Archbishop of Arles
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The former French
Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
Archbishopric of Arles had its
episcopal seat A cathedral is a church that contains the of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denominations with an episcop ...
in the city of
Arles Arles ( , , ; ; Classical ) is a coastal city and Communes of France, commune in the South of France, a Subprefectures in France, subprefecture in the Bouches-du-Rhône Departments of France, department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Reg ...
, in southern
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
. At the apex of the delta (Camargue) of the Rhone River, some 40 miles from the sea, Arles grew under Liburnian, Celtic, and Punic influences, until, in 46 B.C., a Roman military veteran colony was founded there by Tiberius Claudius Nero, under instructions from
Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (12 or 13 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC) was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in Caesar's civil wa ...
. For centuries, the archbishops of Arles were regional leaders in creating and codifying canon law, through councils and synods. The diocese was suppressed in 1822, fulfilling a condition in the Concordat of 1817 with King
Louis XVIII Louis XVIII (Louis Stanislas Xavier; 17 November 1755 â€“ 16 September 1824), known as the Desired (), was King of France from 1814 to 1824, except for a brief interruption during the Hundred Days in 1815. Before his reign, he spent 23 y ...
.


Diocesan history

The bishopric of Arles was founded before the middle of the third century. Its status as a metropolitan archdiocese was defined by
Pope Leo I Pope Leo I () ( 391 – 10 November 461), also known as Leo the Great (; ), was Bishop of Rome from 29 September 440 until his death on 10 November 461. He is the first of the three Popes listed in the ''Annuario Pontificio'' with the title "the ...
in 450. Its suffragans were the dioceses of: Orange, Avignon, Carpentras, Cavaillon, Marseille, Toulon, Saint-Paul-trois-chateaux, and Vaison. The archdiocese was suppressed a first time under the first French republic, to become part of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Aix. The diocese was restored by
Pope Pius VII Pope Pius VII (; born Barnaba Niccolò Maria Luigi Chiaramonti; 14 August 1742 – 20 August 1823) was head of the Catholic Church from 14 March 1800 to his death in August 1823. He ruled the Papal States from June 1800 to 17 May 1809 and again ...
in the concordat with King Louis XVIII on 11 June 1817. The Archbishopric of Arles was suppressed again by Pius VII on 6 October 1822 in the bull "Paternae Charitatis", carrying out the commitments he had made in the apostolic letter to Louis XVIII in 1817. Its territory was incorporated into the
Archdiocese of Aix The Archdiocese of Aix-en-Provence and Arles (Latin: ''Archidioecesis Aquensis in Gallia et Arelatensis''; French language, French: ''Archidiocèse d'Aix-en-Provence et Arles''; Occitan language, Occitan Provençal dialect, Provençal: ''Archidio ...
. The latter is since officially called "
Archdiocese of Aix The Archdiocese of Aix-en-Provence and Arles (Latin: ''Archidioecesis Aquensis in Gallia et Arelatensis''; French language, French: ''Archidiocèse d'Aix-en-Provence et Arles''; Occitan language, Occitan Provençal dialect, Provençal: ''Archidio ...
(-Arles- Embrun)" and is no longer a Metropolitan but an archiepiscopal title, within the ecclesiastical province of Marseille.


