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Roman Catholic Diocese of Verdun

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For the secular jurisdiction of the bishops in the Holy Roman Empire, see Prince-Bishopric of Verdun.

The Diocese of Verdun (Latin: Dioecesis Virodunensis; French: Diocèse de Verdun) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in France. It is a suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Besançon. The Diocese of Verdun corresponds to the département of Meuse in the région of Lorraine. The diocese is subdivided into 577 parishes.

Diocese of Verdun

Dioecesis Virodunensis

Diocèse de Verdun
Verdun Cathedral and Cloister
Coat of arms of the Diocese of Verdun
Coat of arms
Location
CountryFrance
Ecclesiastical provinceBesançon
MetropolitanArchdiocese of Besançon
Statistics
Area6,211 km2 (2,398 sq mi)
Population
- Total
- Catholics		(as of 2022)
194,100
170,120 (87.6%)
Parishes515
Information
DenominationCatholic Church
Sui iuris churchLatin Church
RiteRoman Rite
EstablishedRestored on 6 October 1822
CathedralCathedral of Notre Dame de Verdun
Patron saintBlessed Virgin Mary Assumed in Heaven
Secular priests41 (Diocesan)
1 (Religious Orders)
Current leadership
PopeFrancis
BishopJean-Paul Gusching
Metropolitan ArchbishopJean-Luc Bouilleret
Bishops emeritusFrançois Maupu
Website
catholique-verdun.cef.fr

History

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The diocese dates back to the 4th century. Traditionally the city was first evangelized around 332 by St Sanctinus, Bishop of Meaux, who became the first bishop. Sanctinus erected the first Christian oratory dedicated to St. Peter and St. Paul.[1][2]

The first bishop known to history is St. Polychronius (Pulchrone) who lived in the fifth century and was a relative and disciple of St. Lupus de Troyes.[3] "Other bishops worthy of mention are: St. Possessor (470–486); St. Firminus (486–502); St. Vitonus (Vanne) (502–529); St. Désiré (Desideratus) (529–554), St. Agericus (Airy) (554–591), friend of St. Gregory of Tours and of Fortunatus; St. Paul (630–648), formerly Abbot of the Benedictine Monastery of Tholey in the Diocese of Trier; and St. Madalvaeus (Mauve) (753–776)."[4]

The three bishoprics (Metz, Toul, and Verdun) had been under control of the French since 1552,[5] but the dioceses resisted, and it was not until the Peace of Westphalia in 1648 that their acquisition was formally recognized. In the reign of King Louis XIV, in 1664, the kings of France were granted the right to nominate the bishop when a vacancy occurred. This concession did not extend to any other benefice in the dioceses. It was not until 1668 that Clement IX removed the limitation.[6]

From 1624 to 1636, a large bastioned citadel was constructed on the site of the Abbey of Saint Vanne. The Church of Saint-Vanne was destroyed in 1832 and its cloister, which had been converted into barracks, was burned in 1870 during the Franco-Prussian War.[3]

French Revolution

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Even before it directed its attention to the Church directly, the National Constituent Assembly attacked the institution of monasticism. On 13 February 1790. it issued a decree which stated that the government would no longer recognize solemn religious vows taken by either men or women. In consequence, Orders and Congregations which lived under a Rule were suppressed in France. Members of either sex were free to leave their monasteries or convents if they wished, and could claim an appropriate pension by applying to the local municipal authority.[7]

The Assembly ordered the replacement of political subdivisions of the ancien régime with subdivisions called "departments", to be characterized by a single administrative city in the center of a compact area. The decree was passed on 22 December 1789, the boundaries fixed on 26 February 1790, with the institution to be effective on 4 March 1790.[8] A new department was created called "Meuse," which comprised the three bishoprics and the district of Bar-le-Duc.\, and Bar was fixed as its administrative center. The National Constituent Assembly then, on 6 February 1790, instructed its ecclesiastical committee to prepare a plan for the reorganization of the clergy. At the end of May, its work was presented as a draft Civil Constitution of the Clergy, which, after vigorous debate, was approved on 12 July 1790. There was to be one diocese in each department,[9] requiring the suppression of approximately fifty dioceses.[10] The former diocese of Verdun was assigned to the "Metropole de l'Est", with its metropolitan seated in Reims, by decree of 12 July 1790.[11]

In the Civil Constitution of the Clergy, the National Constituent Assembly also abolished cathedral chapters, canonicates, prebends, chapters and dignities of collegiate churches, chapters of both secular and regular clergy of both sexes, and abbeys and priories whether existing under a Rule or in commendam.[12]

On 13 January 1791, the municipal officials of Verdun presented Bishop Henri-Louis Rene Desnos a copy of the decree of 27 November 1790, demanding an oath of allegiance to the Civil Constitution of the Clergy. The bishop submitted his formal refusal on 21 January, and left the city.[13]

