The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Rennes, Dol, and Saint-Malo (

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 Rhedonensis, Dolensis et Sancti Maclovii''; French: ''Archidiocèse de Rennes, Dol et Saint-Malo''; br, Arc'heskopti Roazhon, Dol ha Sant-Maloù) 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 is coextensive with the department of Ille et Vilaine. The Archdiocese has 8 suffragans: the

Diocese of Angers The Roman Catholic Diocese of Angers (Latin: ''Dioecesis Andegavensis''; French: ''Diocèse d'Angers'') is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in France. The episcopal see is located in Angers Cathedral in the city of Anger ...

, the

Diocese of Laval The Roman Catholic Diocese of Laval (Latin: ''Dioecesis Valleguidonensis''; French: ''Diocèse de Laval'') is a Roman Catholic Latin Rite diocese in France. The episcopal see is Laval Cathedral in the city of Laval. Created in June 1855, the d ...

, the

Diocese of Le Mans The Catholic Diocese of Le Mans (Latin: ''Dioecesis Cenomanensis''; French: ''Diocèse du Mans'') is a Catholic diocese of France. The diocese is now a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Rennes, Dol, and Saint-Malo but had previously been suffragan ...

, the

Diocese of Luçon In 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 provinces were administratively associat ...

, the

Diocese of Nantes The Roman Catholic Diocese of Nantes ( la, Dioecesis Nannetensis; french: Diocèse de Nantes; br, Eskopti Naoned) is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in Nantes, France. The diocese consists of the department of Loire-At ...

, the Diocese of Quimper and Léon, the Diocese of Saint-Brieuc and Tréguier, and the

Diocese of Vannes The Roman Catholic Diocese of Vannes (Latin: ''Dioecesis Venetensis''; French: ''Diocèse de Vannes'') is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in France. Erected in the 5th century, the Episcopal see is Vannes Cathedral in t ...

. In the Middle Ages the Bishop of Rennes had the privilege of crowning the dukes of Brittany in his cathedral. On the occasion of his first entry into Rennes it was customary for him to be borne on the shoulders of four Breton barons. The

Concordat of 1802 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 ...

re-established the Diocese of Rennes which since then has included: the ancient Diocese of Rennes with the exception of three parishes given to the

; the greater part of the

ancient Diocese of Dol The Breton and French Catholic diocese of Dol existed from 848 to the French Revolution. It was suppressed by the Concordat of 1801. Its see was Dol Cathedral. Its scattered territory (deriving from the holdings of the Celtic monastery, and incl ...

; the greater part of the ancient Diocese of St. Malo; ten parishes that had formed part of the

ancient Diocese of Vannes and Nantes The Roman Catholic Diocese of Vannes (Latin: ''Dioecesis Venetensis''; French: ''Diocèse de Vannes'') is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in France. Erected in the 5th century, the Episcopal see is Vannes Cathedral in ...

. On 3 January 1859, the See of Rennes, which the French Revolution had desired to make a metropolitan, became an archiepiscopal see, with the Diocese of Quimper and Léon,

, and Diocese of St. Brieuc as suffragans. Cardinal

Charles-Philippe Place Charles-Philippe Place (14 February 1814 – 5 March 1893) was a French prelate of the Catholic Church who was Bishop of Marseille from 1866 to 1878 and then Archbishop of Rennes from 1878 until his death in 1893. He was made a cardinal in 1886. ...

obtained from

Pope Leo XIII Pope Leo XIII ( it, Leone XIII; born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci; 2 March 1810 – 20 July 1903) was the head of the Catholic Church from 20 February 1878 to his death in July 1903. Living until the age of 93, he was the second-old ...

permission for the Archbishop of Rennes to add the titles of Dol and St. Malo to that of Rennes. In 2014, in the Archdiocese of Rennes, Dol, and Saint-Malo there was one priest for every 2,537 Catholics.

History

Tradition names as first apostles of the future Diocese of Rennes, but of an uncertain date: Saint Maximinus, who was reported to have been a disciple and friend of Saint Paul (died AD 65),

Saint Clarus According to late traditions, Saint Clair (Latin: ''Clarus'') was the first bishop of Nantes, France in the late 3rd century. Traditional account According to the traditional account, Clair was sent to Nantes by Pope Linus, the successor of St. ...