Early councils

The first Council of Arles was held in 314, at the urging of the
Emperor Constantine Constantine I (27 February 27222 May 337), also known as Constantine the Great, was a Roman emperor from AD  306 to 337 and the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity. He played a pivotal role in elevating the status of Christ ...
, for the purpose of putting an end to the
Donatist Donatism was a schism from the Catholic Church in the Archdiocese of Carthage from the fourth to the sixth centuries. Donatists argued that Christian clergy must be faultless for their ministry to be effective and their prayers and sacraments to ...
controversy. Several bishops were invited by Constantine personally, including the bishop of Syracuse. Bishops from the western part of the empire including three from Britain attended. Claims that 600 or 300 bishops were present cannot be sustained; the synodial letter to Pope Sylvester was signed by thirty-three bishops, and a number of priests and deacons who held the proxies of bishops who did not attend. Archbishop Marinus of Arles presided, apparently on the appointment of Constantine. The synod confirmed the findings of the
Council of Rome The Council of Rome was a synod which took place in Rome in AD 382, under the leadership of Pope Damasus I, the then-bishop of Rome. The only surviving conciliar pronouncement may be the that contains a canon of Scripture, which supposedly was is ...
(313), recognizing the validity of the election of Caecilian of Carthage, and confirmed the excommunication of Donatus of Casae Nigrae. Its twenty-two canons dealing with various abuses that had crept into ecclesiastical life since the persecution of
Diocletian Diocletian ( ; ; ; 242/245 – 311/312), nicknamed Jovius, was Roman emperor from 284 until his abdication in 305. He was born Diocles to a family of low status in the Roman province of Dalmatia (Roman province), Dalmatia. As with other Illyri ...
(284–305) are important documents of early ecclesiastical legislation. In 353, the Emperor
Constantius II Constantius II (; ; 7 August 317 – 3 November 361) was Roman emperor from 337 to 361. His reign saw constant warfare on the borders against the Sasanian Empire and Germanic peoples, while internally the Roman Empire went through repeated civ ...
campaigned against the imperial usurper Magnus Magnentius, who had killed his brother, the Emperor
Constans Flavius Julius Constans ( 323 – 350), also called Constans I, was Roman emperor from 337 to 350. He held the imperial rank of '' caesar'' from 333, and was the youngest son of Constantine the Great. After his father's death, he was made ''a ...
. After the suicide of Magnentius, following his defeat in the Battle of Mons Seleucus, Constantius took up his residence in Arles.
Pope Liberius Pope Liberius (310 â€“ 24 September 366) was the bishop of Rome from 17 May 352 until his death on 24 September 366. According to the '' Catalogus Liberianus'', he was consecrated on 22 May as the successor to Julius I. He is not mentione ...
sent ambassadors to him, requesting permission to hold a council in Aquileia, but Constantius instead summoned a council which met in Arles. It was agreed beforehand that a compromise in which the orthodox Athanasius of Alexandria would be condemned, but that
Arianism Arianism (, ) is a Christology, Christological doctrine which rejects the traditional notion of the Trinity and considers Jesus to be a creation of God, and therefore distinct from God. It is named after its major proponent, Arius (). It is co ...
would also be condemned. The majority of the council, including Constantius himself and Archbishop Saturninus of Arles, was decidedly Arian in attitude. The two papal legates were compelled to reject communion with
Athanasius Athanasius I of Alexandria ( – 2 May 373), also called Athanasius the Great, Athanasius the Confessor, or, among Coptic Christians, Athanasius the Apostolic, was a Christian theologian and the 20th patriarch of Alexandria (as Athanasius ...
, but the council refused to condemn
Arius Arius (; ; 250 or 256 – 336) was a Cyrenaica, Cyrenaic presbyter and asceticism, ascetic. He has been regarded as the founder of Arianism, which holds that Jesus Christ was not Eternity, coeternal with God the Father, but was rather created b ...
, an act which deeply disturbed the pope. In 356, Archbishop Saturninus held another council at Béziers, where he attempted to turn the bishops against the orthodox Bishop Hilary of Poitiers, but with no success. In the synod of 443 (or 452), attended also by bishops of neighbouring provinces, fifty-six canons were formulated, mostly repetitions of earlier disciplinary decrees. Neophytes were excluded from major orders; married men aspiring to the priesthood were required to promise a life of continency, and it was forbidden to consecrate a bishop without the assistance of three other bishops and the consent of the metropolitan (Canon 5). A council, called the third council of Arles, was held on 30 December of some year between 449 and 462, presided over by Archbishop Ravennius and including twelve other bishops, to settle the differences that had arisen between Faustus,
Abbot of Lérins Abbot is an ecclesiastical title given to the head of an independent monastery for men in various Western Christian traditions. The name is derived from ''abba'', the Aramaic form of the Hebrew ''ab'', and means "father". The female equivale ...
, and Theodorus Bishop of Fréjus. Apropos of the conflict between the archiepiscopal See of Vienne and Arles a council was held in the latter city in 463, which had earlier called forth a famous letter from
Pope Leo I Pope Leo I () ( 391 – 10 November 461), also known as Leo the Great (; ), was Bishop of Rome from 29 September 440 until his death on 10 November 461. He is the first of the three Popes listed in the ''Annuario Pontificio'' with the title "the ...
(440–461), defining the metropolitan status of Arles. Between 475 and 480 another council was called by Archbishop Leontius, attended by thirty bishops, in which the teachings of the priest Lucidus on pre-destination were condemned. On 6 June 524, on the occasion of the consecration of the basilica in honor of the Virgin Mary outside the walls of Arles, a council of fourteen bishops and four priest delegates, was held under the presidency of Archbishop
Caesarius of Arles Caesarius of Arles (; 468/470 27 August 542 AD), sometimes called "of Chalon" (''Cabillonensis'' or ''Cabellinensis'') from his birthplace Chalon-sur-Saône, was the foremost ecclesiastic of his generation in Christianity in Merovingian Gaul, Mer ...
; its four canons deal chiefly with the conferring of clerical orders. A number of Caesarius of Arles' works have been published in Sources Chrétiennes. The synod of Arles of 29 June 554 was presided over by Archbishop Sapandus, with eighteen other bishops or their proxies in attendance. The synod was mostly concerned with relegislating the canons of earlier synods, especially concerning the discipline of the regular and secular clergy. Another synod may have taken place, possibly in 682. On 3 February 557,
Pope Pelagius I Pope Pelagius I (died 3 March 561) was the bishop of Rome from 556 to his death on 3 March 561. A former '' apocrisiarius'' to Constantinople, Pelagius I was elected pope as the candidate of Emperor Justinian I, a designation not well received i ...
wrote to Archbishop Sapaudus, sending him the ''
pallium The pallium (derived from the Roman ''pallium'' or ''palla'', a woolen cloak; : pallia) is an ecclesiastical vestment in the Catholic Church, originally peculiar to the pope, but for many centuries bestowed by the Holy See upon metropolitan bish ...
'' and naming him Apostolic Vicar for all Gaul. The liturgical uses of Arles were recommended by pope Gregory the Great as a model for Augustine of Canterbury.


