The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Rouen (

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

: ''Archidioecesis Rothomagensis''; French: ''Archidiocèse de Rouen'') is an archdiocese of the

Latin Rite Latin liturgical rites, or Western liturgical rites, are Catholic rites of public worship employed by the Latin Church, the largest particular church '' sui iuris'' of the Catholic Church, that originated in Europe where the Latin language once ...

of the

Roman Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

. As one of the fifteen Archbishops of France, the Archbishop of Rouen's

ecclesiastical province An ecclesiastical province is one of the basic forms of jurisdiction in Christian Churches with traditional hierarchical structure, including Western Christianity and Eastern Christianity. In general, an ecclesiastical province consists of seve ...

comprises the greater part of

Normandy Normandy (; french: link=no, Normandie ; nrf, Normaundie, Nouormandie ; from Old French , plural of ''Normant'', originally from the word for "northman" in several Scandinavian languages) is a geographical and cultural region in Northwestern ...

. The Archbishop of Rouen is currently Dominique Lebrun.

History

According to legend, developed in the 11th century, the diocese was founded by Nicasius, a disciple of St. Denis who was

martyr A martyr (, ''mártys'', "witness", or , ''marturia'', stem , ''martyr-'') is someone who suffers persecution and death for advocating, renouncing, or refusing to renounce or advocate, a religious belief or other cause as demanded by an externa ...

ed after arriving in Normandy towards the end of the first century on a mission from Pope Clement I. Most of the episcopal lists of the Diocese of Rouen, however, omit Nicasius' name. Rouen became an archdiocese probably around 744 with the accession of Grimo. Archbishop Franco baptized

Rollo of Normandy Rollo ( nrf, Rou, ''Rolloun''; non, Hrólfr; french: Rollon; died between 928 and 933) was a Viking who became the first ruler of Normandy, today a region in northern France. He emerged as the outstanding warrior among the Norsemen who had se ...

in 911, and the archbishops were involved in the Norman conquest of England in 1066. Normandy was annexed to

in 1204, and Rouen was later occupied by England from 1419 to 1449 during the Hundred Years' War. In 1562 the city was briefly captured by

Huguenots The Huguenots ( , also , ) were a religious group of French Protestants who held to the Reformed, or Calvinist, tradition of Protestantism. The term, which may be derived from the name of a Swiss political leader, the Genevan burgomaster Be ...

during the

French Wars of Religion The French Wars of Religion is the term which is used in reference to a period of civil war between French Catholics and Protestants, commonly called Huguenots, which lasted from 1562 to 1598. According to estimates, between two and four mi ...

. The suffragan dioceses of Rouen in the Middle Ages were

Évreux Évreux () is a commune in and the capital of the department of Eure, in the French region of Normandy. Geography The city is on the Iton river. Climate History In late Antiquity, the town, attested in the fourth century CE, was named ...

, Avranches, Seès, Bayeux,

Lisieux Lisieux () is a commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region in northwestern France. It is the capital of the Pays d'Auge area, which is characterised by valleys and hedged farmland. Name The name of the town derives from the ...

, and

Coutances Coutances () is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France. History Capital of the Unelli, a Gaulish tribe, the town was given the name of ''Constantia'' in 298 during the reign of Roman emperor Constantius Chloru ...

. Today its suffragans are the Diocese of Évreux, the Diocese of Bayeux and Lisieux, the

Diocese of Coutances The Roman Catholic Diocese of Coutances (–Avranches) (Latin: ''Dioecesis Constantiensis (–Abrincensis)''; French: ''Diocèse de Coutances (–Avranches)'') is a diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in France. Its mother church is the Cathed ...

, the Diocese of Le Havre, and the Diocese of Sées. The seat of the archbishop is the 13th century Gothic

Rouen Cathedral Rouen Cathedral (french: Cathédrale primatiale Notre-Dame de l'Assomption de Rouen) is a Roman Catholic church in Rouen, Normandy, France. It is the see of the Archbishop of Rouen, Primate of Normandy. It is famous for its three towers, each i ...

. The Cathedral Chapter is composed of ten dignitaries (the Dean, the Precentor, the Treasurer, the Archdeacon Major, the Archdeacon Augi (Eu), the Archdeacon of Cales-Major (Grand-Caux), the Archdeacon of Velocassium Franciae (Vexin Français), the Archdeacon of Velocassium Normanniae (Vexin Normande), the Archdeacon of Cales-Minor (Petit-Caux), and the Chancellor); in addition there were forty-seven Canons (which included the offices of Succentor, Theologian and Penitentiary). In addition to the right to nominate the Archbishop of Rouen (from the Treaty of Bologna of 1516, between Francis I and Leo X), the King of France also enjoyed the right of nomination of a considerable number of benefices in the archdiocese. These included: twenty-four abbeys; fourteen priories; the Dean and Canons of the Church of Notre-Dame-de-la-Ronde in Rouen; and the Dean and nine prebends of the Church of Saint-Mellon-de-Pontoise. The Cathedral was heavily damaged, along with other buildings in Rouen, during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

and later rebuilt. The archdiocese was the site of the terrorist attack at the church of Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray.