, and Saint Justus. On the other hand, when in the fifth and sixth centuries bands of Christian Britons emigrated from Great Britain to

Armorica Armorica or Aremorica (Gaulish: ; br, Arvorig, ) is the name given in ancient times to the part of Gaul between the Seine and the Loire that includes the Brittany Peninsula, extending inland to an indeterminate point and down the Atlantic Coast ...

and formed on its northern coast the small Kingdom of Domnonée, the Gospel was preached for the first time in the future Diocese of Dol and Diocese of Aleth. Among these missionaries were

St. Armel Saint Armel ( cy, Arthfael, "Wolf-Prince"; la, Armagilus) was an early 6th-century holy man in Brittany. Armel is said to have been a Breton prince, born to the wife of King Hoel while they were living in Glamorgan in Wales in the late ...

, who, according to the legend, founded in the sixth century the town of Ploermel in the Diocese of Vannes and then retired into the forests of Chateaugiron and

Janzé Janzé (, Gallo: ''Janzae'') is a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine department in Brittany in northwestern France. It is also the seat of the Canton of Janzé. The inhabitants of Janzé are called ''Janzéens'' in French. Early historical evidenc ...

and attacked

Druidism A druid was a member of the high-ranking class in ancient Celtic cultures. Druids were religious leaders as well as legal authorities, adjudicators, lorekeepers, medical professionals and political advisors. Druids left no written accounts. Whi ...

on the very site of the Dolmen of the Fairy Rocks ( La Roche aux Fées); St. Méen (Mevennus) who retired to the solitudes around Pontrecoët and founded the

monastery of Gael A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer which ...

(550), known afterwards as St. Méen's; and St. Samson and St. Malo. The earliest historical reference to the See of Rennes dates from 453. An assembly of eight bishops of Provincia Lugdunensis Tertia took place at Angers on 4 October 453 to consecrate a new bishop for Angers. Four of the bishops can be associated with particular Sees. The other four are assigned by scholars to the other dioceses in the ecclesiastical province, one of which was Rennes. One of the four prelates, Sarmatio, Chariato, Rumoridus, and Viventius, was Bishop of Rennes. This bishop's successor, likely his immediate successor, Athenius, took part in the Council of Tours in 461.

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, ...

is of opinion that the

St. Amandus Amandus ( 584 – 679), commonly called Saint Amand, was a bishop of Tongeren-Maastricht and one of the great Christian missionaries of Flanders. He is venerated as a saint, particularly in France and Belgium. Life The chief source of details ...

reckoned by some scholars among the bishops of Rennes at the end of the fifth century is the same as St. Amand of Rodez. He therefore excludes him from his list of authentic bishops. In 1180 Bishop Philippe, acting in accordance with a dream (it is said), began the replacement of the old cathedral with a new edifice; the eastern part of the building was erected, but various delays hampered the completion of the whole structure. The ceremony of consecration did not take place until 3 November 1359, though the edifice was still uncompleted. A new cathedral which had been built and dedicated to Saint Peter in 1541 was demolished in 1755 and replaced by the current edifice. The Chapter of the Cathedral of Saint-Pierre was composed of five dignities and sixteen Canons, and sixteen prebends. The dignities were: the Archdeacon of Rennes, the Archdeacon of Le Désert (''de Deserto''), the Cantor, the Succentor, and the Treasurer. The royal pouillé of 1648 names six dignities, omitting the Succentor and adding the Theologian and Penitentiary. The Treasurer was presented by the Pope. The Chapter, and all the cathedral chapters in France, were suppressed by the Constituent Assembly in 1790. The diocese also contained three Collegiate Churches which had Canons: La Guerche (founded 1206), Vitré (also founded in 1206), and Champeau (mid-15th cent.). Notre-Dame de Guerche had twelve Canons and prebends, S. Marie Madeleine at Vitry had twenty-two Canons, headed by their Treasurer. Notre-Dame de Champeau had six Canons and prebends, and were headed by a Dean. In accordance with the terms of the

Concordat of Bologna The Concordat of Bologna (1516) was an agreement between King Francis I of France and Pope Leo X that Francis negotiated in the wake of his victory at Marignano in September 1515. The groundwork was laid in a series of personal meetings of king an ...

of 1516, between

King Francis I of France Francis I (french: François Ier; frm, Francoys; 12 September 1494 – 31 March 1547) was King of France from 1515 until his death in 1547. He was the son of Charles, Count of Angoulême, and Louise of Savoy. He succeeded his first cousin once ...

and

Pope Leo X Pope Leo X ( it, Leone X; born Giovanni di Lorenzo de' Medici, 11 December 14751 December 1521) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 9 March 1513 to his death in December 1521. Born into the prominent political an ...

all bishops in France (which at the time did not include "the

Three Bishoprics The Three Bishoprics (french: les Trois-Évêchés ) constituted a government of the Kingdom of France consisting of the dioceses of Metz, Verdun, and Toul within the Lorraine region. The three dioceses had been Prince-bishoprics of the Holy Ro ...

