The

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

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 ...

Béziers Béziers (; oc, Besièrs) is a Subprefectures in France, subprefecture of the Hérault Departments of France, department in the Occitania (administrative region), Occitanie Regions of France, region of Southern France. Every August Béziers hos ...

was situated in

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 ...

. It is no longer an independent diocese, and is part of the

Diocese of Montpellier The Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese of Montpellier (–Lodève–Béziers–Agde–Saint-Pons-de-Thomières) (Latin: ''Archidioecesis Metropolitae Montis Pessulani (–Lotevensis–Biterrensis–Agathensis–Sancti Pontii Thomeriarum)'' ...

. Traditionally, the first Bishop of Béziers is considered to be the Egyptian saint,

Aphrodisius Aphrodisius (french: Saint Aphrodise, Afrodise, Aphrodyse, Aphrodite) is a saint associated with the diocese of Béziers, in Languedoc, Southern France. According to Gregory of Tours, Aphrodisius was an Egyptian who was martyred in Languedoc alon ...

, said to have sheltered the

Holy Family The Holy Family consists of the Child Jesus, the Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph. The subject became popular in art from the 1490s on, but veneration of the Holy Family was formally begun in the 17th century by Saint François de Laval, the first ...

Hermopolis Hermopolis ( grc, Ἑρμούπολις ''Hermoúpolis'' "the City of Hermes", also ''Hermopolis Magna'', ''Hermoû pólis megálẽ'', egy, ḫmnw , Egyptological pronunciation: "Khemenu"; cop, Ϣⲙⲟⲩⲛ ''Shmun''; ar, الأشموني ...

and to have become a disciple of Christ, also to have accompanied

Sergius Paulus Lucius Sergius Paulus or Paullus was a Proconsul of Cyprus under Claudius (1st century AD). He appears in Acts 13:6-12, where in Paphos, Paul, accompanied by Barnabas and John Mark, overcame the attempts of Bar-Jesus ( Elymas) "to turn the procons ...

Gaul Gaul ( la, Gallia) was a region of Western Europe first described by the Romans. It was inhabited by Celtic and Aquitani tribes, encompassing present-day France, Belgium, Luxembourg, most of Switzerland, parts of Northern Italy (only during ...

when the latter went thither to found the Church of

Narbonne Narbonne (, also , ; oc, Narbona ; la, Narbo ; Late Latin:) is a commune in France, commune in Southern France in the Occitania (administrative region), Occitanie Regions of France, region. It lies from Paris in the Aude Departments of Franc ...

, and to have died a martyr at Béziers. Local traditions made St. Aphrodisius arrive at Béziers mounted on a

camel A camel (from: la, camelus and grc-gre, κάμηλος (''kamēlos'') from Hebrew or Phoenician: גָמָל ''gāmāl''.) is an even-toed ungulate in the genus ''Camelus'' that bears distinctive fatty deposits known as "humps" on its back. C ...

. Hence the custom of leading a camel in the procession at Béziers on the feast of the saint; this lasted until 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 ...

but was revived in the late 20th century. The first historically known bishop is Paulinus mentioned in 418; St. Guiraud was Bishop of Béziers from 1121 to 1123;

St. Dominic Saint Dominic ( es, Santo Domingo; 8 August 1170 – 6 August 1221), also known as Dominic de Guzmán (), was a Castilian Catholic priest, mystic, the founder of the Dominican Order and is the patron saint of astronomers and natural scientis ...

refused the See of Béziers to devote himself to the crusade against the

Albigenses Catharism (; from the grc, καθαροί, katharoi, "the pure ones") was a Christian dualist or Gnostic movement between the 12th and 14th centuries which thrived in Southern Europe, particularly in northern Italy and southern France. Follow ...

. Among the fifteen synods held at Béziers was that of 356 held by Saturninus of Arles, an Arian archbishop, which condemned

Hilary of Poitiers Hilary of Poitiers ( la, Hilarius Pictaviensis; ) was Bishop of Poitiers and a Doctor of the Church. He was sometimes referred to as the "Hammer of the Arians" () and the "Athanasius of the West". His name comes from the Latin word for happy or ...

. Later synods of 1233, 1246 and 1255 condemned the

Cathars Catharism (; from the grc, καθαροί, katharoi, "the pure ones") was a Christian dualist or Gnostic movement between the 12th and 14th centuries which thrived in Southern Europe, particularly in northern Italy and southern France. Fol ...

. A

Papal Brief A papal brief or breve is a formal document emanating from the Pope, in a somewhat simpler and more modern form than a papal bull. History The introduction of briefs, which occurred at the beginning of the pontificate of Pope Eugene IV (3 Marc ...

of 16 June 1877, authorized the bishops of

Montpellier Montpellier (, , ; oc, Montpelhièr ) is a city in southern France near the Mediterranean Sea. One of the largest urban centres in the region of Occitania (administrative region), Occitania, Montpellier is the prefecture of the Departments of ...

to call themselves bishops of Montpellier, Béziers,

Agde Agde (; ) is a commune in the Hérault department in Southern France. It is the Mediterranean port of the Canal du Midi. Location Agde is located on the Hérault river, from the Mediterranean Sea, and from Paris. The Canal du Midi con ...

