The Roman Catholic Diocese of Amiens (

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 ...

: ''Dioecesis Ambianensis''; French: ''Diocèse d'Amiens'') is a

diocese In Ecclesiastical polity, church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided Roman province, pro ...

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 France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

. The diocese comprises the

department Department may refer to: * Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility Government and military *Department (administrative division), a geographical and administrative division within a country, ...

of Somme, of which the city of

Amiens Amiens (English: or ; ; pcd, Anmien, or ) is a city and commune in northern France, located north of Paris and south-west of Lille. It is the capital of the Somme department in the region of Hauts-de-France. In 2021, the population of ...

is the capital.

History

The diocese of Amiens was a

suffragan A suffragan bishop is a type of bishop in some Christian denominations. In the Anglican Communion, a suffragan bishop is a bishop who is subordinate to a metropolitan bishop or diocesan bishop (bishop ordinary) and so is not normally jurisdictiona ...

of the

Archdiocese of Reims The Archdiocese of Reims (traditionally spelt "Rheims" in English) ( la, Archidiœcesis Remensis; French: ''Archidiocèse de Reims'') is a Latin Church ecclesiastic territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church in France. Erected as a diocese a ...

during the

old regime Old or OLD may refer to: Places *Old, Baranya, Hungary *Old, Northamptonshire, England * Old Street station, a railway and tube station in London (station code OLD) *OLD, IATA code for Old Town Municipal Airport and Seaplane Base, Old Town, Ma ...

; it was made subordinate to the diocese of Paris under the

Concordat of 1801 The Concordat of 1801 was an agreement between Napoleon Bonaparte and Pope Pius VII, signed on 15 July 1801 in Paris. It remained in effect until 1905, except in Alsace-Lorraine, where it remains in force. It sought national reconciliation b ...

, from 1802 to 1822; and then in 1822 it became a suffragan of Reims again.

Louis Duchesne Louis Marie Olivier Duchesne (; 13 September 1843 – 21 April 1922) was a French priest, philologist, teacher and a critical historian of Christianity and Roman Catholic liturgy and institutions. Life Descended from a family of Breton sailors, ...

denies any value to the legend of two Saints Firmin, honoured on the first and twenty-fifth of September, as the first and third Bishops of Amiens. The legend is of the 8th century and incoherent. Regardless of whether a St. Firmin, native of

Pampeluna Pamplona (; eu, Iruña or ), historically also known as Pampeluna in English, is the capital city of the Chartered Community of Navarre, in Spain. It is also the third-largest city in the greater Basque cultural region. Lying at near above ...

, was martyred during the

Diocletianic Persecution The Diocletianic or Great Persecution was the last and most severe persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire. In 303, the emperors Diocletian, Maximian, Galerius, and Constantius issued a series of edicts rescinding Christians' legal rights ...

, it is certain that the first bishop known to history is St. Eulogius, who defended the divinity of Christ in the councils held during the middle of the 4th century.

Cathedral and churches

The cathedral (13th century) is an admirable Gothic monument, and was made the subject of careful study by

John Ruskin John Ruskin (8 February 1819 20 January 1900) was an English writer, philosopher, art critic and polymath of the Victorian era. He wrote on subjects as varied as geology, architecture, myth, ornithology, literature, education, botany and politi ...

in his ''Bible of Amiens''. The

nave The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...

of this cathedral is considered a type of the ideal Gothic.

Cathedral Chapter

The Cathedral of Notre Dame d'Amiens was served by a Chapter composed of eight dignities and forty-six Canons. The dignities were: the Dean, the Provost, the Chancellor, the Archdeacon of Amiens, the Archdeacon of Ponthieu, the Cantor, the Master of the Schola, and the Penitentiary. The Dean was elected by the Chapter.

Churches

The city of Amiens also had a Collegiate Church of Saint-Firmin, whose Chapter was composed of a Dean and six prebendaries. All were elected by the Chapter and installed by the bishop. Saint-Nicolas-au-Cloître d'Amiens also had a Chapter, composed of a Dean and eight prebendaries, all elected by the Chapter and installed by the bishop. The church of St. Acheul, near Amiens, and formerly its cathedral, was, in the 19th century, the home of a major Jesuit novitiate. The beautiful churches of St. Ricquier and Corbie perpetuate the memory of the great Benedictine abbeys and homes of learning founded in these places in 570 and 662. In 859 the Normans invaded the valley of the Somme, and sacked the abbey of Saint-Riquier. They pillaged Amiens and held it for more than a year, until the city was ransomed by Charles the Bald.