Until 1801 Verdun was part of the ecclesiastical province of the Archbishop of Trier. On November 29, 1801 it was suppressed and added to the Diocese of Nancy. On October 31, 1822 the diocese was re-established.[3]

During World War I over 200 parishes fell under occupation by the German army and communication with the Bishop of Verdun practically cut off.[14] The administration of the parishes was confided to Thomas Louis Heylen, Bishop of Namur, who had been appointed vicar apostolic to French territory under German occupation.[15]

When the city came under bombardment the diocesan administration relocated to Bar-le-Duc and did not return until 1921. One hundred and fifty-three churches were destroyed and 166 damaged, including the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Verdun, whose towers have never been rebuilt. Of 186 priests who enlisted, 13 were killed, 20 seriously wounded, and 50 taken prisoner. One hundred and sixty citations and diplomas of honor and 120 decorations were awarded to priests of the diocese.[14]

Bishops of Verdun

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Early bishops

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  • ca. 346: St. Saintin[16]
  • 356–383: Maurus[17]
  • ???–420: Salvinus
  • ca. 440: Arator
  • 454–470: Polychronius[18]
  • 470–486: Possessor[19]
  • 486–502: Freminus (Firminus)
  • 502–529: Vitonus[20]
  • 529–554: Desideratus[21]
  • 554–591: Agericus[22]
  • v. 595: Charimeres
  • v. 614: Harimeris
  • ???–621: Ermenfrid
  • 623–626: Godo[23]
  • 641–648: Paulus
  • 648–665: Gisloald
  • 665–689: Gerebert
  • 689–701: Armonius
  • 701–710: Agrebert
  • 711–715: Bertalamius
  • 716: Abbo
  • 716–722: Pepo
  • 722–730: Volchisus
  • 730–732: Agronius
  • 753–774: Madalveus
  • 774–798: Peter
  • 798–802: Austram
  • 802–824: Heriland
  • 824–847: Hilduin
  • 847–870: Hatto
  • 870–879: Bernard
  • 880–923: Dado[24]
  • 923–925: Hugh (I)
  • 925–939: Bernuin[25]
  • 939–959: Berengar
  • 959–983: Wigfrid
  • 983–984: Hugh (II)
  • 984–984: Adalbero (I)[26]
  • 985–990: Adalbero II[27]

Prince-bishops

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990 to 1300

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  • 990–1024: Haimont (Heymon)
  • 1024–1039: Reginbert
  • 1039–1046: Richard I
  • 1047–1089: Theoderic
  • 1089–1107: Richer
  • 1107–1114: Richard II of Grandpré
  • 1114–1117: Mazo, administrator
  • 1117–1129: Henry I of Blois, deposed at the Council of Chalon (1129)
  • 1129–1131: Ursion de Watronville[28]
  • 1131–1156: Adalbero III of Chiny
  • 1156–1162: Albert I of Marcey
  • 1163–1171: Richard III of Crisse
  • 1172–1181: Arnulf of Chiny-Verdun
  • 1181–1186: Henry II of Castel
  • 1186–1208: Albert II of Hierges
  • 1208–1216: Robert I of Grandpré
  • 1217–1224: John I of Aspremont
  • 1224–1245: Radulf of Torote
  • 1245–1245: Guy (Wido) I of Traignel
  • 1245–1247: Guy (Wido) II of Mellote
  • 1247–1252: John II of Aachen
  • 1252–1255: James (Jacques) I Pantaléon of Court-Palais
  • 1255–1271: Robert II of Médidan
  • 1271–1273: Ulrich of Sarvay
  • 1275–1278: Gerard of Grandson
  • 1278–1286: Henri of Grandson
  • 1289–1296: James (Jacques) II of Ruvigny
  • 1297–1302: John III of Richericourt

1300 to 1500

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  • 1303–1305: Thomas of Blankenberg
  • 1305–1312: Nicholas I of Neuville
  • 1312–1349: Henry IV of Aspremont
  • 1349–1351: Otto of Poitiers
  • 1352–1361: Hugh III of Bar
  • 1362–1371: John IV of Bourbon-Montperoux
  • 1371–1375: John V of Dampierre-St. Dizier
  • 1375–1379: Guy III of Roye
  • 1380–1404: Leobald of Cousance
  • 1404–1419: John VI of Saarbrücken
  • 1419–1423: Louis I of Bar († 1430), administrator
  • 1423–1423: Raymond
  • 1423–1424: William of Montjoie
  • 1424–1430: Louis I of Bar († 1430), administrator
  • 1430–1437: Louis of Haraucourt
  • 1437–1449: Guillaume Fillastre
  • 1449–1456: Louis of Haraucourt
  • 1457–1500: William of Haraucourt

after 1500

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Bishops under French rule

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Until 1801 Verdun was part of the ecclesiastical province of the Archbishop of Trier. On November 29, 1801 it was suppressed and added to the Diocese of Nancy. On October 6, 1822 the diocese was re-established.

