The Diocese of San Marino-Montefeltro (), known until 1977 as the Diocese of Montefeltro, is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction or diocese of the Catholic Church in both Italy and San Marino. It is a suffragan in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Ravenna-Cervia."Roman Catholic Diocese of San Marino-Montefeltro" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved February 29, 2016"Diocese of San Marino-Montefeltro" GCatholic.org. Gabriel Chow. Retrieved February 29, 2016 The current diocese includes all the parishes of San Marino.

It has its collegiate cathedral episcopal see S. Bartolomeo, dedicated to the Apostle St. Bartholomew, in Pennabilli, Rimini, Emilia Romagna, and two co-cathedrals: the church of San Leo, located 18.4 km or 11.4 mi northeast of Pennabilli, in the town of that name, once the diocese's cathedral. the minor basilica, the Basilica di San Marino, in the City of San Marino,Acta Apostolicae Sedis 19 (1927), pp. 47-48 (21 July 1926). a World Heritage Site.

History

The earliest mention of Montefeltro, as Montem Feretri, is in the diplomas by which first Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne confirmed the donation of Pepin.Augustin Theiner, Codex Diplomaticus Dominii Temporalis S. Sedis, , Tome premier (Rome: Imprimerie du Vatican 1861), p. 1: "idest Ravennam Ariminuna Pisaurum (Pensaurum Concam) atque Fanum Cesenas Senogallias Esium (Esis) Forum Pompilii (Forumpopuli) Forum Livii cum castro Sussubio Montemferetri (Montem Feltri) Acerragio (Acerram. Agiomontem) Montem Lucari (Montemlucati) Serram Castellum Sancti Mariani (castellum S. Marini) Bobrum (Bobium) Urbinum Callium (callis) Luculos (Luciolis) Eugubium seu Comiaclum nec non et civitatem Narniensem1 quae a ducatu Spoletino a parte Romanorum per evoluta annorum spatia fuerat invasa." In 785 the bishopric was established as Diocese of Montefeltro.

The first known bishop of Montefeltro was Agatho (826), whose residence was at San Leo.Cappelletti III, p. 288.

Bishop Joannes (1218–1221?) was granted the title of Count by the Emperor Frederick II.Ughelli III, p. 845. Cappelletti III, p. 296.

From the death of Bishop Ennio Filonardi in the first half of 1565 to the arrival of Bishop Gianfrancesco Sormani, the diocese of Montefeltro was without a resident bishop. Bishop Carlo Visconti of Ventimiglia was appointed on 6 July, probably as Apostolic Administrator, but he was in Rome, having just been appointed a cardinal; in any case, he died on 12 November 1565. It was not until after March 1567 that Sormani was installed. During all this time, the Chapter and city were being harassed by the soldiers of Duke Cappelletti III, p. 308-309.

Cathedral(s) On 26 May 1572, in the bull "Rationi congruit," Pope Gregory XIII ruled that the bishop and Chapter of Montefeltro could move to the collegiate church of S. Bartholomew, reside there, and hold divine offices there. There was only one cathedral in a diocese, however, and both S. Leo and S. Bartholomew could not both be cathedrals. The insignia of a cathedral would remain at S. Leo.Cappelletti III, p. 327.

In 1572, Pope Gregory XIII also appointed an Apostolic Visitator and Delegate, Bishop Gerolamo Raggazoni of Famagosta,Eubel III, p. 194. to investigate the conditions of the dioceses of Urbino, S. Leo and Montefeltro, Senigaglia, Psauro, Fossombrone, Cagli, Gubbio, and other churches. Montefeltro was visited officially in September 1574; the cathedral of S. Leo was found without officiating clergy, and the bishop was non-resident; the episcopal palace was in ruins and the Chapter residences nearly so. The main altar of the cathedral had had to be protected by a kind of baldachino, so that it would not be damaged by falling pieces of the roof. The other four altars were undecorated and unfit, and if not refurbished for divine service it was ordered that they be reemoved.Cappelletti, pp. p. 316-319.