Bishops

There is a medieval list of the Bishops of Amiens, but it first appears in the work of

Robert of Torigni Robert of Torigni (also known as Roburtus de Monte) (c. 1110–1186) was a Norman monk, prior, abbot and twelfth century chronicler. Religious life Robert was born at Torigni-sur-Vire, Normandy c. 1110 most probably to an aristocratic family but ...

in the second half of the 12th century, and its names before the 8th century are very uncertain.

to 1000

Firminus Fermin (also Firmin, from Latin ''Firminus''; Spanish ''Fermín'') was a legendary holy man and martyr, traditionally venerated as the co-patron saint of Navarre, Spain. His death may be associated with either the Decian persecution (250) or Dio ...

,] first bishop, and martyr Amiens cathédrale14

: th century: Firminus the Younger,second bishop, and confessor *c. 346: Eulogius *5th century: Leodardus *circa 450: Audoenus *c. 511: Edibius *c. 549: Beatus :

Honoratus Honoratus (french: Saint Honorat; c. 350 – 6 January 429) was the founder of Lérins Abbey who later became an early Archbishop of Arles. He is honored as a saint in the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches. Life Honoratus was born in the ...

] : [circa 600: Salvius of Amiens, Salvius] *c. 614: Berachundus *c. 650: Bertofredus *[circa 670: Thodefridus] *7th century: Deodatus *7th century: Dado *c. 692–c. 697: Ursinianus * [c. 721: Dominicus] *before 728 – 746: Christianus *c. 748–768: Raimbertus *c. 777?: Vitultus *c. 769–798/799: George of Ostia, Georgius *c. 799–831: Jesse * 830–833, 834–849: Ragenar * 849–872: Hilmerad *c. 875: Geroldus *c. 892–928: Otgarius *c. 929–947: Deroldus : 47: Thibault(Intrusus) * from c. 949: Ragembaldus : 72–975: Thibaud(again) *c. 975–980: Almannus *c. 980–992: Gotesmannus * c. 993–c. 1030: Fulco

1000 to 1300

* c. 1032–1058: Fulco * 1058–1074: Gui de Ponthieu * 076 Fulco* 1078–1079: Raoul * 1080–1085: Roric * 1091–1101: Gervin : 1101–1104: ''Sede vacante'' * 1104–1115:

Godfrey of Amiens Godfrey of Amiens (French: Geoffroy d'Amiens) (1066–1115) was a bishop of Amiens. He is a saint in the Catholic Church. Life Godfrey was born to Frodon his father in 1066 in Moulincourt, in the Diocese of Soissons. When his mother died, his ...

* 1116–1127: Enguerrand de Boves * 1127–1144: Guérin de Chastillon-Saint-Pol * 1144–1164: Theoderic (Dietrich) *circa 1164–1169: Robert I. * 1169–1204: Thibaud d'Heilly *circa 1204–1210: Richard de Gerberoy *circa 1211–1222: Evrard de Fouilloy *circa 1222–1236: Geoffroy d'Eu * 1236–1247: Arnold * 1247–1257: Gérard de Conchy * 1258–1259: Aleaume de Neuilly * 1259–1278: Bernard d'Abbeville * 1278–1308: Guillaume de Mâcon

1300 to 1500

* 1308–1321: Robert de Fouilloy * 1321–1325: Simon de Goucans * 1326–1373: Jean de Cherchemont * 1373–1375: Jean de la Grange (Cardinal) * 1376–1388: Jean Rolland * 1389–1410: Jean de Boissy (Avignon Obedience) * 1411–1413: Bernard de Chevenon * 1413–1418: Philibert de Saulx * 1418–1433: Jean d'Harcourt * 1433–1436: Jean le Jeune * 1436–1437:

Francesco Condulmer Francesco Condulmer (1390 – 30 October 1453) was a cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He was made cardinal on 19 September 1431 by his uncle, Pope Eugenius IV, and accumulated many offices and dignities. He was Camerlengo of the Holy Ro ...

(Administrator) * 1437–1456: Jean Avantage * 1457–1473: Ferry de Beauvoir * 1473–1476: Jean de Gaucourt * 1476–1478: Louis de Gaucourt * 1482–1501: Pierre Versé

1500 to 1800

* 1501–1503: Philip of Cleves * 1503–1538: François de Hallvyn * 1538–1540: Cardinal Charles Hémard de Denonville * 1540–1546: Cardinal

Claude de Longwy de Givry Claude de Longwy de Givry (1481–1561) was a French bishop and Cardinal, from an aristocratic background. He was the son of Philippe de Longuy, Seigneur de Givry and Jeanne de Beautremont, Dame de Mirabeau. He had four brothers: Jean de Longuy, ...

(Administrator) * 1546–1552: François de Pisseleu * 1552–1562:

Nicolas de Pellevé Nicolas Pellevé. Nicolas de Pellevé (18 October 1518 – 24 March 1594) was a French archbishop and Cardinal. He was a major figure of the Catholic League. Early life Nicolas de Pellevé, the second son of Charles de Pellevé, Sieur de Jo ...