After the Concordat of 1817 (1823)

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  • 1823–1830: Etienne-Bruno-Marie d'Arbou
  • 1826–1831: François-Joseph de Villeneuve-Esclapon
  • 1832–1836: Placide-Bruno Valayer
  • 1836–1844: Augustin-Jean Le Tourneur
 
Bishop Jean-Paul Gusching in 2014
  • 1844–1866: Louis Rossat
  • 1867–1884: Augustin Hacquard
  • 1884–1887: Jean-Natalis-François Gonindard
  • 1887–1901: Jean-Pierre Pagis
  • 1901–1909: Louis-Ernest Dubois
  • 1910–1913: Jean Arturo Chollet
  • 1914–1946: Charles-Marie-André Ginisty
  • 1946–1963: Marie-Paul-Georges Petit
  • 1963–1986: Pierre Francis Lucien Anatole Boillon
  • 1987–1999: Marcel Paul Herriot

21st century

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  • 9 March 2000 to September 2014: François Paul Marie Maupu[34]
  • 3 July 2014: Jean-Paul Gabriel Émile Gusching[35]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Les grands sites religieux du diocèse de Verdun au Moyen-Âge". Diocèse de Verdun.
  2. ^ Healy, Patrick (2006). The Chronicle of Hugh of Flavigny: Reform and the Investiture Contest in the Late Eleventh Century. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. pp. 22–23. ISBN 978-0-7546-5526-8.
  3. ^ a b c Georges Goyau, "Diocese of Verdun."
  4. ^ "Diocese of Verdun". CatholiCity. Retrieved March 22, 2013.
  5. ^ Berthold Zeller, Henri II, l'occupation des trois-evêches (1547-1552), (in French), (Paris: Hachette, 1890, pp. 183-184.
  6. ^ Joseph Bergin, Church, Society and Religious Change in France, 1580–1730, (New Haven: Yale 2009), p. 24. Joseph Bergin,, Crown, Church, and Episcopate Under Louis XIV, (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2004), p. 27.
  7. ^ J. B. Duvergier, Collection complète des lois, décrets, ordonnances, règlemens avis du Conseil d'état, (in French), Volume 1 (Paris: A. Guyot et Scribe, 1834), p. 118: "La loi constitutionnelle du royaume ne reconnaitra plus de voeux monastiques solennels des personnes de l'un ni de l'autre sexe: en conséquence, les ordres et congrégations réguliers dans lesquels on fait de pareils voeux sont et demeureront supprimés en France, sans qu'il puisse en être établi de semblables à l'avenir." Michael Burleigh, Earthly Powers: The Clash of Religion and Politics in Europe, from the French Revolution to the Great War (New York: Harper Collins 2006), p. 54.
  8. ^ Pisani, pp. 10-11. Departement de Puy-de-Dôme, "Création du département"; retrieved 15 July 2024.
  9. ^ "Civil Constitution," Title I, "Article 1. Chaque département formera un seul diocèse, et chaque diocèse aura la même étendue et les mêmes limites que le département."
  10. ^ Ludovic Sciout, Histoire de la constitution civile du clergé (1790-1801): L'église et l'Assemblée constituante, (in French and Latin) ., Vol. 1 (Paris: Firmin Didot 1872), p. 182: Art. 2 "...Tous les autres évêchés existant dans les quatre-vingt-trois départements du royaume, et qui ne sont pas nommément compris au présent article, sont et demeurent supprimés."
  11. ^ Pionnier, pp. 87-88.
  12. ^ J. B. Duvergier, Collection complète des lois, décrets, ordonnances, règlemens avis du Conseil d'état, (in French), Volume 1 (Paris: A. Guyot et Scribe, 1834), p. 244: "20. Tous titres et offices , autres que ceux mentionnés en la présente constitution , les dignités , canonicats, prébendes, demi-prébendes, chapelles, chapellenies, tant des églises cathédrales que des églises collégiales, et tous chapitres réguliers et séculiers de l'un et de l'autre sexe, les abbayes et prieurés en règle ou en commende, aussi de l'un et de l'autre sexe, et tous autres bénéfices et prestimonies généralement quelconques , de quelque nature et sous quelque dénomination que ce soit, sont, à compter du jour de la publication du présent décret, éteints et supprimés, sans qu'il puisse jamais en être établi de semblables."
