is, in reality, under the independent rule of an administrator Apostolic who has the rank and power of a bishop. He is appointed by the pope with the concurrence of the Bishop of Basle from among the members of the clergy of the Canton of Ticino. The first administrator Apostolic was Eugene Lachat; he was followed by Mgr. Vincent Molo (1887–1904), and Mgr. Alfred Peri-Morosini. The latter was born 12 March 1862, and was consecrated 17 April 1904. On 8 March 1971 the apostolic administration of the Canton Ticino was separated from the diocese of Basel and by virtue of the Bull of Pope Paul VI became an independent diocese. Giuseppe Martinoli became the first bishop of Lugano. From 1978 to 1986 he was bishop of Lugano Ernesto Togni, who was succeeded in 1986 Eugenio Corecco, under whose episcopate was formed the Academic Institute of Theology of Lugano, who became a decree of the Congregation for Catholic Education of 20 November 1993 a faculty of Theology. The most noted church of the diocese is the Cathedral of San Lorenzo at Lugano, which was built in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries and has a celebrated Renaissance façade; the most frequented place of pilgrimage is the shrine Madonna del Sasso not far from Locarno, which is the national shrine of the Canton of Ticino. References External links Sito ufficiale della Diocesi Lugano— Bolla Paroecialis et Collegialis Lugano Lugano Religion in Ticino Religious organizations established in 1888 1888 establishments in Switzerland Lugano