", Metz, Toul and Verdun) were to be nominated by the King and approved (preconized) by the Pope. This was continued under Napoleon by the terms of 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 ...

and by the Bourbon monarchs and their successors to 1905 by the Concordat of 1817. The practice did not apply during 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 November 1799. Many of its ideas are considere ...

, when the Civil Constitution of the Clergy mandated the election of bishops by qualified electors in each of the new ''départements'' of the republic. These 'Constitutional Bishops' were in schism with the Papacy. Therefore, nearly all Archbishops of Rennes from 1516 to 1905 were nominees of the French government. In addition to the nomination of the Bishop of Rennes, the king also held the nomination of the Abbey of Saint-Mélaine (O.S.B.), the Abbey of Saint-Pierre de Rillé (O.S.A.), the Abbey of Saint-Georges-de-Rennes aux Nonnains (O.S.B.), and the Abbey of Saint-Sulpice aux Nonnains (O.S.B.). Noteworthy bishops of the diocese of Rennes are: Marbodus, the hymnographer (1035–1123); the Dominican

Yves Mayeuc Yves may refer to: * Yves, Charente-Maritime, a commune of the Charente-Maritime department in France * Yves (given name), including a list of people with the name * ''Yves'' (single album), a single album by Loona * ''Yves'' (film), a 2019 Fren ...

(1507–41);

Arnaud d'Ossat Arnaud d'Ossat (20 July 1537 – 13 March 1604) was a French diplomat and writer and a Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church, whose personal tact and diplomatic skill steered the perilous course of French diplomacy with the papacy in the reign o ...

(1596–1600), cardinal in 1599, and prominent in the conversion of

Henry IV of France Henry IV (french: Henri IV; 13 December 1553 – 14 May 1610), also known by the epithets Good King Henry or Henry the Great, was King of Navarre (as Henry III) from 1572 and King of France from 1589 to 1610. He was the first monarc ...

;

Godefroy Brossais Saint Marc Godefroy, a surname of Old French origin, and originally a given name, cognate with Geoffrey/Geoffroy/Jeffrey/Jeffries, Godfrey, Gottfried, etc. Godefroy may refer to: People Given name * Godefroi, Comte d'Estrades (1607–1686), French diplomat a ...

(1848–78), cardinal in 1875; Charles Place (1878–93), cardinal in 1886; and Guillaume Labouré (1893–1906), cardinal in 1897. During the Revolution Claude

Le Coz Claude Le Coz (1740–1815) was a French Catholic bishop. Le Coz was born at Plouévez-Parzay, Finistère. He was pupil, then professor, and finally principal of the Collège de Quimper. He took the Civil Constitution of the Clergy, constitut ...

(1760–1815), Principal of the Collège de Quimper, was elected Constitutional Bishop of Ille-et-Vilaine. Under the Concordat he became Archbishop of Besançon.

Bishops and Archbishops of Rennes

to 1000

:... *Athenius (attested 461) *

Melaine Saint Melaine (Latin: Melanius or Mellanus; Cornish: Melan; Welsh: Mellon) was a 6th-century Bishop of Rennes in Brittany (now in France). Traditional history Melaine grew up at Plaz in Brain, near Redon. He was a pious child, often being pu ...

(attested 511) *Fybediolus (attested 549) *Victurius (attested 567) *Haimoaldus (attested 614, 616) *Rioterus (attested 650) *Moderamnus ca. 715–720 *Wernarius (attested 843, 859) *Electramnus (attested 866, 871) *Nordoardus (attested 950) *Tetbaldus (ca. 990–1020)

from 1000 to 1500

*Gualterius *Guarinus *Triscanus *Mainus (attested 1027). *Sylvester de la Guerche (1070 – 1090). *Marbodius (ca. 1096 – 11 September 1123). *Roaldus ( ? – 21 November 1126). *Hamelinus (15 May 1127 – 2 February 1141). *Alanus (1141 – 1 May 1156) *Stephanus de la Rochefoucald (1156 – 4 September 1166) *Robert (1166 – 9 December 1167). *

Stephen de Fougères Stephen de Fougères (died 23 December 1178) household clerk to Henry II of England, Henry II, king of England, author and bishop of Rennes. Career Stephen first appears in the retinue of the young King Henry II during his period of residence in ...