  13. ^ Pionnier, pp. 89-91: "...Je déclare que je ne déshonorerai point ma vieillesse et que je n'attirerai point sur ma tête les foudres d'un Dieu vengeur en portant ce funeste serment. Que ma langue s'attache à mon palais si jamais je le prononce. Henri-Louis-René, évêque de Verdun."
  14. ^ a b "Verdun, Diocese of", The Catholic Encyclopedia: Supplement 1, Encyclopedia Press, 1922
  15. ^ [Simon, A., "Heylen (Thomas-Louis)", Biographie Nationale de Belgique, vol. 32 (Brussels, 1964), 295-299.
  16. ^ Gallia christiana XIII, pp. 1162-1163. Duchesne, p. 69 with note 3.
  17. ^ Maurus: François Giry, Les petits Bollandistes vies des saints de l'ancien et du nouveau testament des martyres ...: Notice sur les congrégations et les ordres religieux, histoire des reliques, (in French), Vol. 13 (Paris: Bloud et Barral, 1888), p. 271.
  18. ^ Smith, William; Wace, Henry (1887). A Dictionary of Christian Biography, Literature, Sects and Doctrines, vol 4. Little, Brown & Company. p. 436. Gallia christiana XIII, pp. 1164-1165. Polychronius had been a student of Lupus of Troyes (429–479), and had a reputation as an exorcist: Pieter van den Bosch (ed.), in: Acta sanctorum Julii Vol. 7 (Antwerp: Jacobum du Moulin, 1731). pp. 56b, 70e, 81e.
  19. ^ Possessor died on 1 December 486, according to Hugh of Flavigny. Gallia christiana XIII, p. 1165. J.P. Migne (ed.), Patrologiae Latinae Cursus Completus, (in Latin), Vol. 154 (Paris 1853), p. 87, col. 1.
  20. ^ Alban Butler, Paul Burns, Butler's Lives of the Saints, new full edition, Volume 11 (Tunbridge Wells, UK: A&C Black, 1997), p. 73.
  21. ^ Bishop Desideratus attended the council of Auvergne in 535, and the council of Orléans in 549. Duchesne, p. 70, no. 9.
  22. ^ Around 570, Bishop Agericus was the godfather of King Childebert II of Austrasia (575–592). He is mentioned by Gregory of Tours with reference to events of 584–587. He died in 588 (Duchesne), or 591 (Gams). Gallia christiana XIII, pp. 1166-1168. Duchesne, p. 70, no. 10.
  23. ^ Bishop Godo was present at the council of Clichy, held on 27 September, in 626 or 627. Charles De Clercq, Concilia Galliae, A. 511 — A. 695 (in Latin), (Turnholt: Brepols 1963), pp. 290, 297 ("Ex ciuitate Viridono Godo episcopus."). Duchesne, p. 71, no. 12; Duchesne believed that Godo and Ermenfrid were the same person.
  24. ^ Gerzaguet, Jean-Pierre. "Dado of Verdun". Encyclopedia of the Medieval Chronicle, (Graeme Dunphy, ed.) Brill Online, 2016. Reference. 09 March 2016 (Wayback Machine 17 october 2016)
  25. ^ Bernuin was a son of Matfried I, Count of Metz, and of Lantesinde (sister of Dado).
  26. ^ Adalbero was later Bishop of Metz (as Adalbero II). Son of Frederick I, Duke of Upper Lorraine.
  27. ^ Adalbero (II) was a cousin of Adalbero (I), his predecessor.
  28. ^ François-Alexandre Aubert de La Chesnaye Des Bois. "Dictionnaire de la noblesse : contenant les généalogies, l'histoire et la chronologie des familles nobles de France", (Paris: Schlesinger Brothers, 1867), p. 993.
  29. ^ Son of René II, Duke of Lorraine.
  30. ^ The Bishopric was annexed to France in 1552. This was not formally recognised in the Empire until the Peace of Westphalia in 1648. Charles-Nicolas Gabriel, Étude sur Nicolas Psaulme, évêque et comte de Verdun, 1518-1575 (Verdun: L. Doublat, 1867), pp. 9-59.
  31. ^ (1561–1587), bishop of Toul from 1580 to 1587, son of Nicolas de Mercœur.
  32. ^ (1576–1623), son of Nicolas de Mercœur.
  33. ^ Saive Numismatique
  34. ^ Maupu had been vicar-general of Orléans. Acta Apostolicae Sedis (in Latin) Vol. 92 (Città del Vaticano, 2000), p. 373.
  35. ^ Gusching had been vicar-general of Amiens. Acta Apostolicae Sedis (in Latin) Vol. 106 (Città del Vaticano, 2014), p. 591.
  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Diocese of Verdun". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.

Books

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Studies

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