* 1564–1574: Antoine de Créqui * 1574–1577: ''vacant'' * 1577–1617: Geoffroy de La Marthonie * 1617–1652: François Lefèvre de Caumartin * 1653–1687: François Faure * 687��1706: Henri Feydeau de Brou * 1707–1733: Pierre de Sabatier * 1734–1774: Louis-François-Gabriel d'Orléans de La Motte * 1774–1791: Louis-Charles de Machault * 1791–1801: Eléonore-Marie Desbois (Constitutional Bishop of Somme)

From 1800

*Jean-Chrysostome de Villaret (9 April 1802 – 17 December 1804) *Jean-François de Mandolx (17 December 1804 – 14 August 1817) *

Marc Marie, Marquis de Bombelles Marc Marie, Marquis de Bombelles (1744–1822) was a French diplomat and ecclesiastic. He was a son of Henri François de Bombelles, tutor and guardian of the duke of Orleans. Biography He was born at Bitsch in Lorraine, and served in the arm ...

(23 August 1819 – 5 March 1822 Died) *Jean-Pierre de Gallien de Chabons (27 Mar 1822 Appointed – 9 November 1837) *Jean-Marie Mioland (12 February 1838 – 2 April 1849) * Louis-Antoine de Salinis (2 April 1849 – 12 February 1856) *Jacques-Antoine-Claude-Marie Boudinet (16 June 1856 – 1 April 1873) *Louis-Désiré-César Bataille (19 June 1873 – 9 June 1879) *

Aimé-Victor-François Guilbert Aimé-Victor-François Guilbert (15 November 1812 – 16 August 1889) was a French prelate of the Catholic Church who became a bishop in 1867. He was Bishop of Gap from 1867 to 1879, then Bishop of Amiens until 1883, and then Archbishop of Borde ...

(2 September 1879 – 9 July 1883) *Pierre Henri Lamazou (3 July 1883 – 10 July 1883) *Jean-Baptiste-Marie-Simon Jacquenet (27 March 1884 – 1 March 1892) * René-François Renou (19 January 1893 – 30 May 1896) *Jean-Marie-Léon Dizien (25 June 1896 – 27 March 1915) * Pierre-Florent-André du Bois de la Villerabel (1 Jun 1915 Appointed – 16 Dec 1920 Appointed,

Archbishop of Rouen The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Rouen (Latin: ''Archidioecesis Rothomagensis''; French: ''Archidiocèse de Rouen'') is an archdiocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in France. As one of the fifteen Archbishops of France, the Ar ...

) *Charles-Albert-Joseph Lecomte (10 Mar 1921 Appointed – 17 Aug 1934 Died) *Lucien-Louis-Claude Martin (29 May 1935 Appointed – 26 Dec 1945 Died) *Albert-Paul Droulers (17 Feb 1947 Appointed – 3 Jun 1950 Died) * René-Louis-Marie Stourm (19 Jan 1951 Appointed – 27 Oct 1962 Appointed, Archbishop of Sens) * Géry-Jacques-Charles Leuliet (14 Feb 1963 Appointed – 15 Jan 1985 Retired) *

François Jacques Bussini François Jacques Bussini (21 May 1936 – 13 October 2018) was a French Roman Catholic bishop. Bussini was born in Sallanches, France and was ordained to the priesthood in 1965. He served as titular bishop of ''Febiana'' and as auxiliary bish ...

(28 Dec 1985 Appointed – 6 Mar 1987 Resigned) * Jacques Moïse Eugène Noyer (31 Oct 1987 Appointed – 10 Mar 2003 Retired) *Jean-Luc Marie Maurice Louis Bouilleret (10 Mar 2003 – 10 Oct 2013 Appointed Archbishop of Besançon) *Olivier Leborgne (20 Feb 2014 Appointed – 4 Sep 2020 Appointed, Bishop of Arras) *Gérard Le Stang (20 Mar 2021 Appointed – present)

Notes and references

Sources

Reference works

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

Studies

* Vol. 2; Vol. 3. * * (in French) * *Millet, Hélène; Desportes, Pierre (ed.) (1996). ''Fasti Ecclesiae Gallicanae. Répertoire prosopographique des évêques, dignitaires et chanoines des dioceses de France de 1200 à 1500. I. Diocèse d’Amiens''. Turnhout, Brepols. * * * * * * *

External links

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

Acknowledgment

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Amiens, Roman Catholic Diocese of Roman Catholic dioceses in France Somme (department)

History

Cathedral and churches

Cathedral Chapter

Churches

Bishops

to 1000

1000 to 1300

1300 to 1500

1500 to 1800

From 1800

See also

Notes and references

Sources

Reference works

Studies

External links

Acknowledgment