The Roman Catholic diocese of Sansepolcro was a Latin rite see in Tuscany, central Italy."Diocese of Sansepolcro (Borgo San Sepolcro)" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved February 29, 2016."Diocese of Sansepolcro" GCatholic.org. Gabriel Chow. Retrieved February 29, 2016. It was erected in 1515, as the Diocese of (Borgo) Sansepolcro (Italian),Biturgen(sis and Burgi Sancti Sepulchri are Latin forms. though difficulties prevented the appointment of a bishop until 1520.Umberto Benigni (1907), "Borgo San-Sepolcro." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 2. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1907. Retrieved: 13 November 2019. On 30 September 1986, the diocese was suppressed and united with the Diocese of Arezzo and the Diocese of Cortona to form the Diocese of Arezzo-Cortona-Sansepolcro.

The diocese has always been a suffragan of the archbishop of Florence.Cappelletti, p. 249.

History The ecclesiastical entity was established in 1013 as Benedictine monastery of S. Giovanni Evangelista di San Sepolcro, on canonical territory within the Diocese of Città di Castello.Czortek, pp. 186-187. In May 1046, Pope Gregory VI removed the monastery from the jurisdiction of the bishop of Arezzo.Kehr, p. 110, no. 2. On 18 January 1106, Pope Paschal II granted the monastery the privilege of baptisms in the Borgo, and confirmed the right to hold an annual fair in the Borgo, and the right to the tithe of the monastery's properties.Kehr, p. 110, no. 5. The Camaldolese monks, coming from their house in Arezzo, first appear in documents relating to the abbey of San Sepolcro on 11 January 1137.A diploma of the Emperor Lothair III. Muzi, p. 65. In 1148, Pope Eugenius III confirmed the monastery's privileges, and granted the abbot the use of the mitre, staff, and other pontifical vestments.Kehr, p. 110, no. 6. These privileges were reiterated or confirmed by Pope Innocent III in 1200: Muzi, p. 70. In 1163, the Imperial Archchancellor, Archbishop Raynaldus of Cologne, promulgated an imperial decree of the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, forbidding the Camaldolese from having any authority to depose and deprive an abbot of San Sepolcro, without the license and permission of the emperor.Muzi, p. 66.

From 1350 to 1353, Borgo San Sepolcro was occupied by Ghibelline troops of the ambitious Archbishop Visconti of Milan, who was attempting to seize all of Tuscany and Umbria, with the help of local Ghibelline adherents, the Boccagnini, the Pallavicini and the Tarlati of Arezzo. On the withdrawal of the Milanese forces after the Peace of Sarzana in 1353, a civil war broke out between Guelphs and Ghibellines, between Borgo San Sepolcro and Città di Castello.Muzi, pp. 88-90.

On 25 December 1352, a major earthquake struck the areas of Borgo San Sepolcro and Città di Castello, causing more than 500 deaths in Borgo. The bell tower of the monastery was destroyed, and there was major damage to the buildings of the cloister. Many sections of the town wall were thrown down.Graziani I, pp. 31-32, puts the death toll at more than 2000.

Creation of the diocese

On 22 September 1515, Pope Leo X issued a bull which erected the Camaldolese monastery church of S. Giovanni into a cathedral, creating Abbot Galeazzo, who had consented to the suppression of his monastery, the first bishop of Borgo San Sepolcro. The bull was not put into effect immediately, however, due to various difficulties.One difficulty was certainly the objection of the General of the Camaldolese Order, Pietro Delfini. As late as 1522 he was writing to Cardinal Giulio de' Medici against Bishop Galeazzo, Epistolae, Book XII, no. 76. Muzi, p. 110. It was not until 18 September 1520 that Graziani was preconised and obtained his bulls of institution.Muzi, p. 110. At the same time the prelature gained territories from the Diocese of Arezzo and Diocese of Città di Castello.Ughelli III, pp. 195-198.

In the same bull of 1515, "Praeexcellenti praeeminentia", Pope Leo created the Chapter of Canons of the cathedral, composed of three dignities (the Provost, the Archdeacon, and the Archpriest) and nine other Canons. The cathedral was also a parish church, and the Archpriest had the "cure of souls" (i.e. served as pastor).Ughelli III, pp. 196, 198. Cappelletti, pp. 254, 257.

