Seminary of Acireale is a Roman Catholic seminary located in Acireale

Acireale

Acireale is a coastal city and commune in the north-east of the province of Catania, Sicily, Italy, at the foot of Mount Etna, on the coast facing the Ionian Sea. It is a diocese, famous for its churches, including the Neo-Gothic St. Peter's Basilica, St...

, Sicily

Sicily

Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...

 in the Diocese of Acireale for the education and training of young men studying for the priesthood.

History

The seminary was founded on 15 December 1881 by the first Bishop of Acireale, Gerlando Maria Genaurdi. The building which houses the seminary was originally St. Martin's college and was acquired by a group of priests for the purpose of establishing a seminary for men from various dioceses of Sicily and southern Italy who were training for the priesthood.

The first rector

Rector

The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...

 was Fr. Alessandro Amato, selected by Bishop Genaurdi on the advice of the Salesians. Fr. Alessandro was a young priest with degrees in theology and philosophy which he had obtained from the Pontifical Gregorian University

Pontifical Gregorian University

The Pontifical Gregorian University is a pontifical university located in Rome, Italy.Heir of the Roman College founded by Saint Ignatius of Loyola over 460 years ago, the Gregorian University was the first university founded by the Jesuits...

 in Rome

Rome

Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...

. He served as rector from 1881 to 1887.Italian politician and priest, Don Luigi Sturzo

Luigi Sturzo

Don Luigi Sturzo was an Italian Catholic priest and politician. Known in his lifetime as a "clerical socialist," Sturzo is considered one of the fathers of Christian democracy. Sturzo was one of the founders of the Partito Popolare Italiano in 1919, but was forced into exile in 1924 with the rise...

was a resident of the seminary for three years from 1883 to 1886.

As of 2007, the seminary housed a total of 20 seminarians The rector of the seminary as of 2009 is Fr. Angelo Milone, and the vice-rector is Fr. Alfio Privitera.