Carolingian Councils

An important council was held at Arles on 10 May 813, one of five held at the instigation of
Charlemagne Charlemagne ( ; 2 April 748 – 28 January 814) was List of Frankish kings, King of the Franks from 768, List of kings of the Lombards, King of the Lombards from 774, and Holy Roman Emperor, Emperor of what is now known as the Carolingian ...
, for the correction of abuses and the reestablishment of ecclesiastical discipline. Archbishop Jean of Arles and Archbishop presided as ''missi dominici'' of the emperor. Its decrees insist on a sufficient ecclesiastical education of bishops and priests, on the duty of both to preach frequently to the people and to instruct them in the Catholic Faith, on the obligation of parents to instruct their children, etc. In 1034 a meeting was held at Arles, in the nature of a revivalist meeting, for the re-establishment of peace, the restoration of Christian Faith, the awakening in the popular heart of a sense of divine goodness and of salutary fear by the consideration of past evils. Meetings were being held all over France, from the beginning of the millennium, inspired by the people and eagerly embraced by the bishops. From 1080 to 1098, Aicard continued to act as bishop even though he had been deposed. He was followed on the episcopal throne by Ghibbelin of Sabran, who was later
Latin patriarch of Jerusalem The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem () is the Latin Catholic ecclesiastical patriarchate in Jerusalem, officially seated in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem is the archbishop of Latin Church Catholics of th ...
.


Archbishop Baussan's councils

On 10 July 1234, a council was held in Arles under the presidency of Archbishop Jean Baussan. It issued twenty-four canons, mostly against the prevalent Albigensian heresy, and for the observance of the decrees of the Lateran Council of 1215 and that of Toulouse in 1229. Close inspection of their dioceses is urged on the bishops, as a remedy against the spread of heresy; testaments are declared invalid unless made in the presence of the parish priest. This measure, met with in other councils, was meant to prevent testamentary dispositions in favour of known heretics. On 11 November 1236, Archbishop Jean held another council, in which the canons of the council of 1234 were republished. In 1251, Archbishop Jean Baussan (1233–1258)of Arles, held a provincial council near
Avignon Avignon (, , ; or , ; ) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of southeastern France. Located on the left bank of the river Rhône, the Communes of France, commune had a ...
(''Concilium Insculanum''), six of his suffragan bishops being present, and two absent. Every bishop was expected to have a diocesan inquisition of heretics, established according to canon law and by the authority of the provincial council and the bishop himself; they should use the Dominican Order as their agents (Canon 2). The bishops were to take chazrge of the property of heretics (Canon 3). Once an excommunication is pronounced in canonical form, it is to be observed by all, with a fine extracted from violators (Canon 4). Clandestine marriages are prohibited; a marriage must be celebrated in conformity to canon law (Canon 13).


Election of 1262

Archbishop Bertrand de Malferrat died on 25 May 1262. The Chapter issued the customary summons for the attendance of all who wished, were obligated to, and were able, to attend the meeting for the election of a new bishop. When the votes were cast, disagreement appeared. Some chose Raimundus, the Provost of the cathedral Chapter, while the rest chose Robert de Ucena, a canon of Valence and a papal chaplain, who was only in minor orders. The Provost sent his procurator along with two canons representing the Chapter to the papal court, where
Pope Urban IV Pope Urban IV (; c. 1195 – 2 October 1264), born Jacques Pantaléon, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 29 August 1261 to his death three years later. He was elected pope without being a cardinal; he was the fi ...
(Jacques Pantaléon of Troyes) was living in exile from Rome. Raimundus' procurator renounced every right that Raimundus had in the election. The two canons then in their own names and those of others in the Chapter asked Pope Urban to appoint Robert de Ucena. Good reports were presented as to his education and character, but the pope decided not to appoint him. Instead, he chose to transfer the bishop of Akko-Ptolemais (Acre), Florentius, who had carried out useful work there and provided good example in the midst of many troubles.


