The Diocese of Tournai is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in Belgium. The diocese was formed in 1146, upon the dissolution of the Diocese of Noyon & Tournai, which had existed since the 7th Century. It is now

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 ...

in the ecclesiastical province of the

metropolitan Metropolitan may refer to: * Metropolitan area, a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories * Metropolitan borough, a form of local government district in England * Metropolitan county, a typ ...

Archdiocese of Mechelen-Brussels. The

cathedra A ''cathedra'' is the raised throne of a bishop in the early Christian basilica. When used with this meaning, it may also be called the bishop's throne. With time, the related term ''cathedral'' became synonymous with the "seat", or principa ...

is found within the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Tournai, which has been classified both as a major site for Wallonia's heritage since 1936 and as a World Heritage Site since 2000.

History

As early as the second half of the 3rd century St. Piat evangelized Tournai; some sources name him as the first bishop, but this remains unsubstantiated. At the end of the 3rd century Emperor Maximian rekindled persecutions, and St. Piat was martyred as a result.Warichez, Joseph. "Tournai." The Catholic Encyclopedia
Vol. 14. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. 7 September 2019

Barbarian invasions The Migration Period was a period in European history marked by large-scale migrations that saw the fall of the Western Roman Empire and subsequent settlement of its former territories by various tribes, and the establishment of the post-Roman ...

began shortly afterwards. These lasted from the end of the 3rd century till the end of the 5th century.

St. Remigius Remigius (french: Remi or ; – January 13, 533), was the Bishop of Reims and "Apostle of the Franks". On 25 December 496, he baptised Clovis I, King of the Franks. The baptism, leading to about 3000 additional converts, was an important eve ...

used the good-will of the Frankish monarchy to organize the Catholic hierarchy in the North of Gaul. He confided the Diocese of Arras and Cambrai to St. Vaast (Vedastus), and founded the See of Tournai (c. 500), appointing as its titular Eleutherius. It was probably its status of royal city which secured Tournai's early rise, only to lose its position as capital upon the departure of the Merovingian court. Nevertheless, it maintained its own bishops for nearly a century. Then, at about 626 or 627, under the episcopate of St. Achar, the sees of Tournai and Noyon were reunited, retaining however their separate structures. Tournai lost its privileges and was relegated to level of the neighbouring dioceses, such as

Boulogne Boulogne-sur-Mer (; pcd, Boulonne-su-Mér; nl, Bonen; la, Gesoriacum or ''Bononia''), often called just Boulogne (, ), is a coastal city in Northern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department of Pas-de-Calais. Boulogne lies on the ...

and Therouanne,

Arras Arras ( , ; pcd, Aro; historical nl, Atrecht ) is the prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais Departments of France, department, which forms part of the regions of France, region of Hauts-de-France; before the regions of France#Reform and mergers of ...

and

Cambrai Cambrai (, ; pcd, Kimbré; nl, Kamerijk), formerly Cambray and historically in English Camerick or Camericke, is a city in the Nord (French department), Nord Departments of France, department and in the Hauts-de-France Regions of France, regio ...

. The same ordinary held both sees for five hundred years. It was only in 1146 that Tournai received its own bishop. Belgian Medieval Dioceses

Notable bishops are: St. Eleutherius (beginning of 6th century); St. Achar (626/27 – 1 March 637/38); St. Eloi (641–660);

Simon de Vermandois Simon of Vermandois (1093–1148) was a French nobleman and bishop. He was a son of Hugh I of Vermandois. Elected bishop of Noyon in 1123, he was excommunicated in 1142 by Pope Innocent II, for divorcing his brother Raoul I, Count of Vermandois ...

(1121–1146);

Walter de Marvis Walter of Marvis (ca.1175 - 1252) was a leading Flemish churchman who served between 1219 and 1252 as the Bishop of Tournai / Doornik, a time during which the diocese also included the modern dioceses of Bruges and Ghent. Biography Walter came fr ...

(1219–1251), the great founder of schools and hospitals; Etienne of Tournai (1192–1203), godfather of

Louis VII of France Louis VII (1120 – 18 September 1180), called the Younger, or the Young (french: link=no, le Jeune), was King of the Franks from 1137 to 1180. He was the son and successor of King Louis VI (hence the epithet "the Young") and married Duchess ...

and minister to the queen;

Andrea Chini Malpiglia Andrea is a given name which is common worldwide for both males and females, cognate to Andreas, Andrej and Andrew. Origin of the name The name derives from the Greek word ἀνήρ (''anēr''), genitive ἀνδρός (''andrós''), that ...

