name Changed	Diocese of Massa Carrara	Diocese of Apuania
5 February 1955	Territory Lost	Diocese of Apuania (S. Nicolai in Caprigliola and of S. Martini in Albiano)	Diocese of Luni o La Spezia, Sarzana e Brugnato
26 July 1959	Territory Lost	Diocese of Apuania (S. Justin in Rocchetta Vara, S. John the Baptist in Beverone, S. Anna in Carbugliaga, S. Martin in Cavanella Vara, S. John the Baptist in Stadomelli, S. John the Baptist in S uvero, St. Mary Assumption in the Chalice al Cornoviglio, St. Mary in the ...)	Diocese of Luni o La Spezia, Sarzana e Brugnato
26 July 1959	Territory Added	Diocese of Luni o La Spezia, Sarzana e Brugnato (S. Nicolai in the village of Oaprigliola and S. Martini in the village of Albiano Magra)	Diocese of Apuania
Diocese of Massa
30 September 1986	Name Changed	Diocese of Apuania	Diocese of Massa
Diocese of Massa Carrara-Pontremoli
23 February 1988	United	Diocese of Massa Diocese of Pontremoli	Diocese of Massa Carrara-Pontremoli
5 September 1992	Territory Lost	Diocese of Massa Carrara-Pontremoli (Camporgiano, Careggine, Castelnuovo Garfagnana, Fabbriche di Vallico, Fosciandora, Gallicano, Giuncugnano, Minucciano, Molazzana, Piazza al Serchio, Pieve Fosciana, S. Romano Garfagnana, Sillano, Stazzema, Vagli Sotto, Vergemoli, and Villa Collemandina)	Archdiocese of Lucca

Year Catholics Total Population Percent Catholic Diocesan Priests Religious Priests Total Priests Catholics Per Priest Permanent Deacons Male Religious Female Religious Parishes Source

Diocese of Massa Carrara

1886 113,148 .0% 319 0 156 OTC

Diocese of Apuania

1949 198,000 200,000 99.0% 234 35 269 736 216 ap1951

1959 196,070 196,500 99.8% 215 36 251 781 49 387 212 ap1960

1970 203,290 203,454 99.9% 192 37 229 887 46 354 218 ap1971

1980 204,495 205,505 99.5% 178 36 214 955 46 303 222 ap1981

Diocese of Massa

Diocese of Massa Carrara-Pontremoli

1990 237,073 238,560 99.4% 232 40 272 871 62 339 352 ap1991

1999 199,691 200,971 99.4% 157 49 206 969 14 52 270 246 ap2000

2000 198,000 199,354 99.3% 147 33 180 1,100 14 38 268 246 ap2001

2001 197,775 199,375 99.2% 154 28 182 1,086 18 38 252 246 ap2002

2002 200,710 201,800 99.5% 160 27 187 1,073 18 36 286 246 ap2003

2003 198,000 200,000 99.0% 143 31 174 1,137 18 35 234 246 ap2004

2004 197,000 199,000 99.0% 138 34 172 1,145 18 40 231 244 ap2005

2013 200,390 205,770 97.4% 120 24 144 1,391 26 30 190 244 ap2014

2016 201,000 206,750 97.2% 103 22 125 1,608 28 26 182 244 ap2017

2019 201,820 206,050 97.9% 99 20 119 1,695 30 23 166 244 ap2020

2021 203,500 207,050 98.3% 107 18 125 1,628 28 20 160 244 ap2022

2023 204,100 207,910 98.2% 105 18 123 1,659 28 20 157 244 ap2024

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Diocese of Massa Carrara
1886		113,148	.0%			319	0				156	OTC
Diocese of Apuania
1949	198,000	200,000	99.0%	234	35	269	736				216	ap1951
1959	196,070	196,500	99.8%	215	36	251	781		49	387	212	ap1960
1970	203,290	203,454	99.9%	192	37	229	887		46	354	218	ap1971
1980	204,495	205,505	99.5%	178	36	214	955		46	303	222	ap1981
Diocese of Massa
Diocese of Massa Carrara-Pontremoli
1990	237,073	238,560	99.4%	232	40	272	871		62	339	352	ap1991
1999	199,691	200,971	99.4%	157	49	206	969	14	52	270	246	ap2000
2000	198,000	199,354	99.3%	147	33	180	1,100	14	38	268	246	ap2001
2001	197,775	199,375	99.2%	154	28	182	1,086	18	38	252	246	ap2002
2002	200,710	201,800	99.5%	160	27	187	1,073	18	36	286	246	ap2003
2003	198,000	200,000	99.0%	143	31	174	1,137	18	35	234	246	ap2004
2004	197,000	199,000	99.0%	138	34	172	1,145	18	40	231	244	ap2005
2013	200,390	205,770	97.4%	120	24	144	1,391	26	30	190	244	ap2014
2016	201,000	206,750	97.2%	103	22	125	1,608	28	26	182	244	ap2017
2019	201,820	206,050	97.9%	99	20	119	1,695	30	23	166	244	ap2020
2021	203,500	207,050	98.3%	107	18	125	1,628	28	20	160	244	ap2022
2023	204,100	207,910	98.2%	105	18	123	1,659	28	20	157	244	ap2024

Note: Any changes in boundaries over time are not indicated in the above table.

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Giacomo Bernardi † (Bishop: 16 Jun 1856 to 23 Dec 1871)
Giuseppe Bertazzoni † (Bishop: 30 Jun 1917 to 2 Jul 1933)
Paolo Bertoli †
Carlo Boiardi † (Bishop: 30 Oct 1945 to 24 Feb 1970)
Aldo Forzoni † (Bishop: 23 Apr 1970 to 23 Feb 1988)
Giovanni Battista Marenco, S.D.B. † (Bishop: 29 Apr 1909 to 7 Jan 1917)
Emilio Maria Miniati † (Bishop: 18 May 1894 to 29 Apr 1909)
Andrea Sarti †
Francesco Strani † (Bishop: 23 Jun 1834 to 16 Dec 1855)
Cristoforo Arduino Terzi, O.F.M. † (Bishop: 11 May 1934 to 10 Jul 1945)
Bruno Tommasi † (Coadjutor Bishop: 10 Jun 1983 to 23 Feb 1988; Bishop: 23 Feb 1988 to 20 Mar 1991)
Giovanni Battista Alessio Tommasi † (Bishop: 6 May 1872 to 7 Aug 1887)
Amilcare Tonietti † (Bishop: 25 Nov 1887 to 12 Jun 1893)
Francesco Maria Zoppi † (Bishop: 17 Nov 1823 to 1 Oct 1832)

Source(s)

Diocese of Massa Carrara
- Series Episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae, Volume 1, Page 759
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 18, Page 207, and Page 208
Diocese of Apuania
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 51, Page 827, to Page 829
Diocese of Massa
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 79, Page 443, and Page 444

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Diocese of Massa Carrara-Pontremoli

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