In 1592, Bishop Giovanni Francesco Sormani (1567–1601) held a diocesan synod, and issued a set of synodial decrees, which were published in Rimini in 1592. Bishop Pietro Cartolari (1601–1607) also held a diocesan synod.Silvino da Nadro, OFMCap, Sinodi diocesani italiani, (Città del Vaticano: Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana 1960), pp. 81, 198.

In 1672, the city of Montefeltro, with a population of 1,000, was in the territory of Urbino and under the temporal sovereignty of the Papacy. The diocese was a suffragan of the archbishopric of Urbino, and the cathedral of S. Leo was administered and staffed by a corporation called the Chapter, which contained three dignities and fourteen canons.Ritzler & Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica V, p. 200, note 1.

Under Bishop Flaminio Dondi (1724) the see was again transferred to San Leo, but later it returned to Pennabilli.Umberto Benigni, "Diocese of Montefeltro." in: The Catholic Encyclopedia Vol. 10 (New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911). On 6–8 July 1734, Bishop Giovanni Crisostomo Calvi (1729–1747) held a diocesan synod in Pennabilli.Silvino da Nadro, OFMCap, Sinodi diocesani italiani, (Città del Vaticano: Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana 1960), p. 394. In 1747, the bishops were resident in Pennabilli, and were using the collegiate church of S. Bartolommeo for their episcopal functions.Ritzler & Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VI, p. 214, note 1. Bishop Giuseppe Maria Terzi (1777–1803) held a diocesan synod in Pennabilli, in the church of S. Leo, on 13–15 October 1779. The synodal decrees were published.Silvino da Nadro, p. 438. Acta synodalia ab illustrissimo ac reverendissimo Domino D. Josepho Maria Terzi patritio caesenatensi, episcopo feretrano, habita in cathedrali templo S. Leonis Pinnae diebus 13. 14. 15 octobris an. Dom. 1779, ad SS. Dominum nostrum Pium VI. P. O. M. (Pisauri: ex typographia Amatina, 1780).

The parish of S. Apollinaris in the village of Paderno was removed from the diocese of Montefeltro by order of Pope Pius XI and the Sacred Consistorial Congregation on 20 February 1938, and assigned to the diocese of Sarsina.Acta Apostolicae Sedis vol. 0 (1938), p. 196.

A change of territory took place on 3 January 1942, when Pope Pius XII and the Sacred Consistorial Congregation removed the parish of S. Marina in Bese from the jurisdiction of the diocese of Montefeltro and placed it in the diocese of Borgo San Sepolcro.Acta Apostolicae Sedis vol. 34 (1942), pp. 37-38: "Quapropter Ssmus Dominus Noster Pius Div. prov. Pp. XII, id in commodum animarum cessurum cernens, praesenti Consistoriali Decreto paroeciam S. Marinae in oppido Bese cum suo territorio a dioecesi Feretrana seiungit atque dioecesi Biturgensi aggregat, mutatis hac ratione utriusque dioecesis finibus."

Revising diocesan boundaries, conference, metropolitanate Acting in conformity to the decree "Christus Dominus" of the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965),"Christus Dominus,", §§ 22-23: "22... Concerning diocesan boundaries, therefore, this sacred synod decrees that, to the extent required by the good of souls, a fitting revision of diocesan boundaries be undertaken prudently and as soon as possible. This can be done by dividing dismembering or uniting them, or by changing their boundaries, or by determining a better place for the episcopal see or, finally, especially in the case of dioceses having larger cities, by providing them with a new internal organization. 23. In revising diocesan boundaries first place must be accorded to organic unity of each diocese, with due regard to the personnel, the offices and institutions, which form, as it were, a living body. In individual cases all circumstances should be carefully studied and the general criteria which follow should be kept in mind. 1.) In determining a diocesan boundary, as far as possible consideration should be given the variety in composition of the people of God, for this can contribute greatly to a more effective exercise of the pastoral office. At the same time the natural population units of people, together with the civil jurisdictions and social institutions that compose their organic structure, should be preserved as far as possible as units. For this reason, obviously, the territory of each diocese should be continuous. Pope Paul VI and the Sacred Congregation for Bishops issued the decree "Proprius dioecesis" on 22 February 1977.