Bishops

* Nicasius (c. 250) *

Mellonius Saint Mellonius (229-314) was an early 4th-century Bishop of Rotomagus (now Rouen) in the Roman province of Secunda Provincia Lugdunensis (now Normandy in France). He is known only from a 17th-century 'Life' of little historical value, meaning ...

(260–311) * Avitianus (311–325) * Severus (325–341) * Eusebius (c. 341–366) * Marcellinus (366–385) * Peter I (385–393) *

Victricius Saint Victricius (french: Victrice; it, Vittricio) also known as Victricius of Rouen ( 330 – c. 407 AD) was a bishop of Rouen (393–407), missionary, and author. His feast day is August 7. Life Victricius was Gallic by birth, the son of a Rom ...

(393–417) * Innocent (417–c. 426) * Sylvester (c. 426–442) * Malsonus (c. 442–451) * Germanus (c. 451–462) * Crescentius (c. 462–488) * Godardus (c. 488–525), Gildard, Gildardus * Filleul (525–542) * Evodus (542–550) * Saint Praetextatus (550–586) * Melantius (589–602) * Hidulphus (602–631) *

Romanus Romanus (Latin for "Roman"), hellenized as Romanos (Ῥωμανός) was a Roman cognomen and may refer to: People * Adrianus Romanus, Flemish mathematician (1561–1615) * Aquila Romanus, Latin grammarian *Giles of Rome, Aegidius Romanus, mediev ...

(631–640) * Saint Ouen (641–689) * Ansbert (689–693) * Grippo (695–c. 719) * Roland (c. 719–c. 732) * Hugh of Champagne (720–730) * Robert I (740–744)

Archbishops

744–1000

* Grimo (744–c. 748) * Ragenfred (748–753) * Remigius (753–762) * Hugh II (762–769) * Meinhard (769–c. 800) * Gilbert (800–828) * Ragnoard (828–836) * Gombaud (836–849) * Paul (849–855) * Wenilo (858–869) * Adalard (869–872) * Riculf (872–876) * John I (876–889) * Wito (889–c. 910) * Franco (911–919) * Gonthard (919–942) * Hugh III (942–989) * Robert II (990–1037)

1000–1400

* Mauger (1037–1055) * Maurilius (1055–1067) *

John II John II may refer to: People * John Cicero, Elector of Brandenburg (1455–1499) * John II Casimir Vasa of Poland (1609–1672) * John II Comyn, Lord of Badenoch (died 1302) * John II Doukas of Thessaly (1303–1318) * John II Komnenos (1087–1 ...

(1067–1078) * William I Bonne-Âme (1079–1110) * Geoffrey Brito (1111–1128) * Hugh de Boves (1129–1164) * Rotrou (1165–1184) *

Walter de Coutances Walter may refer to: People * Walter (name), both a surname and a given name * Little Walter, American blues harmonica player Marion Walter Jacobs (1930–1968) * Gunther (wrestler), Austrian professional wrestler and trainer Walter Hahn (born 1 ...

(1184–1208) * Robert III Poulain (1208–1222) * Thibaud d'Amiens (1222–1231) * Maurice (1231–1237) * Peter II de Colmieu (1237–1245) * Eudes I Clement (1245–1247) * Eudes II Rigaud (1247–1276) * (1276–1306) * Bernard de Fargis (1306–1311) *

Gilles I Aycelin de Montaigu :''This article is not about Gilles II Aycelin de Montaigu (d.1378)'' Gilles I Aycelin de Montaigu or Montaigut (1252 – 23 June 1318), was a French Archbishop and diplomat who became Lord Chancellor of France. Biography Gilles I Aycelin de Mo ...

(1311–1319) * William III de Durfort (1319–1331) * Peter III Roger de Beaufort (1331–1338) * Aimery Guenaud (1338–1342) * Nicolas I Roger (1342–1347) * John III de Marigny (1347–1351) * Peter IV de la Forêt (1351–1356) * William IV de Flavacourt (1356–1369) *

Philippe of Alençon Philippe is a masculine sometimes feminin given name, cognate to Philip. It may refer to: * Philippe of Belgium (born 1960), King of the Belgians (2013–present) * Philippe (footballer) (born 2000), Brazilian footballer * Prince Philippe, Count ...

