ANNECY, DIOCESE of. - In south-eastern France, with its seat at A. (Annecium). Situated at 450 m. on the shores of the lake of the same name, this city is also the capital of the department of Haute-Savoie (4,598 sq. km.).
Belonging to the Civitas Cebennessis, it formed part of the diocese of Geneva, which was to continue until 1801. On that date the whole of Savoy was included in the single diocese of Chambéry and Geneva. Finally, on 15 February 1822, by the bull Sollicita catholici gregis, Pius VII erected a new diocese, suffragan of Chambéry, fixing its see at A. The diocese, which encompasses the territory of the department of Haute-Savoie, except for the cantons of Alby and Rumilly, ceded to that of Chambéry, and the canton of Ugines (Savoy), has a population of 260,000 Catholics out of 270,742 inhabitants, with 477 priests. It comprises 2 archdeaconries, Thonon and A., 43 archpriestships, and 312 parishes. The diocese of A., whose religious vitality is noteworthy, is particularly famous for s. FRANCESCANE (v.) di Sales and s. FRANCESCANE (v.) di Chantal.
THE MONASTERY OF THE VISITATION. - The saints Francesco di Sales and Giovanna Francesca de Chantal Visitation (v.) there on 6 June 1610 in the chapel of the "Galleria". St. Francesco di Sales consecrated the church in 1618; five years later, his mortal remains were deposited there. The numerous miracles performed at his tomb and at that of St. de Chantal attracted an ever-growing number of pilgrims, so that it became necessary to build a larger church, completed in 1648.
Sold by the revolutionaries, the sanctuary was redeemed and restored at the end of the nineteenth century. The relics of the founding saints were transferred, in 1911, to the new convent built facing the lake.