Riccardo Fontana, an Italian Roman Catholic prelate who served as the archbishop of Spoleto-Norcia and later as the archbishop-bishop of Arezzo-Cortona-Sansepolcro, died Feb. 9, 2026, of an undisclosed illness. He was 79.
Fontana led the Diocese of Arezzo-Cortona-Sansepolcro for 13 years, beginning in 2009. During his tenure, he focused on pastoral care, diocesan unity, and the development of priestly vocations. He previously served as the archbishop of Spoleto-Norcia from 1996 to 2009, where he oversaw reconstruction efforts following an earthquake and worked to revitalize the local seminary and charitable initiatives.
Born in Forte dei Marmi on Jan. 20, 1947, Fontana was ordained a priest in 1972. Before his episcopal appointments, he served for four years as the head of the secretariat for Cardinal Angelo Sodano, who was the Secretary of State to Pope John Paul II. Pope John Paul II appointed Fontana as Archbishop of Spoleto-Norcia in December 1995, and he received episcopal consecration in St. Peter’s Basilica in January 1996.
Fontana adopted the episcopal motto "Non recuso laborem," or "I do not refuse work," which guided his ministry through his retirement. Pope Francis accepted his resignation on Sept. 15, 2022, after Fontana reached the canonical age limit of 75 for diocesan bishops.