(1334–42), cardinal and papal legate;

Guillaume Fillastre Guillaume Fillastre (the Elder) (b. 1348 at La Suze, Maine, France; d. Rome, 6 November 1428) was a French cardinal, canonist, humanist, and geographer. Life After graduating as doctor ''juris utriusque'', Fillastre taught jurisprudence at Re ...

(1460–1473), chancellor of the Golden Fleece;

Michel de Warenghien Michel may refer to: * Michel (name), a given name or surname of French origin (and list of people with the name) * Míchel (nickname), a nickname (a list of people with the nickname, mainly Spanish footballers) * Míchel (footballer, born 1963), ...

(1283–1291), a very erudite doctor;

Michel d'Esne Michel d'Esne de Betencourt (1540–1614) was a prelate in the Habsburg Netherlands. Life D'Esne was born in early January 1540, either in Tournai or in Cambrai, the son of Adam d'Esne, lord of Betencourt, and Bonne de Lalaing.F.F.J. Lecouvet, "M ...

(1597–1614), the author of several works.

Raphael de Mercatellis Raphael de Mercatellis, also known as Raphael of Burgundy (1473–3 August 1508), was a church official, imperial counsellor and bibliophile. He was the illegitimate son of Duke Philip the Good of Burgundy and a woman of Venetian origins, the wif ...

(1487–1507), illegitimate son of

Philip the Good Philip III (french: Philippe le Bon; nl, Filips de Goede; 31 July 1396 – 15 June 1467) was Duke of Burgundy from 1419 until his death. He was a member of a cadet line of the Valois dynasty, to which all 15th-century kings of France belonge ...

and noted bibliophile, was auxiliary bishop of Tournai. During Spanish rule (1521–1667) the see continued to be occupied by natives of the country, but the seize of Tournai by Louis XIV in 1667 caused it to have a number of Frenchmen for bishop: Gilbert de choiseul duplessis praslin (1670–1689);

François de La Salle de Caillebot François () is a French masculine given name and surname, equivalent to the English name Francis. People with the given name * Francis I of France, King of France (), known as "the Father and Restorer of Letters" * Francis II of France, King o ...

(1692–1705);

Louis Marcel de Coëtlogon Louis may refer to: * Louis (coin) * Louis (given name), origin and several individuals with this name * Louis (surname) * Louis (singer), Serbian singer * HMS ''Louis'', two ships of the Royal Navy See also Derived or associated terms * Lew ...

(1705–1707);

François de Beauveau François () is a French masculine given name and surname, equivalent to the English name Francis. People with the given name * Francis I of France, King of France (), known as "the Father and Restorer of Letters" * Francis II of France, King ...

(1708–1713). After the Treaty of Utrecht (1713) the French were replaced by Germans:

Johann Ernst Johann, typically a male given name, is the German form of ''Iohannes'', which is the Latin form of the Greek name ''Iōánnēs'' (), itself derived from Hebrew name ''Yochanan'' () in turn from its extended form (), meaning "Yahweh is Gracious" ...

, Count of Löwenstein-Wertheim (1713–1731); Franz Ernst, Count of Salm-Reifferscheid (1731–1770); Wilhelm Florentine, Prince of Salm-Salm (1776–1794). The reunion of the see with Noyon and the ensuing removal of the seat of the bishopric bolstered the chapter. The chapter's requirement to appoint only nobility and scholars, as set forth by the old régime, tended to attract the highly born and educated. Illustrious French and Belgian names are inscribed in the archive's registers and on the cathedral's tombstones. The cathedral, long by wide, is surmounted by 5 towers high. The nave and transept are Romanesque (12th century), while the choir is primary Gothic, begun in 1242 and completed in 1325. Originally, the borders of the diocese arguably were those of the ''Civitas Turnacensium'', as mentioned in the "Notice des Gaules". The prescriptions of councils and the interest of the Church both favoured such borders, and they were retained throughout the Middle Ages. The diocese then further extended along the left bank of the river Schelde, from the river Scarpe to the North Sea, with the exception of the Vier-Ambachten (Hulst, Axel, Bouchaute, and Assenede), which are said to have always belonged to the Diocese of Utrecht. The Schelde thus formed the natural border between the Dioceses of Tournai and Cambrai, cutting through the towns of Termonde, Ghent, Oudenarde, and Tournai itself. The North Sea seaboard between the Schelde and the Yser was wholly part of this perimeter. On the far side of the Yser resided the Diocese of Thérouanne, which bordered Tournai as far as Ypres. There began the Diocese of Arras, which bordered Tournai as far as the confluence of the Scarpe and the Schelde at Mortgne, France. This vast diocese was for a long time divided into three archdeaneries and twelve deaneries. The archdeanery of Bruges comprised the deaneries of Bruges, Ardenbourg, and Oudenbourg; the archdeanery of Ghent, the deaneries of Ghent, Roulers, Oudenarde, and Waes; the archdeanery of Tournai, the deaneries of Tournai, Seclin, Helchin, Lille, and Courtrai. In 1559, to support the war against Protestantism, King

