Henri-Pons de Thiard de Bissy (25 May 1657 – 26 July 1737) was a
French priest who was Bishop of Toul from 1687 to 1704, Bishop of Meaux from 1704 to 1737, and Cardinal from 1715 to 1737.
Biography
Henri Pons Thiard Bissy was born on 25 May 1657 in
Pierre-de-Bresse.
Destined for an ecclesiastical career, he was first licensed as a doctor at the Sorbonne in 1685.
Appointed
Bishop of Toul
The Diocese of Toul was a Roman Catholic diocese seated at Toul in present-day France. It existed from 365 until 1802. From 1048 until 1552 (''de jure'' until 1648), it was also a state of the Holy Roman Empire.
History
The diocese was erect ...
on 29 March 1687, disputes between Rome and King
Louis XIV of France
, house = Bourbon
, father = Louis XIII
, mother = Anne of Austria
, birth_date =
, birth_place = Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France
, death_date =
, death_place = Palace of ...
prevented the sending of papal bulls, and his appointment was not confirmed until 10 March 1692.
He was ordained Bishop on 24 August 1692.
He took part in disputes arising in
Lorraine
Lorraine , also , , ; Lorrain: ''Louréne''; Lorraine Franconian: ''Lottringe''; german: Lothringen ; lb, Loutrengen; nl, Lotharingen is a cultural and historical region in Northeastern France, now located in the administrative region of Gra ...
against the edicts of
Leopold I of Lorraine,
which were considered to be contrary to the jurisdiction and authority of the Church.
On 10 May 1704 he was appointed Bishop of Meaux, confirmed on 9 February 1705.
He succeeded the famous
Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet
Jacques-Bénigne Lignel Bossuet (; 27 September 1627 – 12 April 1704) was a French bishop and theologian, renowned for his sermons and other addresses. He has been considered by many to be one of the most brilliant orators of all time and a ma ...
in this post.
He was elevated to cardinal on 29 May 1715
and became Commander of the Order of the Holy Spirit in 1724.
He attended three conclaves in Rome in
1721
Events
January–March
* January 6 – The Committee of Inquiry on the collapse of the South Sea Company in Great Britain publishes its findings.
* February 5 – James Stanhope, chief minister of Great Britain, dies a day after ...
,
1724
Events
January–March
* January 15 – King Philip V of Spain abdicates the throne in favour of his 16-year-old son Louis I.
* January 18 – The Dutch East India Company cargo ship ''Fortuyn'', on its maiden voyage, dep ...
and
1730
Events
January–March
* January 30 (January 19 O.S.) – At dawn, Emperor Peter II of Russia dies of smallpox, aged 14 in Moscow, on the eve of his projected marriage.
* February 26 (February 15 O.S.) – Anna of Russia (An ...
. He is best known for his defense of the
Unigenitus Bull, which was aimed against the
Jansenist
Jansenism was an early modern theological movement within Catholicism, primarily active in the Kingdom of France, that emphasized original sin, human depravity, the necessity of divine grace, and predestination. It was declared a heresy by th ...
s in France.
His book ''Traité Théologique sur la constitution Unigenitus'' in two volumes is one of the most comprehensive on the subject.
He also wrote the Pastoral Instructions.
He died on 26 July 1737.
Consecrations
Cardinal Bissy was the principal
consecrator
A consecrator is a bishop who ordains someone to the episcopacy. A co-consecrator is someone who assists the consecrator bishop in the act of ordaining a new bishop.
The terms are used in the canon law of the Catholic Church, Lutheran Churches ...
of:
*
John Talbot Stonor, Vicar Apostolic of Midland District (England), Titular Bishop of Thespians (it) (1716);
*
Bartolomeo Massei, titular archbishop in Athens (it) (1721), afterwards cardinal;
*
Gilbert Gaspard de Montmorin de Saint-Hérem de La Chassaigne, bishop of Aire (1723);
*
Charles-Antoine de La Roche-Aymon, Auxiliary Bishop of Limoges, Titular Bishop of Zarephath (it) (1725), afterwards cardinal;
*
Pierre-Guillaume de La Vieuxville, Bishop of Bayonne (1728);
*
Georges-Lazare Berger de Charancy, bishop of Saint-Papoul (1735).
References
Citations
Sources
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thiard de Bissy, Henri-Pons de
1657 births
1737 deaths
Bishops of Toul
Bishops of Meaux
18th-century French cardinals