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 Mass is an intrinsic property of a body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the quantity of matter in a physical body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physics. It was found that different atoms and different elementar ...

, which dates from the mid fourteenth century, started to be used regularly.

Death

Bishop Jean des Prés' last days were described by

Gilles Li Muisis Gilles Li Muisis (or Le Muiset) (c. 1272 – 15 October 1352) was a French chronicler and poet. Li Muisis was probably born at Tournai, and in 1289 entered the Benedictine abbey of St Martin in his native city, becoming prior of this house in 13 ...

. Li Muisis states that the Bishop often traveled in search of healthy air. On 11 June 1349, Jean des Prés was at

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 ...

where he performed divine service celebrating the feast of Corpus Christi. It was a hot day, and as part of the service he carried a heavy vessel in which the

Sacrament A sacrament is a Christianity, Christian Rite (Christianity), rite that is recognized as being particularly important and significant. There are various views on the existence and meaning of such rites. Many Christians consider the sacraments ...

was held. However, Li Muisis observed, at dinner that evening the bishop appeared fit and in good spirits. The next day, while traveling to Le Cateau-Cambrésis, the bishop informed his companions that he was not feeling well. They reached the town, and the following morning, Saturday 13 June, Jean des Prés heard mass and prepared to depart, but then returned to bed, where he died of the

black death The Black Death (also known as the Pestilence, the Great Mortality or the Plague) was a bubonic plague pandemic occurring in Western Eurasia and North Africa from 1346 to 1353. It is the most fatal pandemic recorded in human history, causi ...

. His companions took his body back to Tournai where he was buried on 18 June.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jean Iv. des Pres 1349 deaths Bishops of Tournai 14th-century deaths from plague (disease) Year of birth unknown