became an episcopal see in 1892, but until 1896 it was administered by Tommaso Reggio, the Archbishop of Genoa, to which diocese it originally belonged, through his Auxiliary Bishop and Vicar General, Fortunato Vinelli, titular bishop of Epiphania. The first bishop of Chiavari was Fortunato Vinelli. He was officially transferred from Genoa to the diocese of Chiavari by Pope Leo XIII on 29 March 1896. The creation of a new diocese, a rare event in the modern Church in Italy, was a solution to the rapid growth of population in Genoa due to industrialization. In the bull Romani Pontifices Pope Leo notes that the city of Chiavari had a population surpassing 12,000, and that requests for the creation of a diocese also came from Rapalla, Lavania, and Santa Margharita. In fact, pressure had been building for more than a decade. A not inconsequential factor, as the Pope admits, came from the testamentary bequest in 1884 of one-third of the estate of Francesco Bancalari, a priest of Chiavari, which was earmarked for the creation of a diocese of Chiavari, if and when the Holy See acted positively. A final consideration, as far as timing was concerned, was the death of the Archbishop of Genoa, Salvatore Magnasco, on 12 January 1892. Arrangements could be made for the new diocese with a new Archbishop, who was appointed on 11 July, without insult or diminution of the status and powers of the recently deceased Archbishop. The first diocesan synod was held by Bishop Vinelli in 1899, with 240 priests participating. The second synod was held by Bishop Casabona in 1921, and the third on 17–19 October 1933. The Fourth Diocesan Synod was held by Bishop Daniele Ferrari in 1987. On 5 July 1899 the new seminary, named in honor of Leo XIII, was blessed by Archbishop Reggio of Genoa. The old seminary had been established by the Archbishop of Genoa, Cardinal Luigi Lambruschini.
Cathedral and Chapter
The church which was designated as the new cathedral was built between 1613 and 1633 as a shrine for the image of the Virgin Mary which was given credit for stopping the pestilence of 1493. Administration of the church was put in the hands of the Discalced Carmelites, until all religious orders were suppressed under orders of the French occupation authorities in 1797. A reconstruction was begun in 1823, with a façade designed by an architect called Luigi Poletti. The new façade and pronaos of the Cathedral was blessed by Cardinal Andrea Ferrari in 1907. In accordance with the bull of erection of Leo XIII, the Cathedral Chapter was to consist of ten Canons. It was to be presided over by a Provost, and there was to be a Canon Theological and a Canon Penitentiary. The cathedral was granted the status of a minor basilica by Pope Pius X on 27 November 1904. The current bishop is S.E. Msgr. Alberto Tanasini, appointed on 20 March 2004 by Pope John Paul II.
Bishops
1893–1910: Fortunato Vinelli
1911–1916: Giovanni Gamberoni
1917–1917: Natale Serafino
1917–1948: Amedeo Casabona
1948–1971: Francesco Marchesani
1971–1973: Luigi Maverna
1973–1995: Daniele Ferrari
1995–2004: Alberto Maria Careggio
2004–........: Alberto Tanasini
Parishes
The diocese has 139 parishes, all within the province of Genoa, including several parishes transferred from the diocese of La Spezia on 26 July 1959. The diocesan web site maintains a current list of parishes, divided into five Vicariates. Borzonasca: S. Bartolomeo Apostolo, S. Giovanni Battista, S. Margherita V, S. Maria Assunta, S. Vincenzo e Anastasio, S. Rocco, S. Maria Assunta, S. Andrea Apostolo, S. Lorenzo, S. Martino Carasco: S. Marziano, S. Pietro, S. Eufemiano, S. Nicolò, S. Quirico, S. Maria Casarza Ligure: Nostra Signora della Speranza, S. Lorenzo, S. Maria Assunta, S. Martino, S. Michele Arcangelo, S. Bernardo e SS. Concezione Castiglione Chiavarese: S. Antonino Martire, S. Pietro, S. Rocco e Gaetano, S. Michele, S. Maria Assunta, S. Martino Chiavari: N. S. della Pace e di S. Bernardo, S. Andrea, S. Giacomo di Rupinaro, S. Giovanni Battista, S. Giuseppe, S. Maria e S. Biagio di Bacezza, S. Michele, S. Margherita, S. Martino, S. Pietro, San Pier di Canne, S. Antonino Martire Cicagna: S. Giovanni Battista, S. Rocco, S. Bartolomeo Cogorno: S. Antonino Martire, S. Lorenzo, S. Maria, S. Colombano, S. Salvatore Coreglia Ligure: S. Martino, S. Nicolò, S. Giacomo Favale di Malvaro: S. Vincenzo Martire, S. Martino, S. Bernardo, Lavagna, S. Giulia, S. Maria del Ponte, S. Maria Madre della Chiesa, S. Stefano, S. Pietro, S. Concezione, S. Maria Assunta Leivi: S. Rufino, S. Tommaso, S. Michele Lorsica: S. Maria, S. Giuseppe, N. S. dell’Orto, S. Andrea Lumarzo: S. Margherita, S. Maria Maddalena, S. Tommaso, S. Stefano, S. Maurizio Mezzanego: S. Maria Assunta, S. Maria della Neve, S. Michele Arcangelo, S. Siro Moconesi: S. Cuore e di S. Margherita, S. Giuseppe e Margherita, S. Ambrogio, S. Giacomo Moneglia: S. Croce, S. Giorgio, S. Maria Assunta, S. Saturnino Ne: S. Cipriano e Giustina, S. Lorenzo, S. Biagio, S. Maria Assunta, S. Maria e Michele, S. Bartolomeo, S. Pietro, S. Antonio, S. Apollinare Neirone: S. Maurizio, S. Marco, S. Rocco, S. Lorenzo Orero: S. Ambrogio, S. Michele Arcangelo Portofino: S. Martino Rapallo: S. Andrea, S. Anna, S. Maria del Campo, S. Martino, S. Massimo, S. Pietro, Quirico San Colombano Certenoli: S. Maria, S. Maurizio, S. Michele, S. Stefano, S. Trinità, S. Bernardo, S. Maria Assunta, S. Martino del Monte, S. Colombano, S. Giacomo di Corte, S. Margherita, S. Siro, S. Maria Assunta, S. Lorenzo della Costa Sestri Levante: S. Antonio, S. Bartolomeo della Ginestra, S. Bernardo, Basilica di Santa Maria di Nazareth, Sestri Levante, San Nicolò dell'isola di Sestri Levante, S. Stefano del Ponte, S. Giacomo, S. Paolo, S. Pietro, S. Vittoria, S. Sabina Zoagli: S. Ambrogio, S. Martino, S. Pietro, S. Giovanni Battista
