Roman Catholic Diocese of Acqui

History

It is very probable that the diocese of Acqui was erected at the end of the fourth century, about the same time, it would appear, as the dioceses of Novara, Turin, Ivrea, Aosta and perhaps, Asti and Alba.

The first undoubted bishop of Acqui is Ditarius. A tablet found in 1753 in the church of St. Peter, informs us that Ditarius, the bishop, died on the 25 January, 488, in the Consulate of Dinamias and Syphidius. Popular tradition gives Deusdedit, Andreas Severus Masimus, and, earliest of all, Majorinus, as bishops prior to him.

Majorinus probably lived either at the end of the fourth, or in the beginning of the fifth, century. The name was very common in the third, fourth, and fifth centuries. Augustine of Hippo (De Haereses, I, 69) speaks of two bishops of this name; two others appear as signers of the Letter of the Synod of Carthage to Pope Innocent I (401-417) against Pelagius (Ep. St. Aug., II, 90). Veneration was offered to the saint from time immemorial by the church in Acqui, shown by his statues and relics. This veneration, however, has ceased since a decree of the Congregation of Rites (8 April 1628) prohibited the veneration of saints whose sanctity had not been declared by the Holy See.

In the list of the bishops of Acqui, Saint Guido (1034–70) was of the Counts of Acquesana under whose government the cathedral was erected. He is the patron saint of Acqui.

Diocese of Acqui

Erected: 4th Century
Latin Name: Aquensis
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Turin

Pierre Van Der Worst (20 Feb 1535 - 1549 Died)

Bonaventura Fauni-Pio, O.F.M. Conv. (9 Apr 1549 - 1558 Resigned)

Pietro Fauno Costacciaro (23 Mar 1558 - 1585 Resigned)

Gian Francesco Biandrate di San Giorgio Aldobrandini (12 Aug 1585 - 1598 Resigned)

Camillo Beccio, O.S.A. (25 Nov 1598 - 1620 Died)

Gregorius Pedrocca, O.F.M. (16 Nov 1620 - 1632 Died)

Felix Crocca, O.F.M. Conv. (7 Jul 1632 - 1645 Died)

Giovanni Ambrogio Bicuti (27 May 1647 - 10 Mar 1675 Died)

Carlo Antonio Gozzano (30 Sep 1675 - 11 Dec 1721 Died)

Giovanni Battista Rovero (Rotario da Pralormo) (1 Oct 1727 - 3 Feb 1744 Appointed, Archbishop of Turin)

Alessio Ignazio Marucchi (13 Apr 1744 - 13 May 1754 Died)

Carlo Giuseppe Capra (17 Feb 1755 - 22 Dec 1772 Died)

Giuseppe Maria Corte (13 Sep 1773 - 18 Jul 1783 Confirmed, Bishop of Mondovi)

Carlo Luigi Buronzo del Signore (20 Sep 1784 - 26 Sep 1791 Confirmed, Bishop of Novara)

Giacinto della Torre, O.E.S.A. (24 Jul 1797 - 26 Jun 1805 Appointed, Archbishop of Turin)

Maurice-Jean-Madeleine de Broglie (26 Jun 1805 - 3 Aug 1807 Confirmed, Bishop of Ghent)

Luigi Antonio Arrighi de Casanova (3 Aug 1807 - 29 Dec 1809 Died)

Carlo Giuseppe Maria Sappa de Milanes (1 Oct 1817 - 25 Dec 1834 Died)

Modesto (Luigi Eugenio) Contratto, O.F.M. Cap. (21 Nov 1836 Confirmed - 6 Dec 1867 Died)

Giuseppe Maria Sciandra (27 Oct 1871 - 25 May 1888 Died)

St. Giuseppe Marello, O.S.I. (11 Feb 1889 - 30 May 1895 Died)

Pietro Balestra, O.F.M. Conv. (29 Nov 1895 - 17 Dec 1900 Appointed, Archbishop of Cagliari)

Disma Marchese (15 Apr 1901 - 26 Nov 1925 Died)

Lorenzo Del Ponte (14 May 1926 - 18 Dec 1942 Died)

Giuseppe Dell’Omo (12 May 1943 - 1 Jul 1976 Retired)

Giuseppe Moizo (1 Jul 1976 Succeeded - 2 Feb 1979 Died)

Livio Maritano (30 Jun 1979 - 9 Dec 2000 Retired)

Pier Giorgio Micchiardi (9 Dec 2000 - )

Parishes

The diocese, which covers an area of 1,683 km², is divided into 115 parishes. The majority are in the Piedmont region (provinces of Alessandria and Asti), the rest are in Liguria (provinces of Genoa and Savona). A list of parishes by province and commune follows