Lodève Lodève (; oc, Lodeva ) is a commune in the département of Hérault, in the Occitanie region in southern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department. The derivation of the city's name is from Gaulish ''Luteva'', composed of lut-, swamp, ...

and Saint-Pons, in memory of the different dioceses united in the present

Bishops

To 1000

Saint Aphrodisius Aphrodisius (french: Saint Aphrodise, Afrodise, Aphrodyse, Aphrodite) is a saint associated with the diocese of Béziers, in Languedoc, Southern France. According to Gregory of Tours, Aphrodisius was an Egyptian who was martyred in Languedoc alon ...

(Aphrodise) 250 ? * Paulin I 408 * Dyname 451 *

Hermès Hermès International S.A., or simply Hermès ( , ), is a French luxury design house established in 1837. It specializes in leather goods, lifestyle accessories, home furnishings, perfumery, jewelry, watches and ready-to-wear. Its logo, since ...

461 *

Sedatus Sedatus (Latin: ''SEDATVS'') was a guardian deity (''genius'') of the Breuci and the Latobici. Originally Celtic, Sedatus is known to have been worshipped during the Roman Empire as late as the 2nd-century AD as indicated by a votive stone dedicat ...

(Saint Sédat) 589 *Pierre I 639 * Crescitaire 683 * Pacotase 688 * Ervige 693 * Wulfégaire 791 * Etienne I 833 * Alaric 875–878 *

Agilbert Agilbert ( 650–680) was the second bishop of the West Saxon kingdom and later Bishop of Paris. He is venerated as a saint within the Catholic Church, with his feast day falling on 11 October. The date and place of Agilbert's birth are unknown ...

887–897 * Fructuarius 897–898 * Matfred I 898 *Reginald (Raynald) I de Béziers 906–933 or 930 *Rodoaldus (Raoul) 930 or 936–957 *Bernard I Géraud 957–978 or 980 *Matfred II 990–1010 or 1011

1000 to 1300

*Urbain 1016 *Etienne II 1017–1036 or 1037 *Bernard II 1035 or 1037–1046 *Bèrenger I 1050–1053 *Bernard III Arnaud 1053–c. 1060 *Bèrenger II 1061–c. 1066 *Matfred III 1077–1096 or c. 1070–c. 1093 * Arnaud de Lévézon 1096–1121 * Saint Guiraud (Geraldus, Geraud) 1121–1123 *Guillaume I de Serviez (Servian, Cerviez) 1127 *Bermond de Lévezon 1128–1152 *Guillaume II 1152–1154 or 1157 *Raymond I 1159 *Guillaume III 1159–1167 *Bernard IV de Gaucelin 1167–1184 *Geofroy (Gausfred) de Marseille 1185–1199 * Guillaume de Rocozels ( Rocozels) 1199–1205 *Ermengaud 1205–1208 *Reginald( Renaud) II de Montpeyroux 1208–1211 *Pierre II d'Aigrefeuille 1211–1212 *Bertrand de Saint Gervais 1212–1215 *Raymond II Lenoir January–20 April 1215 *Bernard V de Cuxac 1215–1242 *R. 1243 *P. 1244 *Raymond III de Salles (Salle) 1245–1247 *Raymond IV de Vaihauquez (Valhauquès) 1247–1261 *Pons de Saint Just 1261–1293 *Raymond V de Colombiers 1293–1294 *

Berengar Fredol the Elder Berengar Fredol or Bérenger Frédol (1250 – 11 June 1323) was a French canon lawyer and Cardinal-Bishop of Frascati. Celestine V He was canon and precentor of Béziers, secular Abbot of Saint-Aphrodise in the same city, canon and archdea ...

, 1294–1305,

cardinal Cardinal or The Cardinal may refer to: Animals * Cardinal (bird) or Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds **''Cardinalis'', genus of cardinal in the family Cardinalidae **''Cardinalis cardinalis'', or northern cardinal, the ...

1300 to 1500

* Richard Neveu 1305–1309 * Berengar Fredol the Younger, 1309–1312, cardinal *Guilhaume V Frédol 1313–1349 * Guilhaume VI de Landorre (Laudun) 1349–1350 or 1349–1349 * Hugues I de la Jugie 1353 ou 1349–1371, later

bishop of Carcassonne The Diocese of Carcassonne and Narbonne (Latin: ''Dioecesis Carcassonensis et Narbonensis''; French: ''Diocèse de Carcassonne et Narbonne'') is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction or diocese of the Catholic Church in France. The diocese c ...

(1371) * Sicard d'Ambres de Lautrec 1371–1383 *

Gui de Malsec Guy de Malsec (Gui de Maillesec; also written Malésec or Malesset; ''Lat.'' Guido de Malesicco; ''It.'' Guidone) (d. 8 March 1412 at Paris) was a French bishop and cardinal. He was born at the family's fief at Malsec (Maillesec), in the diocese ...

1383, promoted to Poitiers *

Simon de Cramaud The cardinal, crowning Charles VII of France; painting by Jules Eugène Lenepveu ">Jules_Eugène_Lenepveu.html" ;"title="Charles VII of France; painting by Jules Eugène Lenepveu">Charles VII of France; painting by Jules Eugène Lenepveu Simon ...

