The former French Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint-Papoul, now a Latin titular see, was created by Pope John XXII in 1317[1] and existed until the Napoleonic Concordat of 1811.
The seat of the diocese was at Saint-Papoul, in south-west France, in the modern department of Aude; it was some distance northeast of the main highway between Carcassonne and Toulouse, where there was already a Benedictine monastery, founded in the eighth century and dedicated to Saint Papoul.[2] The bishop of Saint-Papoul was suffragan of the Archbishop of Toulouse.
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Map of Diocese of Saint-Papoul
In his bull of erection, issued on 22 February 1317, Pope John XXII stated that the population in the diocese of Toulouse was growing at such a pace that the Bishop was no longer able to govern his people effectively; and that therefore, having consulted with the cardinals, he had decided to promote the diocese of Toulouse into an Archbishopric and Metropolitanate, with four new dioceses, one of which was Saint-Papoul.[3]
The Benedictine abbey of Saint-Papoul was converted into the Cathedral, and the monks were organized into a Cathedral Chapter consisting of twelve Canons led by a Prior Major (rather than Dean or Provost, since they remained a monastic community). In 1670 the Chapter was converted into a college of twelve secular Canons, with a Provost and four prebendaries.[4]
The Pope also made the church of Castelnaudary into a Collegiate Church of twelve Canons, with a Dean, a Sacristan, a Precentor; there were also to be three hebdomadary priests, 24 chaplains, two deacons and two subdeacons, as well as six clerics in minor orders.[5]
In 1716, there were approximately 1,000 faithful Catholics in the town of Saint-Papuli, and the diocese contained forty-four parishes.[6] In 1774 there were still approximately 1,000 faithful Catholics, owing temporal obedience to the King of France.[7]
Bernard de la Tour (11 July - death 27 December 1317)[8]
Raymond de Mostuèjouls (1319.04.16 – 1327.12.18)[9]
Guillaume de Cardailhac (1328-1347)
Bernard de Saint-Martial = Bertrand de la Tour: 1348-1361[10]
Pierre de Cros I., Cluny branch of the Benedictine Order (O.S.B) (1362.07.27 – 1370.06.08); later Metropolitan Archbishop of Bourges (France) (8?9 June 1370 – 1374.08.02), Chamberlain of the Holy Roman Church of Reverend Apostolic Camera (1371.06.20 – 1388.11.16), Metropolitan Archbishop of Arles (France) (2 August 1274 – 1388.01), uncanonical Pseudocardinal-Priest of Saints Nereus and Achilleus (1383.12.23 – death 16 November 1388) under AntipopeClement VII[11]
Raymond de Mostuèjouls had previously been Abbot of Saint-Thibéry (Saint Tiberius) and Prior of Saint-Flour, Bishop of Saint-Flour (France) (1317.07.31 – 1319.04.16); created Cardinal-Priest of S. Eusebio (18 December 1327 – death 15 October 1335), Protopriest of Sacred College of Cardinals (1334.12 – 1335.11.12). On the death of Bishop Bernard de la Tour, the Cathedral Chapter elected a fellow monk, Arnaldus Amelii, who was eleemosynary. He gave way, however, to Raymond de Miméges, named after his birth place Mostuèjouls, in Saint-Rome de Tarn in the diocese of Rodez. Bishop Raymond was transferred to Saint-Papoul on 16 April 1319. Gallia christiana XIII, pp. 301-303. Eubel, I, pp. 16, 251 and 390.
previously Bishop of Tulle (France) (1344.10.01 – 1347.02.19); later Bishop of Le Puy-en-Velay (France) (1361.12.18 – death ?9 August 1361 ?1382.05.14). Gallia christiana XIII, p. 303.
Pierre was born in the parish of St.-Exuperius (Saint-Supery-les-roches) in the diocese of Limoges. He became a Benedictine monk in the monastery of Saint-Martial in Limoges, Prior of Volta, in what became the diocese of St.-Flour, and then Abbot of Tournus (1351-1361). Note that the Cathedral Chapter of Saint-Papoul was composed of twelve Benedictine monks. His bulls appointing Bishop of Saint-Papoul were issued on 27 July 1362. He accompanied Pope Gregory XI on his trip to Italy (1376-1378). Étienne Baluze (1693). Vitae Paparum Avenionensium (in Latin). Vol.Tomus primus. Franciscum Muguet. pp.1301–1309. Gallia christiana XIII, pp. 303-304. Eubel, I, pp. 27, 45, 103, 139, 390.
Bernard was a member of a noble family from Chateauneuf in the diocese of Agde, and was related to Pope Urban V. He was the abbot of Aniane in Hérault (Abbaye Saint-Sauveur d'Aniane). It should be remembered that the Cathedral Chapter of Saint-Papoul was composed of twelve Benedictine monks. It is hardly surprising to find a Benedictine elected Bishop. He died on 7 March 1375, and was buried in the monastery of S. Germain in Montpellier. Baluze, I, p. 1054. Gallia christiana XIII, p. 304.
