Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Avignon

The Archdiocese of Avignon (Latin: Archidioecesis Avenionensis; French: Archidiocèse d'Avignon) is a Latin archdiocese of the Catholic Church in France. The diocese exercises jurisdiction over the territory embraced by the department of Vaucluse, in the Region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. It is named for the prefecture of Avignon. The diocese has been led since January 2021 by Archbishop Georges Pontier, whom Pope Francis called out of retirement to serve as Apostolic Administrator.[1]

Archdiocese of Avignon

Archidioecesis Avenionensis

Archidiocèse d'Avignon
Avignon Cathedral
Location
CountryFrance
Ecclesiastical provinceMarseille
MetropolitanArchdiocese of Marseille
Statistics
Area3,578 km2 (1,381 sq mi)
Population
- Total
- Catholics		(as of 2012)
554,000
405,100 (73.1%)
Parishes179
Information
DenominationRoman Catholic
Sui iuris churchLatin Church
RiteRoman Rite
Established4th Century
CathedralCathedral Basilica of Notre Dame des Doms
Patron saintNotre-Dame
St. Agricola of Avignon
Current leadership
PopeFrancis
ArchbishopFrançois Fonlupt
Bishops emeritusJean-Pierre Cattenoz
Website
Website of the Archdiocese

Established in the 4th century as the Diocese of Avignon, the diocese was elevated to an archdiocese in 1475,[lower-alpha 1] with the suffragan sees of the Diocese of Carpentras, the Diocese of Vaison, and the Diocese of Cavaillon. By the Concordat of 1801 these three dioceses were united to Avignon, together with the Diocese of Apt, a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Aix. At the same time, however, Avignon was reduced to the rank of a bishopric and was made a suffragan see of Aix.[lower-alpha 2]

The Archdiocese of Avignon was re-established in 1822,[lower-alpha 3] and received as suffragan sees the Diocese of Viviers (restored in 1822); Diocese of Valence (formerly under Lyon); Diocese of Nîmes (restored in 1822); and Diocese of Montpellier (formerly under Toulouse).

On 16 December 2002, the see – officially Archdiocese of Avignon (-Apt, Cavaillon, Carpentras, Orange, and Vaison) – lost its Metropolitan status and became instead a suffragan see of Marseille. In 2009 its name was changed to Archdiocese of Avignon, the secondary titles being suppressed.

History

There is no evidence that either Saint Rufus, disciple of Saint Paul according to certain traditions the son of Simon of Cyrene, or Saint Justus, likewise held in high honour throughout the territory of Avignon, was venerated in antiquity as bishop of that see. The first bishop known to history is Nectarius,[2] who took part in several councils about the middle of the fifth century. Saint Agricol (Agricolus), bishop between 650 and 700, is the patron saint of Avignon.

In 1475 Pope Sixtus IV raised the diocese of Avignon to the rank of an archbishopric, in favour of his nephew Giuliano della Rovere who later became Pope Julius II.[3]

Bishops

To 1000

1000 to 1474
  • mentioned 1002: Pierre
  • before 1006–1033: Heldebert
  • 1033–1036: Senioret
  • 1037– after 1047: Benoît I
  • before 1050– after 1173: Rostaing II
  • 1095– after 1120: Albert
  • before 1124–1142: Laugerius
  • 1148–after 1148: Geoffroy I
  • 1173–1174: Raymond I
  • 1174–1177: Geoffroy II
  • 1178–1180: Pontius
  • 1180–1197: Rostaing III de Marguerite
  • 1197–1209: Rostaing IV
  • 1209–1216 death: Guillaume I de Montelier[6]
  • mentioned 1225: Pierre II[6]
  • before 1226– after 1230: Nicolas de Corbie[6]
  • mentioned 1238: Benedictus[6]
  • 1242–1261 death: Zoen Tencarari
  • 1264–1266: Bertrand de Saint-Martin[6]
  • 1267– c. 1287 death: Robert d'Uzès[6]
  • mentioned 1288: Benoît III[6]
  • 1290– after 1294: André de Languiscel[6]
  • 1300–1310: Bertrandus Aymini[7][6]
  • 1310–1312: Jacques Duèze, later Pope John XXII[6]
  • 1313–1317: Jacques de Via (nephew of John XXII)[6]
  • 1317–1334: John XXII (again)[6]
  • 1336–1349: Jean de Cojordan
  • 1349–1352 death: Clement VI
  • 1352–1362 death: Innocent VI
  • 1362–1366: Anglicus Grimoard (brother Pope Urban V)[6]
  • 1366–1367: Urban V
  • 1367–1368: Philippe de Cabassole
  • 1368–1371 death: Pierre d'Aigrefeuille[8]
  • 1371–1383: Faydit d'Aigrefeuille[8]
  • 1391–1394: Clement VII (antipope)
  • 1394–1398: Benedict XIII (antipope)
  • 1398–1406: Gilles de Bellamere
  • 1410–1412: Pierre V de Tourroye
  • 1412–1415: Simond de Cramaud
  • 1415–1419: Guy I de Roussillon-Bouchage
  • 1419–1422: Guy II Spifame
  • 1422–1432: Guy III de Roussillon-Bouchage
  • 1432–1433: Marco Condulmer[9]
  • 1437–1474: Alain de Coëtivy[9]

Archbishops
Archbishop Jean-Pierre Cattenoz (left) and Dominique Rey
  • 1880–1884: François-Edouard Hasley (also Archbishop of Cambrai)
  • 1885–1895: Louis-Joseph-Marie-Ange Vigne
  • 1896–1907: Louis-François Sueur
  • 1907–1928: Gaspard-Marie-Michel-André Latty[17]
  • 1928–1957: Gabriel-Roch de Llobet[17]
  • 1957–1970: Joseph-Martin Urtasun[17]
  • 1970–1978: Eugène-Jean-Marie Polge[17]
  • 1978–2002: Raymond Bouchex[17]
  • 2002–2021: Jean-Pierre Marie Cattenoz[17]
  • 2021–present: François Fonlupt

See also

Notes
  1. On 21 November 1475
  2. On 29 November 1801
  3. On 6 October 1822

References
  1. Henning, Christophe (12 January 2021). "Pope appoints retired bishop to heal divided French diocese". La Croix International. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  2. Gagnière et al. 1979, p. 109.
  3. Girard 1958, pp. 71–72.
  4. Duprat 1909b, p. 151.
  5. Palanque 1951, pp. 132–133.
  6. Eubel 1913, p. 123.
  7. Gams 1857, p. 504.
  8. Eubel 1913, p. 124.
  9. Eubel 1914, p. 100.
  10. Eubel 1923, p. 126.
  11. Eubel 1923, p. 127.
  12. Gauchat 1935, p. 105.
  13. Gauchat 1935, pp. 105–106.
  14. Gauchat 1935, p. 106.
  15. Ritzler & Sefrin 1952, p. 109.
  16. Ritzler & Sefrin 1958, p. 111.
  17. Delaunay 2016.

Sources

Further reading
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