Archbishop Florentinus' councils

In 1263, a council held by Archbishop Florentinus decreed that the sacrament of confirmation must be received while fasting; and that on Sundays and feast days the religious orders should not open their churches to the faithful, nor preach at the hour of the parish Mass. The laity should be instructed by their parish priests in the proper form of baptism in case of necessity. Marriage should not take place without ecclesiastical participation; failure to observe this requirement brought excommunication. Jewish leaders were not to go about in public in garb that resembled that of priests. Members of the religious orders should also frequent the parochial service, for the sake of good example. This council in particular condemned the doctrines spread abroad under the name of
Joachim of Flora Joachim of Fiore, also known as Joachim of Flora (; ; 1135 – 30 March 1202), was an Italian Christian theologian, Catholic abbot, and the founder of the monastic order of San Giovanni in Fiore. According to theologian Bernard McGinn, "Joachi ...
. Archbishop Florentius held a council, probably in 1264, which promulgated seventeen canons. In 1275, twenty-two earlier observances were promulgated anew at a provincial Council of Arles, held by Archbishop Bernard de Languissel (1274–1281). On 16–17 May 1279, Archbishop Bernard de Languissel (1274–1281) presided over a provincial council at which four other bishops participated, and four bishops were absent but represented by procurators. Fifteen canons wefre promulgated. Archbishop Guillaume de La Garde (1361–1374) presided at a regional council of the ecclesiastical provinces of Arles, Embrun, and Aix; it was held in the cathedral of Apt from 14 to 30 May 1365. He also held a diocesan synod in Spring 1370, on the second Sunday after Easter, 30 April.


Religious developments

On 1 February 1324, Archbishop-elect Jean Baussan authorized the Franciscan Provincial of Provence to construct a church, a religious house, and a cemetery at Salon (Sallonis) on land donated by Pierre Baston. Archbishop Pierre de Cros (1374–1388) was mostly an absentee pastor, since he served at the Papal Court as Chamberlain of the Holy Roman Church for
Pope Gregory XI Pope Gregory XI (; born Pierre Roger de Beaufort; c. 1329 – 27 March 1378) was head of the Catholic Church from 30 December 1370 to his death, in March 1378. He was the seventh and last Avignon pope and the most recent French pope. In 1377, ...
,
Pope Urban VI Pope Urban VI (; ; c. 1318 – 15 October 1389), born Bartolomeo Prignano (), was head of the Catholic Church from 8 April 1378 to his death, in October 1389. He was the last pope elected from outside the College of Cardinals. His pontificate be ...
(briefly), and
Pope Clement VII Pope Clement VII (; ; born Giulio di Giuliano de' Medici; 26 May 1478 – 25 September 1534) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 19 November 1523 to his death on 25 September 1534. Deemed "the most unfortunate o ...
. He was still Chamberlain on 8 May 1382. He was named a cardinal by Clement VII on 23 December 1383. He was succeeded in the office of Chamberlain by Bishop François Conzié of Grenoble by 31 March 1384. Conzié assisted at the deathbed of Clement VII on 16 September 1394, and was reappointed Chamberlain S. R. E. by
Pope Benedict XIII Pope Benedict XIII (; ; 2 February 1649 – 21 February 1730), born Pietro Francesco (or Pierfrancesco) Orsini and later called Vincenzo Maria Orsini, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 29 May 1724 to his death in ...
(Avignon Obedience).


Jesuits

In 1607, King Henri IV granted Arles permission to establish a Jesuit collège (high school) in the city, a project which the city council had been discussing since 1601. The Jesuits were greatly favored by Archbishop Oratio Montano (1598–1603), who regularly invited them to preach during Lent and Eastertide. In 1606, Archbishop Gaspard du Laurent (1603–1630) reached an agreement with the Jesuit superior in Aix to establish a house of Jesuits in Arles. In 1625, the Jesuits rented a house in Arles. In 1633, Archbishop Jean Jaubert de Barrault (1630–1643) assigned the church of S. Vincent to the Jesuits, along with the priest's residence, where they established themselves until the college was opened. After difficulties about finances and details of courses, agreement was reached in October 1636 for the Jesuits to provide seven teachers, who would offer courses in philosophy, theology, the humanities, and grammar.
King Louis XIII Louis XIII (; sometimes called the Just; 27 September 1601 – 14 May 1643) was King of France from 1610 until his death in 1643 and King of Navarre (as Louis II) from 1610 to 1620, when the crown of Navarre was merged with the French crown. ...
issued letters patent in 1637 which made them masters of the college without restrictions. In 1762, the Parliament of Paris declared the constitution of the Society of Jesus void, and ordered the members of the Society to leave their colleges within a week. In 1764, King Louis XV confirmed the decree, and the Society was completely suppressed.