(1168–1178). *Philippe (1179 – 1181) *Jacques (1183 ?) *Herbert: (by 1184 – 3 December 1198) *Peter de Dinan (elected before August 1199 – 24 January 1210) *Pierre de Fougères (1210 – 10 July 1222) *Josselinus de Montauban (1222/1223 – 31 October 1235) *Alain (ca. 1237 – before May 1239) *Jean Gicquel: (1239 – 15 January 1258) *Aegidius: (October 1258 – 26 September 1259) *Maurice de Trelidi (Tresguidi): (by 1260 – 18 September 1282) *Guillaume de la Roche-Tanguy : (1282 – September 1297) *Jean de Samesio (28 March 1298 – 3 February 1299) *Aegidius Camelini: (11 February 1299 – ? ) *Ivo : (by 1304 – ca. 1307) *Alain de Chateaugiron: (1311 – 13 April 1327) *Guillaume Ouvroing: (18 May 1328 – 1345) *Artaud, O.S.B. : (24 October 1347 – 1353?) *Pierre de Valle: (15 April 1353 – 11 January 1357) *Guillaume Poulart (or Gibon) : (Jun 1357 Appointed – Feb 1359 Appointed,

Bishop of Saint-Malo The former Breton and French Catholic Diocese of Saint-Malo ( la, Dioecesis Alethensis, then la, Dioecesis Macloviensis, label=none) existed from at least the 7th century until the French Revolution. Its seat was at Aleth up to some point in th ...

) *Pierre de Guémené: (14 January 1359 – 1362) *Radulfus de Tréal: (16 January 1363 – 13 February 1383) *Guillaume de Briz: (27 April 1384 – 27 August 1386) (Avignon Obedience) *Antoine de Lovier: (27 August 1386 – 15 October 1389) (Avignon Obedience) *Anselme de Chantemerle: (8 November 1389 – 1 September 1427) (Avignon Obedience) *Guillaume Brillet: (26 September 1427 – 26 May 1447) *Robert de la Riviere (26 May 1447 – 18 March 1450) *Jacques d'Espinay-Durestal: (25 April 1450 – Oct 1481 Resigned) *Michel Guibé: (1482 – 1502)

from 1500 to 1800

*Robert Guibé: (1502 – 1507) *Yvo de Mayeuc, O.P. (1507 – 1539) *Claude de Dodieu (23 July 1539 – 4 April 1558) *Bernardin Bochetel (Bouchelet) : (1558 – 1566) *Bertrand de Marillac : (1565 – 29 May 1573) *Aymar Hennequin: (3 July 1573 – 13 January 1596) *Arnaud d'Ossat: (9 Sep 1596 Appointed – 26 Jun 1600 Appointed,

Bishop of Bayeux The Roman Catholic Diocese of Bayeux and Lisieux (Latin: ''Dioecesis Baiocensis et Lexoviensis''; French: ''Diocèse de Bayeux et Lisieux'') is a diocese of the Catholic Church in France. It is coextensive with the Department of Calvados and is ...

) *François l'Archiver: (17 June 1602 – 1619) *Pierre Cornulier: (29 July 1619 – 1640) *Henri de la Motte-Houdancourt (1640–1660) *Charles François de Vieuville (1660–1676) *François de Bouthilier-Chavigny: (1676–1679) *Jean-Baptiste de Beaumanoir de Lavardin: (8 November 1677 – 23 May 1711) *Christophe-Louis Turpin de Crissé de Sanzay: (15 Aug 1711 Appointed – 27 Sep 1724 Appointed,

Bishop of Nantes The Roman Catholic Diocese of Nantes ( la, Dioecesis Nannetensis; french: Diocèse de Nantes; br, Eskopti Naoned) is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in Nantes, France. The diocese consists of the department of Loire- ...