Philip II of Spain Philip II) in Spain, while in Portugal and his Italian kingdoms he ruled as Philip I ( pt, Filipe I). (21 May 152713 September 1598), also known as Philip the Prudent ( es, Felipe el Prudente), was King of Spain from 1556, King of Portugal from ...

obtained from Paul IV the foundation of a series of new dioceses. The ancient Diocese of Tournai was split up, with nearly two-thirds of its territory being cut away. The outlines of the archdeaneries of Bruges and Ghent formed the new

diocese of Bruges The Diocese of Bruges (in Dutch Bisdom Brugge) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in Belgium. It is a suffragan in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Mechelen-Brussels, which ...

and diocese of Ghent, and six parishes passed to the new

diocese of Ypres The former Roman Catholic Diocese of Ypres, in present-day Belgium, existed from 1559 to 1801.Ypres (Ieper) (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]/ref> Its seat was Saint Martin's Cathedral">atholic-Hierarchy]">Ypres (Ieper) (Diocese) [Catholic-Hi ...

. This situation lasted until the beginning of the 19th century. The French Revolution created the Department of Jemappes, which in 1815 became the Hainaut Province, Province of Hainaut, whose borders coincided with those of the Diocese of Tournai, after a concordat between the plenipotentiaries of Pius VI and the consular government of the republic. The Bishop of Tournai retained only two scores of the parishes formerly under his jurisdiction, but received on the right bank of the Schelde a number of parishes which, prior to the Revolution, had belonged to the Diocese of Cambrai (302), Namur (50), and Liège (50).

Bishops

To 1146

* 540 : St. Eleutherius of Tournai (Eleuthere) * c. 549 and 552 : Agrecius * 545 :

Medardus Saint Medardus or St Medard (French: ''Médard'' or ''Méard'') (ca. 456–545) was the Bishop of Noyon. He moved the seat of the diocese from Vermand to Noviomagus Veromanduorum (modern Noyon) in northern France. Medardus was one of the most ...

*Then jointly with Noyon * c. 626–c. 638 : Acarius * 641–660 : Eligius * c. 661–c. 686 : Mummolenus * Gondoin * c. 700 : Antgaire * c. 715 : Chrasmar * c. 721 : Garoul * c. 723 : Framenger * c. 730 : Hunuan * c. 740 : Gui et Eunuce * c. 748 : Elisée * c. 756/765 : Adelfred * ? : Didon * 769–c. 782 : Giselbert * c. 798/799 : Pleon * c. 815 : Wendelmarus * c. 830/838 : Ronegaire * c. 830/838 : Fichard * 840–860 : Immon * 860–879 : Rainelme * 880–902 : Heidilon * 909 : Rambert * 915–932 : Airard * †936 : Walbert * 937–950 : Transmar, Transmarus * 950–954 : Rudolf * 954–955 : Fulcher * 955–977 : Hadulphe * 977–988 :

Liudolf of Vermandois Liudolf of Vermandois (died before 9 November 986), son of Adalbert I, Count of Vermandois, and Gerberge of Lorraine. Luidolf was appointed Bishop of Noyon in 979 after the death of his predecessor Hadulphe, as reported by Flodoard Flodoard o ...

* 989–997 : Radbod I * 1000–1030 : Hardouin * 1030–1044 : Hugo * 1044–1068 : Balduin * 1068–1098 : Radbod II * 1099–1112 : Baldric of Noyon * 1114–1123 : Lambert * 1123–1146 :

Simon of Vermandois Simon of Vermandois (1093–1148) was a French nobleman and bishop. He was a son of Hugh I of Vermandois. Elected bishop of Noyon in 1123, he was excommunicated in 1142 by Pope Innocent II, for divorcing his brother Raoul I, Count of Vermandois fr ...

