Diocese of Ampurias

(or CASTELSARDO and TEMPIO)

An Italian diocese in Sardinia, suffragan of Sassari. The Right Rev. Antonio Maria Contini, born 6 Nov., 1839, was appointed Bishop of Ogliastra, 26 Sept., 1882, and transferred to this diocese, 16 Jan., 1893. Ampurias was erected in 1113; Cività, now Tempio, in 304 by St. Simplicius. Cività was united to Ampurias by Julias II in 1506. Later the see was transferred to Terranuova. Gregory XVI suppressed the cathedral there by the Bull "Quamvis aqua", 26 Aug., 1839, and raised the Collegiate Church of St. Peter, in Tempio, to a cathedral, uniting Tempio and Ampurias, so that one bishop should govern both. The see was vacant from 1854 to 1871. Ampurias, or Castelsardo, has 11,200 Catholics 8 parishes, 25 secular priests, 5 seminarists, 34 churches or chapels. Tempio has 26,200 Catholics 17 parishes, 44 secular priests, 6 seminarists, 71 churches or chapels.