Election of 1410

Archbishop Artaud de Mélan died on 1 November 1410, and was buried on 5 November. The Provost, Étienne Langlade, and the members of the Chapter of the cathedral, sent out summonses to the interested parties that an electoral assembly would be held on 10 November, but on 9 November, Louis Comte de Provence and lord of Arles sent word that he would be unable to attend on that day. The meeting was therefore put back to 13 November. Two canons failed to appear on the 13th, and they were therefore cited to appear on the 14th. Finally, the election resulted in ten votes being cast for Bishop Paul de Sade of Marseille, one vote for the Provost Étienne Langlade by his nephew, who was a canon, and one vote, that of the Provost, for Henri d'Avaugour, a close advisor of the King of Sicily. The archdeacon thereupon moved that they make a formal request (postulation) for the transfer of Paul de Sade to the archdiocese of Arles. To which pope, however, should the postulation be directed? There were three popes in 1410:
Gregory XII Pope Gregory XII (; ;  â€“ 18 October 1417), born Angelo Corraro, Corario," or Correr, was head of the Catholic Church from 30 November 1406 to 4 July 1415. Reigning during the Western Schism, he was opposed by the Avignon claimant Benedi ...
of the Roman Obedience, Benedict XIII of the Avignon Obedience, and
John XXIII Pope John XXIII (born Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli; 25 November 18813 June 1963) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 28 October 1958 until his death on 3 June 1963. He is the most recent pope to take ...
who had been elected in Bologna by the cardinals who had participated in the
Council of Pisa The Council of Pisa (; , also nicknamed the , "secret meeting", by those who considered it illegitimate) was a controversial council held in 1409. It attempted to end the Western Schism by deposing both Benedict XIII (Avignon) and Gregory XII ...
in 1409. The French monarchy supported the Avignon Obedience, and it was the Avignon pope Benedict XIII who had approved the election of Archbishop Artaud de Mélan on 17 December 1404. As the
Western Schism The Western Schism, also known as the Papal Schism, the Great Occidental Schism, the Schism of 1378, or the Great Schism (), was a split within the Catholic Church lasting from 20 September 1378 to 11 November 1417, in which bishops residing ...
dragged on and on, however, pressure mounted on King
Charles VI of France Charles VI (3 December 136821 October 1422), nicknamed the Beloved () and in the 19th century, the Mad ( or ''le Fou''), was King of France from 1380 until his death in 1422. He is known for his mental illness and psychosis, psychotic episodes t ...
from members of his own family, from his royal council, from the University of Paris, from prelates of the church and others, to act to bring the schism to an end. On 13 January 1408, it was announced that if the church were not returned again to the rule of a single pope by Ascension Day, then the kingdom of France would take the position of neutrality among the contenders, that is, rejecting the Obedience of Benedict XIII. Stimulated by Charles VI's announcement, Florence, Siena, and Venice immediately began discussion about joining the party of neutrality, that is, about rejecting the Obedience of Gregory XII. In mid-May 1408, seven cardinals of the Roman Obedience fled to Pisa from the papal court at Lucca, shocked at the perjury and violence of Gregory XII and his nephews; they were soon joined by two more cardinals. At the end of June, they and three cardinals of the Avignon Obedience met at Livorno, and signed a document calling for a General Council of the church to end the schism. Archbishop Artaud de Mélan did not attend the
Council of Pisa The Council of Pisa (; , also nicknamed the , "secret meeting", by those who considered it illegitimate) was a controversial council held in 1409. It attempted to end the Western Schism by deposing both Benedict XIII (Avignon) and Gregory XII ...
(March–July 1409), but sent a procurator to represent him. The fifth session of the council, on 5 June 1409, excommunicated and anathematized both Gregory XII and Benedict XIII as notorious schismatics, heretics, and perjurers. When the electors of Bishop Paul de Sade of Marseille to be archbishop of Arles requested his confirmation, it was not Benedict XIII to whom they applied, since he had been rejected both by the king of France and by the Council of Pisa. In November 1410, their only recourse was to John XXIII. But Pope John announced that, while Archbishop Artaud was still alive, he had reserved the appointment of the next archbishop of Arles to himself, and therefore, on 24 November 1410, he named Cardinal Jean Allarmet de Brogny as Perpetual Apostolic Administrator of the archdiocese. On 27 December 1410, Pierre Fabri, Dean of the cathedral Chapter of Gap and procurator of Cardinal de Brogny, took possession of the archdiocese on behalf of the cardinal. Archbishop Jean Jaubert de Barrault (1630–1643) participated in the general assembly of the French clergy in Paris in 1635–1636, and chaired some of the sessions in the absence of the archbishop of Bordeaux.