Province of Genoa

Campo Ligure

Natività di Maria Vergine

Masone

Cristo Re e Nostra Signora Assunta

Rossiglione

Nostra Signora AssuntaS. Caterina Vergine e Martire

Tiglieto

Nostra Signora Assunta

Province of Savona

Altare

S. Eugenio

Cairo Montenotte

S. Andrea ApostoloS. Lorenzo MartireCristo Re (Bragno)Santi Pietro e Paolo (Ferrania)S. Giuseppe (San Giuseppe di Cairo)

Carcare

S. Giovanni BattistaCuore Immacolato di Maria (Vispa)

Dego

S. Ambrogio

Giusvalla

S. Matteo Apostolo

Mioglia

S. Andrea Apostolo

Piana Crixia

Santi Martiri Eugenio Vittore e Corona

Pontinvrea

S. Lorenzo Martire

Sassello

SS. Trinità e S. Giovanni BattistaS. Croce e S. Maria Maddalena (Maddalena)

Urbe

Santi Giacomo Maggiore e Rocco (Martina)S. Pietro Apostolo (San Pietro d’Olba)

Province of Alessandria

Acqui Terme

Cristo RedentoreMadonna PellegrinaNostra Signora AssuntaNostra Signora della NeveS. FrancescoBeata Vergine delle Grazie (Moirano)

Alice Bel Colle

S. Giovanni Battista

Belforte Monferrato

Natività di Maria Vergine e San Colombano

Bergamasco

Natività di Maria Vergine

Bistagno

S. Giovanni Battista

Carpeneto

S. Giorgio Martire

Cartosio

S. Andrea Apostolo

Casaleggio Boiro

S. Martino

Cassine

S. Caterina di AlessandriaSanti Giacomo e Lorenzo

Cassinelle

S. Margherita

Castelletto d’Erro

SS. Annunziata

Castelnuovo Bormida

Santi Quirico e Giulitta

Cavatore

S. Lorenzo Martire

Cremolino

Nostra Signora del Carmine

Denice

S. Lorenzo Martire

Grognardo

S. Andrea Apostolo

Lerma

S. Giovanni Battista

Malvicino

S. Michele Arcangelo

Melazzo

S. Bartolomeo Apostolo

Merana

S. Nicolao

Molare

Nostra Signora della PieveNostra Signora delle Rocche

Montaldo Bormida

S. Michele Arcangelo

Montechiaro d’Acqui

Santi Anna e Giorgio Martire

Morbello

S. Sisto

Mornese

S. Silvestro

Morsasco

S. Bartolomeo Apostolo

Orsara Bormida

S. Martino

Ovada

Nostra Signora AssuntaNostra Signora della Neve

Pareto

S. Pietro Apostolo

Ponti

Nostra Signora Assunta

Ponzone

S. Michele ArcangeloS. Bernardo (Ciglione)S. Rocco (Piancastagna)

Prasco

Santi Nazario e Celso

Ricaldone

Santi Simone e Giuda

Rivalta Bormida

S. Michele Arcangelo

Rocca Grimalda

S. Giacomo Maggiore

San Cristoforo

S. Cristoforo

Sezzadio

Maria Immacolata

Spigno Monferrato

S. Ambrogio

Strevi

S. Michele Arcangelo

Tagliolo Monferrato

S. Vito Martire

Terzo

S. Maurizio Martire

Trisobbio

Nostra Signora Assunta

Visone

Santi Pietro e Paolo

Province of Asti

Bruno

Nostra Signora Annunziata

Bubbio

Nostra Signora Assunta

Calamandrana

Maria ImmacolataSacro Cuore

Canelli

S. LeonardoS. TommasoSacro Cuore

Cassinasco

S. Ilario di Poitiers

Castel Boglione

S. Cuore di Gesù e Nostra Signora Assunta

Castel Rocchero

S. Andrea Apostolo

Castelletto Molina

S. Bartolomeo Apostolo

Castelnuovo Belbo

S. Biagio

Cessole

Nostra Signora Assunta

Cortiglione

S. Siro

Fontanile

S. Giovanni Battista

Incisa Scapaccino

S. Giovanni BattistaSanti Vittore e Corona

Loazzolo

S. Antonio Abate

Maranzana

S. Giovanni Battista

Moasca

S. Pietro Apostolo

Mombaldone

S. Nicolao

Mombaruzzo

S. Maria MaddalenaNostra Signora Addolorata (Bazzana)Cuore Immacolato di Maria (Stazione Mombaruzzo)

Monastero Bormida

S. Giulia

Montabone

S. Antonio Abate

Nizza Monferrato

S. Giovanni LaneroS. IppolitoS. Siro

Quaranti

S. Lorenzo Martire

Roccaverano

Maria SS. AnnunziataS. Girolamo

Rocchetta Palafea

S. Evasio

San Giorgio Scarampi

S. Giorgio Martire

San Marzano Oliveto

S. Marziano

Serole

S. Lorenzo Martire

Sessame

S. Giorgio Martire

Vaglio Serra

S. Pancrazio

Vesime

Nostra Signora Assunta e S. Martino Vescovo

Province of Cuneo

Perletto

Santi Vittore e Guido