Claude de Sainctes (b. at

Perche Perche () (French: ''le Perche'') is a former Provinces of France, province of France, known historically for its forests and, for the past two centuries, for the Percheron draft horse, draft horse breed. Until the French Revolution, Perche was ...

, 1525; d. at Crèvecoeur, 1591) was a French Catholic theologist, author, and controversialist.

Biography

At the age of fifteen he joined the Canons Regular of Saint-Cheron, and was sent to the

College of Navarre The College of Navarre (, ) was one of the colleges of the historic University of Paris. It rivaled the Sorbonne and was renowned for its library. History The college was founded by Queen Joan I of Navarre in 1305, who provided for three depar ...

in Paris, where he received the degree of

Doctor of Theology Doctor of Theology (, abbreviated DTh, ThD, DTheol, or Dr. theol.) is a terminal degree in the academic discipline of theology. The ThD, like the ecclesiastical Doctor of Sacred Theology, is an advanced research degree equivalent to the Doctor o ...

(1555). On account of the erudition of his early works and the aptitude which he showed for controversy, he was called to the Conference of Poissy, held in 1561 between the Catholics and the

Huguenot The Huguenots ( , ; ) are a Religious denomination, religious group of French people, French Protestants who held to the Reformed (Calvinist) tradition of Protestantism. The term, which may be derived from the name of a Swiss political leader, ...

s, at which Theodore of Beza and

Diego Lainez Diego Lainez Leyva (born 9 June 2000) is a Mexican professional footballer who plays as a winger for Liga MX club Tigres UANL and the Mexico national team. Club career América Lainez was recruited by scout Ángel González along with his ...

, Superior General of the Society of Jesus, were present. He was afterwards deputed to the

Council of Trent The Council of Trent (), held between 1545 and 1563 in Trent (or Trento), now in northern Italy, was the 19th ecumenical council of the Catholic Church. Prompted by the Protestant Reformation at the time, it has been described as the "most ...

to represent, with

Simon Vigor Simon Vigor (b. at Evreux, Normandy, about 1515; d. at Carcassonne, 1 November 1575) was a French Catholic bishop and controversialist. Life Son of Raynaud Vigor, a court physician, he went to Paris about 1520, where his studies included Greek, ...

, the

University of Paris The University of Paris (), known Metonymy, metonymically as the Sorbonne (), was the leading university in Paris, France, from 1150 to 1970, except for 1793–1806 during the French Revolution. Emerging around 1150 as a corporation associated wit ...

. Upon his return, he acquired a reputation for his sermons and discussions with Protestants. He published a work against their spoliation of Catholic churches and a vigorous declaration against the doctrines of

John Calvin John Calvin (; ; ; 10 July 150927 May 1564) was a French Christian theology, theologian, pastor and Protestant Reformers, reformer in Geneva during the Protestant Reformation. He was a principal figure in the development of the system of C ...

and Theodore of Beza; the latter replied and drew upon himself a new attack from Claude de Sainctes. At the same time he charged the King of France by his treatise on "L'ancien naturel des Français" never to tolerate

heretic Heresy is any belief or theory that is strongly at variance with established beliefs or customs, particularly the accepted beliefs or religious law of a religious organization. A heretic is a proponent of heresy. Heresy in Christianity, Judai ...

s; against these, he later defended Catholic

dogma Dogma, in its broadest sense, is any belief held definitively and without the possibility of reform. It may be in the form of an official system of principles or doctrines of a religion, such as Judaism, Roman Catholicism, Protestantism, or Islam ...

with an exhaustive treatise on the

Eucharist The Eucharist ( ; from , ), also called Holy Communion, the Blessed Sacrament or the Lord's Supper, is a Christianity, Christian Rite (Christianity), rite, considered a sacrament in most churches and an Ordinance (Christianity), ordinance in ...

. Through the patronage of

Charles, Cardinal of Lorraine Charles de Lorraine (17 February 1524 – 26 December 1574), Duke of Chevreuse, was a French Cardinal, a member of the powerful House of Guise. He was known at first as the Cardinal of Guise, and then as the second Cardinal of Lorraine, after t ...

, he was appointed to the Bishopric of Évreux(1575). He was very zealous in his efforts to convert

Protestants Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...

. He assisted at the provincial Council of Rouen (1581) and published its records in French. When the League became active he took sides with it and worked to gain partisans, but the royal troops took possession of Évreux and the bishop was forced to flee. Unfortunately for him, there were found among his papers writings in which he approved of the murder of

Henry III of France Henry III (; ; ; 19 September 1551 – 2 August 1589) was King of France from 1574 until his assassination in 1589, as well as King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1573 to 1575. As the fourth son of King Henry II of France, he ...

, and maintained that one could likewise kill his successor. Arrested and arraigned before the Parlement of Caen, he was condemned to death as guilty of

high treason Treason is the crime of attacking a state authority to which one owes allegiance. This typically includes acts such as participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its d ...

. At the request of the

Cardinal de Bourbon Cardinal of Bourbon or Cardinal de Bourbon may refer to: * Charles II, Duke of Bourbon (1433–1488), archbishop of Lyon * Louis de Bourbon-Vendôme (1493–1557), archbishop of Sens *Charles, Cardinal de Bourbon (born 1523) Charles de Bourbon (2 ...

and of several bishops, Henry IV commuted his sentence to life imprisonment, and he was confined in the château of Crèvecoeur where he died two months later.

Important works

His works were published, some in Latin and others in French. The more important are: *"Liturgiae sive missae SS. Patrum Jacobi, Basilii J. Chrysostomi" (Greek-Latin, Paris, 1560) *"Discours sur le saccagement des églises catholiques par les hérétiques anciens et nouveaux calvinistes" (Paris, 1562) **Translated into Dutch as ''Discours oft corte enarratie, op die beroovinghe der catholycker kercken gheschiet door die oude ketteren, ende nieuwe Calvinisten van onsen tyden'' (Leuven,

Rutger Velpius Rutger Velpius (around 1540–1614/15) was a 16th- and 17th-century printer and bookseller. He was the first printer in the city of Mons, Belgium, Mons, and later became printer to the court in Brussels. His career coincided closely with the first ...

, 1567
Available on Google Books
*"Traité de l'ancien naturel des Français en la religion chrétienne" (Paris, 1567) *"Déclaration d'anciens athéismes de la doctrine de Calvin et de Bèze contre les premiers fondements de la chrétienté" (Paris, 1567) *"De rebus Eucharistiae controversis libri X" (Paris, 1575).

References

Louis Ellies du Pin Louis Ellies du Pin or Dupin (17 June 1657 – 6 June 1719) was a French ecclesiastical historian, who was responsible for the . Childhood and education Dupin was born at Paris, coming from a noble family of Normandy. His mother, a Vitart, was t ...

, ''Hist. des auteurs ecclesiastiques du XVIe siecle'', IV (Paris, 1703), 539 *

Hugo von Hurter The von Hurter family belonged to the Swiss nobility; in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries three of them were known for their conversions to Roman Catholicism, their ecclesiastical careers in Austria and their theological writings. Friedric ...

, ''Nomenclator'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Sainctes, Claude De 1525 births 1591 deaths University of Paris alumni 16th-century French Catholic theologians 16th-century French male writers Bishops of Évreux 16th-century French Roman Catholic bishops Participants in the Council of Trent