* Diocese split

1146 to 1500; bishops of Tournai

* 1146–1149 : Anselm * 1149–1166 : Gerard * 1166–1171 : Walter * 1173–1190 : Everard * 1193–1203 :

Stephen of Tournai Stephen of Tournai, (18 March 1128 - 11 September 1203), was a Canon regular of Sainte-Geneviève (Paris), and Roman Catholic canonist who became bishop of Tournai in 1192. Biography He was born at Orléans in 1128; died at Tournai in September ...

* 1203–1218 : Gossuin * 1219–1251 : Walter of Marvis * 1252–1261 : Walter of Croix * 1261–1266 : Johann I. Buchiau * 1267–1274 : John of Enghien * 1275–1282 :

Philipp Mus Philippe Mouskes (before 1220 – 24 February 1282) was the author of a rhymed chronicle that draws on the history of the Franks and France, from the origins until 1242. Biography According to Barthelemy-Charles Dumortier, Philippe Mouskes bel ...

* 1283–1291 : Michael von Warenghien * 1292–1300 : Johann III. von Vassogne * 1301–1324 : Guy of Boulogne (also Bishop of Cambrai) * 1324–1326 : Elie de Ventadour * 1326–1333 : Guillaume de Ventadour * 1333 : Theobald of Saussoire * 1334–1342 : André Ghini * 1342–1349 :

Jean IV. des Prés Jean des Prés (died 13 June 1349) was the Bishop of Tournai from 1342 until his death. Mass of Tournai In 1349 Jean des Prés established a daily sung Mass which called for six trained singers. This may have been when the Mass of Tournai, w ...

* 1349–1350 :

Pierre de Forest Pierre is a masculine given name. It is a French form of the name Peter. Pierre originally meant "rock" or "stone" in French (derived from the Greek word πέτρος (''petros'') meaning "stone, rock", via Latin "petra"). It is a translation ...

(also

Bishop of Paris The Archdiocese of Paris (Latin: ''Archidioecesis Parisiensis''; French: ''Archidiocèse de Paris'') is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction or archdiocese of the Catholic Church in France. It is one of twenty-three archdioceses in France ...

) * 1351–1377 :

Pierre d'Arbois Pierre is a masculine given name. It is a French form of the name Peter. Pierre originally meant "rock" or "stone" in French (derived from the Greek word πέτρος (''petros'') meaning "stone, rock", via Latin "petra"). It is a translation ...

* 1379–1388 :

Pierre d'Auxy Pierre is a masculine given name. It is a French form of the name Peter. Pierre originally meant "rock" or "stone" in French (derived from the Greek word πέτρος (''petros'') meaning "stone, rock", via Latin "petra"). It is a translation ...

** 1380–1384 :

Jean de West 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 * J ...

* 1388–1410 :

Louis de la Trémouille Louis may refer to: * Louis (coin) * Louis (given name), origin and several individuals with this name * Louis (surname) * Louis (singer), Serbian singer * HMS ''Louis'', two ships of the Royal Navy See also Derived or associated terms * Lewis (d ...

* 1410–1433 :

Jean de Thoisy 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 * Jean ...

* 1433–1437 :

Jean d'Harcourt Jean de Harcourt (died 13 June 1452) was a French priest and bishop. His parents were Jacques d'Harcourt, seigneur de Montgomery, and Jeanne d'Enghien. He was canon of Laon, then bishop of Amiens from 1418 and finally bishop of Tournai from 1433 ...

* 1437–1460 :

Jean Chevrot Jean Chevrot (c. 1395, Poligny, Jura - 23 September 1460, Lille) was a French bishop who served as president of the council of Burgundy for Philip the Good and Isabella of Portugal (1397-1471), Isabella of Portugal. He was a multi-talented ministe ...

* 1460–1473 :

* 1474–1483 : Ferry de Clugny * 1483–1505 : ''Schism''

1500 to 1800

* 1505–1513 : Charles de Hautbois * 1514–1518 : Thomas Wolsey * 1519–1524 : Louis Guillard, bishop-elect from 1513 but displaced by Wolsey until 1519 * 1524–1564 :

Charles de Croÿ Charles de Croÿ Prince of Chimay ( nl, Karel van Croij; 1506 – 11 December 1564) was a bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tournai, See of Tournai in present-day Belgium from 1524 until 1564. Charles was born in 1506 as a member of the H ...

