Vatican City, 18 March 2016 – The Holy Father has appointed Rev. Msgr. Stefano Russo as bishop of Fabriano-Matelica (area 681, population 54,630, Catholics 51,900, priests 59, permanent deacons 6, religious 164), Italy. The bishop-elect was born in Ascoli Piceno, Italy in 1961 and was ordained a priest in 1991. He has a degree in architecture from the Faculty of architecture of Pescara, and has served in a number of roles, including president of the Commission for Religious Art and Cultural Heritage of the diocese of Ascoli Piceno, member and regional head of the advisory council for Ecclesiastical Cultural Heritage of the Episcopal Council of the Marches region, parish administrator, head of the National Office for Ecclesiastical Cultural Heritage of the Italian Episcopal Conference, member of the Commission for cultural assets and activities of the Marches region, and deputy parish priest. He is currently pastor of the Sts. Peter and Paul parish in Ascoli Piceno. He succeeds Bishop Giancarlo Vecerrica, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese upon reaching the age limit was accepted by the Holy Father.