Susanna Riva The Diocese of Alessandria is in a significant transition. Monsignor Guido Gallese, who has led the diocese since November 2012, has submitted his resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese. Pope Leo XIV accepted his decision and appointed Monsignor Luigi Testore, Bishop of Acqui Terme, as Apostolic Administrator.
This decision follows an apostolic visit ordered by the Holy See, entrusted to Cardinal Giuseppe Bertello, who assessed the situation of the diocese. The visit, which began in early 2026, led to intense media pressure, which Gallese described as a painful pillory.
The controversies and internal tensions
Monsignor Guido Gallese, originally from Levanto and appointed bishop of Alessandria by Benedict XVI, has been at the center of heated controversy.
The criticisms focused on alleged extravagant spending , such as purchasing a Tesla, and his passion for kitesurfing, which he also practices in South America. Furthermore, there were internal tensions with some members of the clergy and the community.
In a meeting with the faithful, Gallese had expressed his sorrow for the painful pillory he had suffered, comparing his experience to that of Jesus on the cross.
Despite the criticism, he stressed that the apostolic visit did not lead to any formal sanctions.
The new assignment and the future of the diocese
Archbishop Gallese expressed gratitude for the new assignment entrusted to him by the Dicastery for Evangelization: he will be ecclesiastical assistant to the National Connection of Sanctuaries (CNS). This role, defined by Gallese as a missionary one, represents an indispensable strategic juncture for evangelization and popular piety.
The Diocese of Alessandria, with its 74 parishes, is one of the most significant ecclesial entities in eastern Piedmont. Monsignor Luigi Testore, 74, Bishop of Acqui, will replace him. Testore, a native of the Diocese of Asti and a priest of the Archdiocese of Milan, has held numerous pastoral and administrative positions, including president of Caritas Ambrosiana.
Gallese expressed his appreciation for the Holy See's decision, calling Testore a wise, concrete person, capable of caring for our situation with great fatherhood . The bishop emeritus also expressed his willingness to ask forgiveness from all those he was unable to accompany and serve as he would have liked.
A review of almost fourteen years
Looking back on the nearly fourteen years he spent leading the diocese, Gallese fondly recalls the diocesan pilgrimages, the Jubilee of Mercy, the celebrations for the 850th anniversary of the diocese, the synodal journey on pastoral units with over 150 listening and discussion meetings, his commitment to young people, Caritas, and the numerous ecclesial organizations in the area.
The bishop emeritus emphasized that his decision to leave Alessandria was made out of love and respect for the diocese, to leave full freedom and serenity of action to those who come after him. Alessandria, its people, its faces, and its stories will forever remain cherished in his prayers and in his heart.