This Pierre de Cros, a different person from Bishop Pierre de Cros (1362–1370). This Pierre, claimed as a brother of the other Pierre de Cros, had been Chamberlain of the Cathedral Chapter of Saint-Papoul, and then Abbot of Tournus. It should be remembered that the Cathedral Chapter of Saint-Papoul was composed of twelve Benedictine monks. He died in 1412 and was buried in the Cathedral of Saint-Papoul. Pierre-François Chifflet (1664). Histoire de l'abbaye royale et de la ville de Tournus (in French). Dijon: P. Chavance. pp.ccxix–ccxx.
Rochetaille was Latin Patriarch of Constantinople, holding the diocese of Saint-Papoul as Administrator. He was appointed on 13 July 1412 by Pope John XXIII, and was transferred to the diocese of Geneva as Administrator on 23 September 1418 by Pope Martin V. Eubel, I, pp. 261, with note 6, and p. 390. He became Bishop of Paris in 1422.
Mairose was a Doctor of Canon Law. He was appointed Bishop of Saint-Papoul by Pope Martin V on 25 July 1423. He was transferred to the diocese of Castres on 14 January 1426. He was created a Cardinal by Pope Martin V on 24 May 1426, and assigned the titular church of Santa Prassede. He died on 22 October 1427. Eubel, I, p. 34, 173, 390.
Jean de Montpezat was born in the diocese of Comminges, and was a Doctor of Canon Law (Paris). He was nominated Bishop of Saint-Papoul by Louis XIV on 15 June 1657, and approved by Pope Alexander VII on 3 June 1658. He was transferred to the archdiocese of Bourges on 28 September 1664. Gauchat, IV, p. 274, with note 6.
Joseph de Montpezat, Doctor in utroque iure (Civil and Canon Law), was nominated by Louis XIV on 20 December 1664, and approved by Pope Alexander VII on 28 September 1665. He was transferred to Toulouse on 6 May 1675. Gauchat, IV, p. 274, with note 7. Ritzler, V, p. 378, with note 4.
Born in Paris, Ségur was the son of Henri-Joseph, Marquis de Ségur. It is said that he knew neither Latin nor theology. He had been Vicar-General of Saint-Albin at Laon. Jean, p. 400. Ritzler, V, p. 306 with note 4.
Bishop Berger was a Doctor of theology (Paris, 1719). He was Archdeacon and Vicar-General of Meaux for fifteen years. He was nominated by King Louis XV on 8 April 1735, and approved by Pope Clement XII on 27 June 1735. He was transferred to Montpellier on 3 September 1738. Jean, p. 400. Ritzler, VI, p. 328, with note 2.
A native of Rennes, Langle was a Doctor of theology. He had been abbot of Blanche-Couronne (diocese of Nantes), and then Dean of the Cathedral Chapter of Nantes. Jean, p. 400. Ritzler, VI, p. 328, with note 3.
Bishop Abzac was born in the Château de Mayac diocese of Périgueux, and was a Doctor of theology (Toulouse). He had been Dean of the Cathedral Chapter of Tours, and Vicar-General of the diocese. He was nominated by King Louis XVI on 8 July 1774, and approved by Pope Pius VI on 3 April 1775. After his diocese was suppressed in 1791, he lived quietly in Paris until the Terror, when he moved to Passy. On Christmas Eve 1798 he was denounced by Reubell and sent to the Island of Ré, to be deported. He returned to Paris in February 1800. He died on 23 January 1784. Jean, pp. 400-401. Ritzler, VI, p. 328, with note 4.
De Maillé held the licenciate in Civil Law and Canon Law (Paris). He was Vicar-General of Dol for 9 years, when he became Bishop of Gap in 1778. He was transferred from the diocese of Gap on 21 February 1784. The diocese of Saint-Papoul was swept away by the Concordat of 1801. De Maillé resigned and was appointed Bishop of Rennes on 24 April 1802. He died in Paris on 24 November 1804, thereby missing the coronation of the Emperor Napoleon I by a week. Jean, p. 401. Ritzler, VI, p. 328, with note 5; p. 431 with note 7.
Sainte-Marthe, Denis de (1785). Gallia christiana, in provincias ecclesiasticas distributa (in Latin). Vol.Tomus tertius decimus (13). Paris: excudebat Johannes- Baptista Coignard, regis & Academiae Gallicae Architypographus. pp.299–318, Instrumenta, pp. 247–262.
Studies
Blanc, Jean (1982). L'abbaye de Saint-Papoul (Carcassonne 1982) 28pp.
Douaie, Célestin (1880). "État du diocèse de Saint-Papoul et sénéchaussée du Lauragais en 1573". Mémoires de l'Académie des sciences, inscriptions, et belles-lettres de Toulouse. Série 9, Tome 2 (1890), pp.473–489.
Du Bourg, Henry (1914). "La saisie du temporal ecclésiastique du diocese de Saint-Papoul en 1582," Revue des questions historiques 96 [n.s. 52] (1914), pp.69–81.
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