To consolidate the diocese, the territories of three parishes were removed from the jurisdiction of the diocese of Sarsina and added to Montefeltro;"Insuper, ut unitas iurisdictionis in eodem municipio efficiatur, a dioecesi Sarsinatensi disiungit et Sammarinensi-Feretranae Ecclesiae unit paroecias Rivolparo, Sapigno in Romagnano appellatas, intra fines municipii vulgo Sant'Agata Feltria sitas et partem territorii paroeciae Pagno ad huiusmodi municipium pertinentem." likewise, two parishes were removed from San Marino-Montefeltro and assigned to Sarsina."pariter a dioecesi Sammarinensi-Feretrana paroecias seiungit Serra di Tornano et Tornano nomine, in territorio erectas municipii vulgo Mercato Saraceno, quas Sarsinatensi Ecclesiae tribuit." Eleven parishes were removed and assigned to the Diocese of Rimini."a dioecesi Sammarinensi-Feretrana distrahit paroecias Genestreto, Massamanente, Montebello, Montegelli, Montetiffi, Pietra dell'Uso, Ponte Uso, S. Maria Riopetra, Savignano di Rigo, Strigara, Vignola nuncupatas, in territorio extantes municipii vulgo Sogliono al Rubicone, quas Ariminensi Ecclesiae addit." The diocese was renamed the 'Diocese of San Marino–Montefeltro.Acta Apostolicae Sedis vol. 69 (1977), pp. 213-215. The pope also decided that San Marino-Montefeltro would no longer belong to the ecclesiastical conference of Picenum, but rather be assigned to the conference of Aemiliana-Flaminia."Cum Sammarinensis-Feretrana Ecclesia, huiusmodi recognitione, Regionis Aemiliae-Romandiolae socialis atque religiosae vitae condicionibus potius conformetur, statuit denique Sanctitas Sua, ut Episcopus Sammarinensis-Feretranus non amplius in Regionis pastoralis Picenae sed in Aemilianae-Flaminiae Regionis Episcoporum coetum coalescat et conveniat." At the same time, the diocese was removed from the metropolitanate of Urbino, and transferred to the metropolitan of Ravenna-Cervia."Iisdem fretus consiliis Sammarinensem-Feretranam dioecesim suffraganeam constituit metropolitanae Ravennatensis Ecclesiae et proinde a metropolitico iure Urbinatensis Archiepiscopi subtrahit."

Montefeltro enjoyed Papal visits from Pope John Paul II in August 1982,List of pastoral trips made by Pope John Paul II#1980s 2, Pope Benedict XVI on 19 June 2011,List of pastoral trips made by Pope Benedict XVI#2011 2 and Pope Leo XIV on 22 August 2026.

On 18 September 2012, Pope Benedict XVI appointed the bishop of San Marino-Montefeltro, Bishop Luigi Negri, to serve as one of the Synod Fathers for the October 2012 13th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops.

Bishops (incomplete; sometimes sources contradict)

Diocese of Montefeltro Latin Name: Feretrana (seu Montis Feltri) Erected: 9th Century Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Urbino To 1498

Agatho (826), whose residence was at San Leo.Agatho: Cappelletti III, p. 288. ... Arduino (1015–1044) Adolfo (1053–1074) Gebizone (1075–1079) ... Pietro Carpegna (?–1125?)Pietro: Cappelletti, pp. 290-291. Arnoldo (1140–1154) Gualfredo (?–1172?) Albertus (attested 1206–1208)Albertus: Cappelletti III, p. 295. Eubel I, p. 247, from Gams, p. 705. Giovanni (1218–1221?)Giovanni: Cappelletti III, p. 296. Eubel I, p. 247. Rolando (1222–1229) Ugolino (1232–1252) Giovanni (1252–1275)Giovanni was elected by the Chapter canonically and in agreement; his election was confirmed by Cardinal Ottaviano Ubaldini, the papal legate, who arranged for Giovanni's consecration. The entire business was confirmed by Pope Innocent IV on 9 November 1252. Cappelletti III, pp. 297-298. Élie Berger, Les registrees d'Innocent IV Vol. 3 (Paris: Fontemoing 1897), p. 127 no. 6076. Eubel I, p. 247. Roberto da Montefeltro (1282–1284)