(1369–1375) * Peter V de la Montre (1375) * William V de Lestranges (1375–1388) * William VI de Vienne, O.S.B. (1389–1406) (Avignon Obedience)

1400–1800

* Louis I d'Harcourt (1406–1422) * Jean de La Roche-Taillée (1422–1430) * Hugh V des Orges (1430–1436) * Louis II de Luxemburg (1436–1443) * Raoul Roussel (1443–1455) *

Guillaume d'Estouteville Guillaume d'Estouteville, OSB (c. 1412–1483) was a French aristocrat of royal blood who became a leading bishop and cardinal. He held a number of Church offices simultaneously. He conducted the reexamination of the case of Jeanne d'Arc an ...

(1453–1482) * Robert IV de Croixmare (1482–1494) *

Georges d'Amboise Georges d'Amboise (1460 – May 25, 1510) was a French Roman Catholic cardinal and minister of state. He belonged to the house of Amboise, a noble family possessed of considerable influence: of his nine brothers, four were bishops. His father, ...

(1493–1510) * Georges II d'Amboise (1510–1550) *

Charles, Cardinal de Bourbon Charles de Bourbon (22 September 1523 – 9 May 1590) was a French cardinal. The Catholic League considered him the rightful King of France as Charles X after the death of Henry III in 1589. His claim was recognized as part of the secret Treaty o ...

(1550–1590) * Charles II de Bourbon-Vendôme (1590–1594) * Charles III de Bourbon (1594–1604) * François de Joyeuse (1605–1614) * François II de Harlay (1614–1651) *

François de Harlay de Champvallon François de Harlay de Champvallon (François III de Harlay; 14 August 1625 – 6 August 1695) was the fifth Archbishop of Paris. Life and church Early years Harlay de Champvallon was born in Paris, the nephew of François de Harlay, archb ...

(1651–1672) * François IV Rouxel de Médavy de Grancey (1672–1691) * Jacques-Nicolas Colbert (1691–1707) * Claude-Maur d'Aubigné (1708–1719) * Armand Bazin de Bezons (1719–1720) *

Louis de La Vergne-Montenard de Tressan Louis de La Vergne-Montenard de Tressan or Louis III de La Vergne de Tressan ( - ) was a French cleric of the Roman Catholic Church, Archbishop of Rouen (France) from to . Biography He was born in Tressan (France) in . He was the second son of J� ...

(1724–1733) * Nicolas II de Saulx-Tavannes (1734–1759) * Dominique de La Rochefoucauld (1759–1800) **Jean-François Leverdier (Constitutional Bishop-elect, Metropolitan of Côtes-de-la-Manche) (1791) **Louis Charrier de la Roche (Constitutional Bishop)

1800–present

::''vacant after the

French Revolution The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in coup of 18 Brumaire, November 1799. Many of its ...

(1790–1802)'' * Etienne-Hubert Cambacérès (1802–1818) * François de Pierre de Bernis (1819–1823) * Gustave Maximilien Juste de Croÿ-Solre (1823–1844) * Louis-Marie-Edmond Blanquart de Bailleul (1844–1858) *

Henri de Bonnechose Henri-Marie-Gaston Boisnormand de Bonnechose (30 May 1800 – 28 October 1883) was a French Catholic and senator. He was the last surviving cardinal to have been born in the 18th century. Biography Bonnechose was born in Paris. Entering the ...

(1858–1883) * Léon Thomas (1883–1894) * Guillaume Sourrieu (1894–1899) * Frédéric Fuzet (1899–1916) * Louis-Ernest Dubois (1916–1920) * André du Bois de La Villerabel (1920–1936) * Pierre-André-Charles Petit de Julleville (1936–1947) * Joseph-Marie Martin (1948–1968) * André Pailler (1968–1981) * Joseph Duval (1981–2004) * Jean-Charles Descubes (2004–2015) * Dominique Lebrun (2015–present)Lebrun was formerly Bishop of the

Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint-Etienne Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...

; appointed Friday, July 10, 2015, by

Pope Francis Pope Francis ( la, Franciscus; it, Francesco; es, link=, Francisco; born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, 17 December 1936) is the head of the Catholic Church. He has been the bishop of Rome and sovereign of the Vatican City State since 13 March 2013. ...

, to succeed Archbishop Jean-Charles Marie Descubes.

References

Bibliography

Reference works

* (Use with caution; obsolete) * (in Latin) * (in Latin) * * * *

Studies

* * * * * * * * *Tabbagh, Vincent (ed.) (1998): ''Fasti Ecclesiae Gallicanae. Répertoire prosopographique des évêques, dignitaires et chanoines des diocèses de France de 1200 à 1500. II. Diocèse de Rouen''. Turnhout, Brepols. *

External links

* Centre national des Archives de l'Église de France
''L'Épiscopat francais depuis 1919''
retrieved: 2016-12-24.
Archbishops of Rouen

Official website

(Catholic Encyclopedia) {{Authority control * Bishops of Rouen Rouen Rouen Rouen