The Diocese of Massa Carrara-Pontremoli 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 requirements; 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.

Bishops

Diocese of Massa

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

Diocese of Apuania

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

Diocese of Massa

Name Changed: 30 September 1986 Latin Name: Massensis

Diocese of Massa Carrara-Pontremoli

United: 23 February 1988 with the Diocese of Pontremoli Latin Name: Massensis-Apuanus Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Pisa

Notes and references

Reference works for bishops

Studies