The French Revolution

The National Constituent Assembly decreed the abolition of monastic vows and the suppression of religious orders on 13 February 1790, and a decree fixing pensions for monks who left their monasteries was voted on 20 February. At the time of the dissolution of the monasteries in 1791, the archdiocese of Arles had only two Benedictine monasteries, the abbatia Montis Majoris (Saint Pierre-de-Montmayour) for men, and Saint-Césaire-d'Arles for women. On 12 July 1790, the Constituent Assembly legislated the
Civil Constitution of the Clergy The Civil Constitution of the Clergy () was a law passed on 12 July 1790 during the French Revolution, that sought the Caesaropapism, complete control over the Catholic Church in France by the National Constituent Assembly (France), French gove ...
, a document which completely nationalized the Catholic Church in France, and separated it entirely from the government of the Papacy. All dignities, canons, prebends, and chaplanships in cathedrals and collegiate churches were abolished; all regular and secular Chapters were abolished; all abbeys and priories of either sex were abolished. Bishops, and priests as well, were to be elected, in the same manner as representatives to the departmental assembly, that is, by specially qualified citizens, who did not have to be clerics, or even Christians; a bishop-elect must not apply to the pope for confirmation. Due to strong opposition both from clergy and laity, the National Assembly passed a law on 27 November 1790, requiring the clergy to swear an oath to the Constitution of France; refusal would bring dismissal from office, loss of income, and prosecution. Of the 133 bishops of France, only four took the oath, while 129, including Archbishop Jean Marie du Lau of Arles, did not. After repeated attempts to convince King Louis XVI not to sign the Civil Constitution of the Clergy,
Pope Pius VI Pope Pius VI (; born Count Angelo Onofrio Melchiorre Natale Giovanni Antonio called Giovanni Angelo or Giannangelo Braschi, 25 December 171729 August 1799) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 15 February 1775 to hi ...
finally addressed the urgent requests of one bishop after another to intervene. On 13 April 1791, he issued the apostolic letter "Charitas quae," which condemned both the Civil Constitution as heretical and schismatic, and constructed specifically to destroy the Catholic Church, and the oath which was being used to harass those who refused to take it. Because of their refusal to take the oath, both Archbishop de Lau of Arles and Archbishop Jean de Boisgelin de Cucé of Aix were deposed by the French government, and in fulfilment of earlier plans, the diocese of Arles was suppressed and its territory added to that of Aix. Aix became the seat of the new metropolitanate called the "Bouches du Rhone." On 19 February 1791, the electors of the metropolitanate met at Aix, and elected Charles-Benoît Roux, the curé of Eyragues near Arles. In the meantime, the two deposed archbishops devoted their energies to rallying their non-juring clergy, and the inhabitants of the "Bouches du Rhone," a large number of whom were hostile to the policies and excesses of the government in Paris. The directors of the department, noted for their anticatholic attitudes, became aware of the archbishops' activities, and on 16 November 1791 wrote to the ecclesiastical committee in Paris and to the National Assembly that they were organizing a counter-revolutionary movement with a view to civil war. The National Assembly passed a law on 27 May 1792, deporting all non-juring clergy from France immediately. Clerics who remained in France after their deportation was ordered, or who returned to France after deportation, were subject to imprisonment for ten years. Archbishop de Lau of Arles was in Paris that summer, in connection with an address which he had written to persuade the king not to sign the law of 29 May. On 11 August he was arrested at the Hôtel de Châtillon, rue du Petit-Bourbon, where he was residing, on orders of the Luxembourg section. Incriminating papers were found in his rooms, and he was therefore sent that evening to the church of the Carmelites, where there were already some sixty clerics incarcerated, and put on a diet of bread and water. On 2 September 1792, at the instigation of Jean-Lambert Tallien, who had given a fiery address in the National Assembly on 31 August, De Lau and 180 other clerics, were massacred in what came to be called the September Massacres.


