Pope Leo XIV accepts resignation of Alessandria Bishop Guido Gallese following Vatican inquiry

Papal acceptance and transitional leadership

Pope Leo XIV has accepted the resignation of 64-year-old Bishop Guido Gallese from the governance of the Diocese of Alessandria, concluding nearly 14 years of episcopal leadership. The Holy See announced the decision through a press office bulletin, assigning Bishop Luigi Testore of the neighbouring Diocese of Acqui Terme to serve as apostolic administrator. Testore will oversee the local church alongside his existing diocesan duties until a permanent successor is chosen. Gallese, who was originally appointed by Pope Benedict XVI in November 2012, retains the title of bishop emeritus and will assume a national role as spiritual assistant to the Collegamento Nazionale Santuari. The outgoing bishop will officially take leave of the diocese on 4 October 2026 before moving to a new residence outside Alessandria.

Apostolic visitation under Cardinal Bertello

The resignation concludes a formal inquiry initiated by the Vatican on 26 January 2026 to evaluate growing disputes within the diocese. Following petitions and letters sent by local parishioners regarding diocesan management and clerical friction, the Holy See ordered an apostolic visitation under canon law. Pope Leo XIV assigned Cardinal Giuseppe Bertello to lead the review, spending eight months gathering testimonies from local priests, religious communities, and lay members. Gallese described the resulting public attention as a painful pillory, though he noted that the formal inquiry closed without written sanctions.

Addressing the scrutiny in comments to parishioners, Gallese framed the experience in spiritual terms:

Seeing one's life sifted through prejudice, reading derogatory terms that have nothing to do with the reality of facts, causes suffering. Yet in this suffering emerges the true experience of Jesus on the Cross.

Scrutiny over finances and lifestyle

Internal friction escalated following disputes over administrative transparency, property management, and personal expenditures. Parishioners lodged complaints after diocesan financial balance sheets went unpublished for an extended period. Scrutiny mounted in December 2023 when Gallese arrived at a Christmas luncheon for the poor driving a red Tesla, prompting public criticism alongside his ownership of a used scooter. Inquiries also extended to diocesan real estate transactions, specifically renovation costs at the Santa Chiara college for university students and the former Capuchin convent where Gallese established his personal residence, as well as accusations concerning expensive kitesurfing trips.

Diocesan rebuttals and pastoral departure

The Diocese of Alessandria defended the bishop against claims of excessive spending through statements published in local and national media. Diocesan spokesperson Enzo Governale stated that the red Tesla did not cost the diocese any funds, while affirming that Gallese practiced kitesurfing primarily along the Ligurian coastline rather than during luxury vacations abroad. Diocesan officials also maintained that real estate works complied with standard procedures and that the bishop inhabited normal living quarters. In an interview with diocesan weekly La Voce Alessandrina, Gallese stated that stepping aside would grant his successor complete freedom of action.

Alessandria has been my home for nearly 14 years. Sometimes truly loving a community means having the courage and the humility, when experiencing a shared weariness, to take a step back for the good of all.