On 7 October 1975, the diocese lost territories to the Diocese of Cesena and Diocese of Forli.Acta Apostolicae Sedis Vol. 67 (Città del Vaticano 1975), p. 679.

Suppression of the diocese

On 18 February 1984, the Vatican and the Italian State signed a new and revised concordat. Based on the revisions, a set of Normae was issued on 15 November 1984, which was accompanied in the next year, on 3 June 1985, by enabling legislation. According to the agreement, the practice of having one bishop govern two separate dioceses at the same time, aeque personaliter, was abolished. Instead, the Vatican continued consultations which had begun under Pope John XXIII for the merging of small dioceses, especially those with personnel and financial problems, into one combined diocese. In Tuscany, this particularly affected three dioceses: Arezzo, Cortona, and Borgo San Sepolcro (Biturgensis).

On 30 September 1986, Pope John Paul II ordered that the dioceses of Arezzo, Cortona, and San Sepolcro be merged into one diocese with one bishop, with the Latin title Dioecesis Arretina-Cortonensis-Biturgensis. The seat of the diocese was to be in Arezzo, and the cathedral of Arezzo was to serve as the cathedral of the merged diocese. The cathedrals in Cortona and San Sepolcro were to become co-cathedrals, and their cathedral Chapters were to be a Capitulum Concathedralis. There was to be only one diocesan Tribunal, in Arezzo, and likewise one seminary, one College of Consultors, and one Priests' Council. The territory of the new diocese was to include the territory of the former dioceses of Cortona and Borgo San Sepolcro.Acta Apostolicae Sedis 79 (Città del Vaticano 1987), pp. 654-656.

Abbots of San Sepolcro

Roderigo (attested 1013)Rodericus was a Benedictine (O.S.B.), but not of the Camaldolese Congregation. Kehr IV, p. 109, no. 1. Czortek, pp. 186-188. ... Rodolfo (attested 1082)Muzi, p. 65. ... Giraldo (attested 1106)Giraldo received a grant of privileges from Pope Paschal II. Kehr, p. 110, no. 5. ... Tebaldo (attested 1160)Tebaldo: Muzi, p. 68. Franciano (attested 1163)Franciano: Muzi, pp. 68-69. Philippus (attested 1180)In the bull "Quotiens illud" of 8 April 1180, Pope Alexander III confirmed to Abbot Philippus the possessions and privileges of the monastery of San Sepolcro. Kehr, p. 111, no. 8. Pagano (attested 1187)Pagano: Muzi, p. 70. Pietro (attested 1203, 1207)Pietro: Muzi, p. 71. Graziano (attested 1220, 1223)The monastery of S. Giovanni di San Sepolcro received a Visit from the Camaldolese Prior General Guido, who had Graziano removed on the charge of simony. Muzi, p. 73. Abbot Graziano received a confirmation, dated 29 November 1220, from the Emperor Frederick II of the privileges granted originally by Frederick Barbarossa. Czortek, p. 194. Omodeo (attested 1227, 1232, 1236, 1250, 1251, 1253)Omodeo: Muzi, pp. 74-79. Czortek, p. 201. Pietro Monaco (attested 1259)Abbot Pietro was present at the election of a new Prior General on 30 October 1259. Muzi, p. 79. Braimano (attested 1266)The monastery of San Sepolcro received an official Visit from the Camaldolese Prior General on 4 August 1266. Muzi, p. 79. Pietro (deposed 1279)Pietro was charged with profligacy by the Prior General Gerardo. Muzi, p. 81. Zeno (attested 1279) Pietro (attested 1293)Abbot Pietro led the opposition to the installation of the Archpriest of the Pieve of Borgo San Sepolcro, who had been elected by the Chapter of the cathedral of Città di Castello. Muzi, p. 82-83. ... Giovanni (d. 1326)Giovani: Muzi, p. 84. Angelo (1326–1338)Angelo was elected in 1326, and approved by the Prior General Niccola and by Pope John XXII. Muzi, pp. 84-85. ... Bartolomeo (attested 1357) Joannes (attested 1363)Muzi, p. 94. Bartolomeo (attested 1377, 1394) Muzi, p. 103. ... Pietro (attested 1419) Gregorius (attested 1425)Muzi, p. 104. PaschasiusPaschesius was already abbot under Martin V. Girolamo Grifoni (attested 1463, 1478 1480)In 1478, Girolamo became General of the Camaldolese, but retained the abbotship of San Sepolcro. He died in 1480. Muzi, p. 106. Simone Graziani (1480–1510) Galeazzo Graziani (1510–1520)