Archbishops


Before 1000

* Trophimus of Arles (c. 250 – c. 280) * Marcianus (attested 254/57) * Marinus (attested 313–314) * Saturninus (
Arian Arianism (, ) is a Christological doctrine which rejects the traditional notion of the Trinity and considers Jesus to be a creation of God, and therefore distinct from God. It is named after its major proponent, Arius (). It is considered he ...
; bef. 355 – 362/63) * Concordius (attested 374) * (attested 396) * Heros of Arles (attested 412) *
Patroclus In Greek mythology, Patroclus (generally pronounced ; ) was a Greek hero of the Trojan War and an important character in Homer's ''Iliad''. Born in Opus, Patroclus was the son of the Argonaut Menoetius. When he was a child, he was exiled from ...
(412–426) * Euladius (Helladius) (426) * Honoratus (427–429) *
Hilary of Arles Hilary of Arles, also known by his Latin name Hilarius (c. 403–449), was a bishop of Arles in Southern France. He is venerated as a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church and Roman Catholic Church, with 5 May being his feast day. Life In his e ...
(430–449) * Ravennius (attested 449–452) *
Leontius Leontius (; died 15 February 706) was Byzantine emperor from 695 to 698. Little is known of his early life, other than that he was born in Isauria in Asia Minor. He was given the title of ''patrikios'', and made ''strategos'' of the Anatolic T ...
(attested 461 – 475) * Aeonius (attested 494–500) *
Caesarius of Arles Caesarius of Arles (; 468/470 27 August 542 AD), sometimes called "of Chalon" (''Cabillonensis'' or ''Cabellinensis'') from his birthplace Chalon-sur-Saône, was the foremost ecclesiastic of his generation in Christianity in Merovingian Gaul, Mer ...
(503–542) * Auxianus (542–546) * Aurelianus (c. 546 – 551) * Sapaudus (attested 552–586) * Licerius (586–588) * Virgilius of Arles (attested 588–601) * Cyprianus ( 613) * Florianus (attested 613–614) * Theodosius (attested 632–650) * Johannes I (attested 659–668) * Felix (attested 680) * Wolbert (attested 683) * Aurelius * Polycarpus * Martinus * Protasius * Innodius * Georgius * Ratbertus * Kavisarius (Kavilarius) * Virimarius (Wilimarus) * Wiliaris (Viriarich) * Arladis (Arladidius) * Elifantus (attested 788) * Johannes (II) (attested 811–816) * Notho (attested 824–844) * Rotlandus (bef. 852 – 869) * Rostagnus (attested 871–913) * Manasses (attested 920–961) * Iterius (attested 963) * Anno (c. 980–994)


1000–1300

* Pons de Marignane (1005–1029) * Raimbaud de Reillanne (May 1030 – 18 February 1069) * Aicard (1070 – 1080 or 1096?) * Gibelin (1080 or 1099–1107, 1112 or 1115) * Atton de Bruniquel (6 October 1115 – 6 March 1129) *
Bernard Guerin Bernard ('' Bernhard'') is a French and West Germanic masculine given name. It has West Germanic origin and is also a surname. The name is attested from at least the 9th century. West Germanic ''Bernhard'' is composed from the two elements ''be ...
/ Garin (1129 – 2 March 1138) * Guillaume Monge (1139? – 1 January 1142) * Raimon de Montredon (1142–1160) * Raimon de Bollène (1163–1182) * Pierre Isnard (1183–1190) * Imbert d'Eyguière (9 October 1191 – 20 July 1202) * Michel de Morèse (1202 – 1217) * Hugues (1217) * Hugo Béroard (27 March 1218 – 18 November 1232) *
Jean Baussan Jean may refer to: People * Jean (female given name) * Jean (male given name) * Jean (surname) Fictional characters * Jean Grey, a Marvel Comics character * Jean Valjean, fictional character in novel ''Les Misérables'' and its adaptations * ...
(27 July 1233 – 24 November 1258) * Bertrand de Malferrat (25 November 1258 – 25 May 1262) * Florent (28 November 1262 – 7 June 1266) * Bertran de Saint-Martin (11 October 1266 – June 1273) * Bernard de Languissel (4 February 1274 – 1281) * Bertrand Amalric (20 December 1281 – 31 March 1286) * Rostaing de la Capre (5 August 1286 – 22 August 1303)