1383–1385, promoted

bishop of Poitiers The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Poitiers (Latin: ''Archidioecesis Pictaviensis''; French: ''Archidiocèse de Poitiers'') is an archdiocese of the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church in France. The archepiscopal see is in the city of Poitiers. Th ...

(1385) * Barthelemy de Montcalve 1384–1402 * Bertrand II de Maumont 1408–1422, later bishop of Tulle (1422) * Hugues II de Combarel 1422–1424, promoted

(1424) * Guilhaume VII de Montjoie 1424–1451 * Louis de Harcourt 13 October 1451 – 10 December 1451, promoted

archbishop of Narbonne The former Catholic diocese of Narbonne existed from early Christian times until the French Revolution. It was an archdiocese, with its see at Narbonne, from the year 445, and its influence ran over much of south-western France and into Cataloni ...

(1451) * Pierre III Bureau 1451–1456 or 1457 * Jean I Bureau 1457–1490 * Pierre IV Javailhac 1490–1503

From 1500

*Antoine Dubois 1504–1537 *Jean II de Lettes 1537–1543, resigned (1543) *Jean III de Narbonne 1543–1545 *François Gouffier 1546–1547 or 12 February–5 December 1547 *

Lorenzo Strozzi Lorenzo Strozzi (December 3, 1513 – December 14, 1571) was an Italian abbot and cardinal. He was the son of Filippo Strozzi, a member of the powerful Strozzi family of Florence, and Clarice de' Medici. Lorenzo Strozzi was born in Florence ...

1547–1561, later

bishop of Albi The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Albi (–Castres–Lavaur) (Latin: ''Archidioecesis Albiensis (–Castrensis–Vauriensis)''; French: ''Archidiocèse d'Albi (–Castres–Lavaur)''), usually referred to simply as the Archdiocese of Albi, is a ...

(1561) * Julien de Medicis 1561–1571 or 1574, later

archbishop of Aix The Archdiocese of Aix-en-Provence and Arles (Latin: ''Archidioecesis Aquensis in Gallia et Arelatensis''; French: ''Archidiocèse d'Aix-en-Provence et Arles''; Occitan Provençal: ''Archidiocèsi de Ais de Provença e Arle'' or ''Archidioucès ...

(1574) *André Etienne 1572 *Thomas I de Bonsi 1573–1596, resigned 1596, died 1603 *

Jean de Bonsi Jean de Bonsi (Florence, 1554 – 4 July 1621) was born in Florence, Italy to ''Domenico Bonsi'', prime minister of the Duke of Tuscany, and ''Costanza Vettori''. Early life and studies He studied in University of Padua canon and civil law. F ...

1596–1611, cardinal in 1611, died 1621 * Dominique de Bonzi (Bonsi) 1615–1621 *Thomas II de Bonsi 1622 or 1621–1628 *Clément de Bonsi 1628–1659 *

Pierre de Bonzi Piero de Bonzi (also ''Pierre''; 15 April 1631 - 11 July 1703) was an Italian-French Roman Catholic cardinal. His last name is also listed as Bonsi. Biography left, Coat of arms of Pierre de Bonzy - Staircase of the palace of the Archbishops of ...

1659–1669, later

bishop of Toulouse The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toulouse (–Saint Bertrand de Comminges–Rieux) ( la, Archidioecesis Tolosana (–Convenarum–Rivensis); French: ''Archidiocèse de Toulouse (–Saint-Bertrand de Comminges–Rieux-Volvestre)''; Occitan: ''A ...

(1669) *Armand Jean de Rotondy de Biscaras 1671–1702 *Louis-Charles des Alris de Rousset 1702–1744 *Léon-Louis-Ange de Ghistelle de Saint-Floris 1744–1745 *Joseph-Bruno de Bausset de Roquefort 1745–1771 *Aymar Claude de Nicolaï 1771–1790, last bishop of Béziers. The diocese was suppressed in 1790. *Dominique Pouderous, (

constitutional bishop During the French Revolution, a constitutional bishop was a Catholic bishop elected from among the clergy who had sworn to uphold the Civil Constitution of the Clergy between 1791 and 1801. History Constitutional bishops were often priests wit ...

of l'Hérault, installed at Béziers) 1791–1799 (died at Béziers 10 April 1799) *Alexandre Victor Rouanet, (constitutional bishop of l'Hérault, installed at Béziers) 1799–1801 (dismissed) From 1802, the constitutional bishops of l'Hérault resided at

. *Jean-Paul-Gaston de Pins 1817–1822David M. Cheney, ''Catholic-Hierarchy:''
''Archbishop Jean-Paul-Gaston de Pins''
Retrieved: 2016-07-17

References

Bibliography

Reference works

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

Studies

*Bellaud Dessalles, Mathilde (1901)
''Les évèques italiens de l'ancien diocèse de Béziers, 1547-1669''
Paris: A. Picard. * * * second edition (in French) * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Beziers, Diocese of Apostolic sees Former Roman Catholic dioceses in France