Bishops of Sansepolcro

Galeotto Graziani, O. Camald. (1520 – death? 1522)Graziani was named Abbot of S. Giovanni di S. Sepolcro in 1510. Muzi, p. 108. David M. Cheney, Catholic-Hierarchy.org, "Bishop Galeotto Graziani, O. Camald."; retrieved July 30, 2016. Leonardo Tornabuoni (1522–1539), next Bishop of Ajaccio (Corsica, now in France) (1539 – death 1539) Filippo Archinto (1539–1546)He was next Bishop of Saluzzo (Italy) (1546–1556), from which he was transferred to Milan as Metropolitan Archbishop of Milan(o). He died on 21 June 1558. Alfonso Tornabuoni (1546–1557)A native of Florence, Tornabuoni grew up in Rome, where his father was twice Senator. He had previously been Bishop of Saluzzo (Italy) (1530–1546), and was consecrated a bishop by Pope Clement VII on 16 September 1530. F. Savio, (1911), Saluzzo e i suoi vescovi, 1475-1601. Saluzzo: Fratelli Lobeto Bodoni, pp. 184-196. He was transferred to Borgo San Sepolcro by Pope Paul III on 8 October 1546, though on 29 October he was granted the right of possession, since his bulls had not yet been issued. He resigned on 1 October 1557, in favor of his nephew Filippo. Ughelli III, p. 200. Cappelletti XVII, p. 257. Eubel III, p. 143, with notes 6 and 7. He was an enthusiastic botanist and the person who introduced tobacco to Tuscany. Filippo Tornabuoni (1557–1559)A Florentine and a Canon of the cathedral of Florence, Filippo, the nephew of his predecessor, Bishop Alfonso, was appointed Bishop of Borgo San Sepolcro on 1 October 1557. He was not resident, however, since he was serving as ambassador of Duke Cosimo of Florence to the King of France. Cesare Guasti, "I manoscritti Torregiani," in: Bishop Filippo died on 2 November 1559. Ughelli III, p. 200. Cappelletti XVII, pp. 257-258. Eubel III, p. 143, with note 8. Niccolò Tornabuoni (1560–1598)Tornabuoni was the brother of Bishop Filippo Tornabuoni, his predecessor. He had been parish priest of S. Pietro di Agliana (diocese of Pistoia). He was appointed Bishop of Borgo San Sepolcro by Pope Pius IV on 29 May 1560, though he required a papal dispensation because he was below the minimum age. He also served as an ambassador of Duke Cosimo to the French Court from 1560 to 1565, and was present in 1560 at the time of the death of King Francis II: He wrote a treatise on the controversies between orthodox Catholics and the Huguenots. He died on 13 April 1598. Ughelli III, p. 200. Cappelletti XVII, p. 258. Eubel III, p. 143, with note 9. Alessandro Borghi (bishop) (1598–1605)Borghi was born in Modigliana. In 1605, he was appointed by Pope Clement VIII on 22 June 1598. He was named Vicar of the Lateran Basilica in Rome by Pope Paul V. Cappelletti, p. 258, treats this as a resignation, which is technically correct, but he was offered a much more prestigious position in Rome. He died in 1614. Ughelli, p. 200. Girolamo Incontri (1605–1615 Resigned)A native of Volterra, Incontri was a Doctor of Laws, Canon of the cathedral, and Prior of the church of S. Pietro in Volterra. On the recommendation of Duke Cosimo II, he was appointed Bishop of Borgo San Sepolcro by Pope Paul V on 19 December 1605. He held the seat until November 1615. He died in Volterra. Cappelletti XVII, p. 258. Gauchat, Hierarchia catholica IV, p. 124 with note 3. Giovanni dei Gualtieri (1615–1619)Gauchat, p. 124 with note 4. "Bishop Giovanni dei Gualtieri" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved November 30, 2016. Filippo Salviati (1619–1634)