) *Charles-Louis-Auguste Le Tonnelier de Breteuil: (17 Oct 1723 Appointed – 24 Apr 1732 Died) * Louis-Guy de Guérapin de Vauréal: ( 1732 Appointed – 1758 Resigned) *Jean-Antoine de Toucheboeuf de Beaumont des Junies: ( 1758 Appointed – 1761 Resigned) *Henri-Louis-René Des Nos: (16 Aug 1761 Ordained Bishop – 25 Dec 1769 Appointed,

Bishop of Verdun The Bishopric of Verdun was a state of the Holy Roman Empire. It was located at the western edge of the Empire and was bordered by France, the Duchy of Luxembourg, and the Duchy of Bar. Some time in the late 990s, the suzerainty of the Count ...

) *François Bareau de Girac: ( 1769 Appointed – 1801 Resigned)

since 1800

*Jean-Baptiste-Marie de Maillé de la Tour-Landry: (9 Apr 1802 – 25 Nov 1804) *Etienne-Célestin Enoch: (30 Jan 1805 Appointed – 12 Nov 1819 Retired) *Charles Mannay: (27 Nov 1819 Appointed – 5 Dec 1824 Died) *Claude-Louis de Lesquen: (12 Jan 1825 Appointed – 21 Jan 1841 Resigned) *Geoffroy Brossais Saint-Marc: (25 Feb 1841 Appointed – 26 Feb 1878 Died) *

: (13 Jun 1878 Appointed – 5 Mar 1893 Died) *Jean-Natalis-François Gonindard: (5 Mar 1893 Succeeded – 17 May 1893 Died) *

Guillaume-Marie-Joseph Labouré Guillaume-Marie-Joseph Labouré (27 October 1841 – 21 April 1906) was a French archbishop and cardinal. Biography Born in Achiet-le-Petit, he studied at Saint-Sulpice Seminary in Paris and was ordained to the priesthood on 23 September 1865 ...

: (13 Jun 1893 Appointed – 21 Apr 1906 Died) * Auguste-René-Marie Dubourg: (7 Aug 1906 Appointed – 22 Sep 1921) *

Alexis-Armand Charost Alexis-Armand Charost (14 November 1860 – 7 November 1930) was a French cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Rennes from 1921 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1922. Biography Alexis Charost ...

† (22 Sep 1921 Succeeded – 7 Nov 1930 Died) *René-Pierre Mignen † (21 Jul 1931 Appointed – 1 Nov 1939 Died) * Clément-Emile Roques † (11 May 1940 Appointed – 4 Sep 1964 Died) * Paul Joseph Marie Gouyon † (4 Sep 1964 Succeeded – 15 Oct 1985 Retired) *

Jacques André Marie Jullien Jacques André Marie Jullien (7 May 1929 – 10 December 2012) was the Roman Catholic archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Rennes, France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in ...

† (15 Oct 1985 Succeeded – 1 Sep 1998 Resigned) *François Saint-Macary † (1 Sep 1998 Succeeded – 26 Mar 2007 Died) *Pierre d'OrnellasBorn in 1953, Ornellas holds the degree of Doctor of theology. He was private secretary to Cardinal Lustiger, Archbishop of Paris (1986–1991). He was director of the Cathedral School of the Diocese of Paris (1995–2006. He was named titular bishop of Naraggara (Africa Proconsularis) on 4 July 1997, and consecrated by Cardinal Lustiger on 10 October 1997, becoming Auxiliary Bishop of Paris and Vicar-General (Centre). In 2006 he was named Coadjutor Archbishop of Rennes, and on 21 March 2007 he became Archbishop on the death of Archbishop Saint-Macary. Conférence des évêques de France
Biography of Archbishop Pierre d'Ornellas
retrieved: 2017-01-16 (in French). (26 Mar 2007 Succeeded – present)

References

Sources

Reference works

* * * (unpaginated, but ca. p. 635) * * (Use with caution; obsolete) * (in Latin) * (in Latin) * * * * * * * *

Studies

* * *Ernault, Émile (1889), "Marbode, évêque de Rennes, sa vie, ses oeuvres (1035–1123)," * * * * *

External links

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

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rennes, Roman Catholic Archdiocese of

Rennes Rennes (; br, Roazhon ; Gallo: ''Resnn''; ) is a city in the east of Brittany in northwestern France at the confluence of the Ille and the Vilaine. Rennes is the prefecture of the region of Brittany, as well as the Ille-et-Vilaine department ...

History

Bishops and Archbishops of Rennes

to 1000

from 1000 to 1500

from 1500 to 1800

since 1800

See also

References

Sources

Reference works

Studies

External links