* 1564–1574 :

Gilbert d'Oignies Gilbert d'Oignies (ca. 1520–1574) was a bishop of Tournai in the Habsburg Netherlands. Life Gilbert was born in Lille or Tournai around 1520, the son of Jean d'Oignies and Marguerite de Launir. Charles Piot, "Oignies (Gibert d')", '' Biograph ...

* 1574–1580 :

Pierre Pintaflour Pierre Pintaflour (1502–1580) was a humanist from the Habsburg Netherlands, writing under the pen name Thindari, who became bishop of Tournai. Life Pintaflour was born in Strazeele ( castellany of Cassel) in 1502, the second son of Mathias P ...

* 1580–1586 :

Maximilien Morillon Maximilien Morillon (1516/17–1586) was a senior clergyman in the Habsburg Netherlands who became bishop of Tournai. Life Morillon was born in Brussels in 1516 or 1517, the son of Gui Morillon, a Burgundian who was professor of Greek at Leuven ...

* 1586–1592 :

Jean Vendeville Jean Vendeville (24 June 1527 – 15 October 1592) was a law professor and a bishop of Tournai. Life Vendeville was possibly born in Lille, the son of Guillaume Vendeville and Marie Des Barbieux.Alexis Possoz, ''Mgr Jean Vendeville, évêque de T ...

(Jean Venduille) * 1592–1597 : ''Vacant'' * 1597–1614 :

Michel D'Esne Michel d'Esne de Betencourt (1540–1614) was a prelate in the Habsburg Netherlands. Life D'Esne was born in early January 1540, either in Tournai or in Cambrai, the son of Adam d'Esne, lord of Betencourt, and Bonne de Lalaing.F.F.J. Lecouvet, "M ...

* 1614–1644 :

Maximilien Villain Maximilien Villain de Gand (1569–1644) was a bishop of Tournai in the Habsburg Netherlands. Life Villain was the son of Adam Villain de Gand, governor of Lille, Douai and Orchies, and Philippine de Jausse de Mastaing.Alfred Deboutte, "Villai ...

* 1644–1660 : François Villain * 1660–1689 : Gilbert de Choiseul * 1689–1705 : François de Caillebot de La Salle * 1705–1707 : Louis-Marcel de Coëtlogon-Méjusseaume * 1707–1713 : René de Beauveau (then Bishop of Toulouse) * 1713–1731 : Johann Ernst von Löwenstein-Wertheim * 1731–1770 : Franz Ernst von Salm-Reifferscheid * 1770–1776 : ''Vacant'' * 1776–1793 : Wilhelm Florentin von Salm-Salm (then Archbishop of Prague) * 1793–1802 : ''Vacant''

From 1800

* 1802–1819 : François-Joseph Hirn * 1819–1829 : ''Vacant'' * 1829–1834 :

Jean Joseph Delplancq Jean Joseph Delplancq (1767–1834) was a 19th-century bishop of Tournai and one of the founders of the Catholic University of Leuven. Life Delplancq was born in Thieu on 30 January 1767.Aloïs Simon, "Delplancq, Jean Joseph", in '' Biographie Na ...

* 1835–1872 : Gaspard-Joseph Labis * 1873–1880 : Edmond Dumont :fr:Edmond Dumont * 1881–1897 :

Isidore-Joseph du Rousseaux Isidore-Joseph du Rousseaux (1826–1897) was a bishop of Tournai in Belgium.A. Simon, "Rousseaux (Isidore-Joseph du)", ''Biographie Nationale de Belgique''vol. 30(Brussels, 1958), 752. Life Rousseaux was born in Halle on 19 January 1826. He was ...

* 1897–1915 : Carolus Gustavus Walravens * 1915–1924 : Amédée Crooy * 1924–1939 : Gaston-Antoine Rasneur * 1940–1945 : Luigi Delmotte * 1945–1948 : Etienne Carton de Wiart * 1948–1977 : Charles-Marie Himmer * 1977–2002 : Jean Huard * 2003–present : Guy Harpigny

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Roman Catholic Diocese Of Tournai

Tournai Tournai or Tournay ( ; ; nl, Doornik ; pcd, Tornai; wa, Tornè ; la, Tornacum) is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. It lies southwest of Brussels on the river Scheldt. Tournai is part of Euromet ...

Religious organizations established in the 1140s 1146 establishments in Europe Roman Catholic dioceses established in the 12th century