1300–1500

* Peire de Ferrières (30 January 1304 – 21 September 1307) * Arnaud de Faugères (1307 – 1309 or 1310) * Gaillard de Faugères (19 December 1310 – 12 September 1317) * Gaillard Saumate (1318–1323) * Gasbert de la Val /du Val (1324–1341) * Jean de Cardone (1341–1348) * Étienne Aldebrand (1348–1350) * Étienne de La Garde (1351–1361) * Guillaume de La Garde (1361–1374) * Pierre de Cros (1374–1388) (Avignon Obedience) :: Melchior of Brunswick (1378) (Roman Obedience) * François de Conzié (1388–1390) (Avignon Obedience) * Jean de Rochechouart (1390–1398) (Avignon Obedience) * ''Sede vacante'' (1398–1404) :♦ Harduin, Bishop of Angers (1400–1402) ''Apostolic administrator'' :♦ Guillaume le Tort, Bishop of Marseille (1402–1403) ''Apostolic administrator'' :♦ Philippe Sicard, Abbot of Aniane (1403–1404) ''Apostolic administrator'' * Artaud de Mélan (1404–1410) (Avignon Obedience) * Jean Allarmet de Brogny (1410–1423) (Avignon Obedience) ''Administrator'' * Louis Aleman (1423–1450) * Pierre de Foix (1450–1463) * Philippe de Lévis (1463–1475) * Eustache de Lévis (1475–1489) * Nicolas de Cibo (1489–1499) *
Jean Ferrier I Jean Ferrier or Juan Ferrer (died 1521) was a Roman Catholic prelate who served as Archbishop of Arles (1499–1521) and Bishop of Melfi (1498–1499).Jean Ferrier II Jean Ferrier or Juan Ferrer (died 1550) was a Roman Catholic prelate who served as Archbishop of Arles (1521–1550). ''(in Latin)''
(1521–1550) *
Jacques du Broullat Jacques or Jacq are believed to originate from the Middle Ages in the historic northwest Brittany region in France, and have since spread around the world over the centuries. To date, there are over one hundred identified noble families related t ...
(1550–1560) * Robert de Lenoncourt (1560–1561) ''Administrator'' * Antoine d'Albon (1561–1562) * Hippolyte d'Este (1562–1566) * Prospero Santacroce (1566–1574) * Silvio Santacroce (1574–1598) * Oratio Montano (1598–1603) * Gaspard du Laurent (1603–1630) * Jean Jaubert de Barrault (1631–1643) * François Adhémar de Monteil de Grignan (1644–1689) * Jean-Baptiste Adhémar de Monteil de Grignan (1689–1697) * François de Mailly (1698–1710) * Jacques de Forbin-Janson (1711–1741) * Jacques Bonne-Gigault de Bellefonds (1741–1746) * Jean-Joseph de Jumilhac (1746 –1775) * Jean Marie du Lau d'Allemans (1775–1792)Du Lau was nominated by King Louis XVI on 26 February 1775, and approved in consistory by
Pope Pius VI Pope Pius VI (; born Count Angelo Onofrio Melchiorre Natale Giovanni Antonio called Giovanni Angelo or Giannangelo Braschi, 25 December 171729 August 1799) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 15 February 1775 to hi ...
on24 April 1775. He was executed by order of the Assembly of the Sectdion of the Luxembourg, at the house of the Carmelites in Paris on 2 September 1792. Jacques Constant
''Oeuvres de Monseigneur Jean-Marie Du Lau, Archevêque d'Arles''
, Volume 1 (Arles: G. Mesnier, 1816), pp. 1-86. Ph. Pécout, ''Jean-Marie Du Lau: archevêque d'Arles né en Périgord,'' (Imprimerie Cassard, 1892). Albanès, ''Gallia christiana novissima''
pp. 1027-1036
Fisquet, 2e partie
pp. 738-753
Ritzler & Sefrin, ''Hierarchia catholica'' VI, p. 97 with note 4.


See also

* Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Aix *
Catholic Church in France The Catholic Church in France, Gallican Church, or French Catholic Church, is part of the worldwide Catholic Church in communion with the Pope in Rome. Established in the 2nd century in unbroken communion with the bishop of Rome, it was sometim ...
* List of Catholic dioceses in France


Notes


Sources


Lists of bishops

* Sainte-Marthe, Denis de (1716)
'' Gallia christiana''
. Tomus primus. Paris: Typographia Regia 1716. * * p. 527. * * * p. 219. * * * * *


Studies

*Clouzot, Étienne (1923)
''Pouillés des provinces d'Aix, d'Arles et d'Embrun.''
. Paris: Imprimerie nationale, 1923. p. lxiv–lxxv; 135-164* *Duchesne, Louis (1907)
''Fastes épiscopaux de l'ancienne Gaule: Volume I. Provinces du Sud-Est.''
. second edition. Paris: Fontemoing. * * *Fournier, Paul (1891)
''Le royaume d'Arles et de Vienne (1138-1378): Étude sur la formation territoriale de la France dans l'Est et le Sudest''
. Paris: A. Picard, 1891. * Jean, Armand (1891)
''Les évêques et les archevêques de France depuis 1682 jusqu'à 1801.''
Paris: A. Picard, 1891. *


External links

* Gabriel Chow, ''G-Catholic,''

{{DEFAULTSORT:Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Arles
Arles Arles ( , , ; ; Classical ) is a coastal city and Communes of France, commune in the South of France, a Subprefectures in France, subprefecture in the Bouches-du-Rhône Departments of France, department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Reg ...
Arles 1822 disestablishments in France