Diocese of Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne
Encyclopedia
The French Catholic diocese of Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne has since 1966 been formally united with the archdiocese of Chambéry. While it has not been suppressed, and is supposed to be on a par with Chambéry and the diocese of Tarentaise, it no longer has a separate bishop or existence.
and Suse (Susa Valley
, or Val de Suse), and in 576 founded near the shrine a bishopric, detached from Turin
, as suffragan of Vienne
. Its first bishop was Felmasius. In 599 Gregory the Great made futile attempts to make Queen Brunehaut listen to the protests of the Bishop of Turin against this foundation.
Pope Leo III
made Darantasia a metropolis with three suffragans, Aosta
, Sion
(=Sitten), and Maurienne, but maintained the primacy of Vienne
. A letter written by John VIII
in 878 formally designated the Bishop of Maurienne as suffragan of Tarentaise
, but for four centuries this primacy was the cause of conflicts between the archbishops of Tarentaise and the metropolitans of Vienna who continued to claim Maurienne as a suffragan see; subsequently under Callistus II (1120) Maurienne was again attached to the metropolis of Vienne.
Local tradition claims as early bishops of Maurienne: Saint Emilianus
, martyred by the Saracens (736 or 738); St. Odilard, slain by the Saracens (916) together with St. Benedict, Archbishop of Embrun.
After the Saracens had been driven out, the temporal sovereignty of the Bishop of Maurienne appears to have been very extensive, but there is no proof that such sovereignty had been recognized since Gontran's time. At the death of Rudolph III, Bishop Thibaut was powerful enough to join a league against Conrad II of Franconia. The emperor suppressed the See of Maurienne, and gave over its title and possessions to the Bishop of Turin (1038); but this imperial decree was never executed.
Among the later bishops of Maurienne were: St. Ayroldus (1132–46), once a monk of the Charterhouse of Portes
; Louis de La Palud (1441–50), who as Bishop of Lausanne had taken an active part at the Council of Basle in favour of the antipope Felix V
, who named him Bishop of Maurienne in 1441 and afterwards cardinal, confirmed in both appointments by Nicholas V in 1449; John of Segovia (1451–72), who at the Council of Basle as representative of the King of Aragon had also worked for pope Felix V, was appointed by him cardinal in 1441, and whom pope Nicholas V
gave ten years later the see of Maurienne; he is the author of "Gesta Concilii Basileensis"; William d'Estouteville (1473–80), who was made cardinal in 1439 and as a pluralist held among other titles those of Maurienne and Rouen; Louis de Gorrevod (1499–1550) was made cardinal in 1530; Hippolyte d'Este (1560), made cardinal in 1538, acted as legate
of Pius IV to the Council of Poissy, and built the famous Villa d'Este
at Tivoli near Rome; Charles Joseph Fillipa de Martiniana (1757–79), made cardinal in 1778, was the first to whom Bonaparte, after the battle of Marengo, confided his intention of concluding a concordat with Rome; Alexis Billiet (1825–40), made cardinal in 1861. Emmanuel Philibert, Duke of Savoy, took solemn possession of a canonry in the cathedral of Maurienne in 1564.
Among the saints specially honoured in, or connected with, the diocese are: Saint Aper
(Saint Avre), a priest who founded a refuge for pilgrims and the poor in the Village of St. Avre (seventh century); Blessed Thomas, b. at Maurienne, d. in 720, famous for rebuilding the Abbey of Farfa
, of which the third abbot, Lucerius
, was also a native of Maurienne; St. Marinus, monk of Chandor
, martyred by the Saracens (eighth century); St. Landry, pastor of Lanslevillard
(eleventh century), drowned in the Arc during one of his apostolic journeys; St. Bénézet, or Benoit de Pont (1165–84), b. at Hermillon in the diocese, and founder of the guild of Fratres Pontifices of Avignon; Blessed Cabert or Gabert, disciple of St. Dominic, who preached the Gospel for twenty years in the vicinity of AiguebelIe (thirteenth century).
The chief shrines of the diocese were: Notre Dame de Charmaise, near Modane
, Notre Dame de Bonne Nouvelle, near St-Jean-de-Maurienne, which dates from the sixteenth century, and Notre Dame de Beaurevers at Montaimon, dating from the seventeenth century.
The Sisters of St. Joseph
, a nursing and teaching order, with mother-house at St-Jean-de-Maurienne, are a branch of the Congregation of St. Joseph at Puy
. At the end of the nineteenth century, they were in charge of 8 day nurseries and 2 hospitals. In Algeria, the East Indies, and the Argentine houses were fouded, controlled by the motherhouse at Maurienne.
Bishops
Saint Gregory of Tours's "De Gloria Martyrum" relates how the church of Maurienne, belonging then to the Diocese of Turin, became a place of pilgrimage, after the holy woman Thigris or Thecla, a native of Valloires, had brought to it from the East a finger of St. John the Baptist. Saint Guntram, King of Burgundy, took from the Lombards in 574 the valleys of MaurienneMaurienne
Maurienne is one of the provinces of Savoy, corresponding to the arrondissement of Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne in France. It is also the original name of the capital of the province, now Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne.-Location:...
and Suse (Susa Valley
Susa Valley
The Susa Valley is a valley in the Piedmont region of northern Italy, located between the Graian Alps in the north and the Cottian Alps in the south. It is the longest valley in Italy. It extends over in an east-west direction from the French border to the outskirts of Turin. The valley takes its...
, or Val de Suse), and in 576 founded near the shrine a bishopric, detached from Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
, as suffragan of Vienne
Vienne
Vienne is the northernmost département of the Poitou-Charentes region of France, named after the river Vienne.- Viennese history :Vienne is one of the original 83 departments, established on March 4, 1790 during the French Revolution. It was created from parts of the former provinces of Poitou,...
. Its first bishop was Felmasius. In 599 Gregory the Great made futile attempts to make Queen Brunehaut listen to the protests of the Bishop of Turin against this foundation.
Pope Leo III
Pope Leo III
Pope Saint Leo III was Pope from 795 to his death in 816. Protected by Charlemagne from his enemies in Rome, he subsequently strengthened Charlemagne's position by crowning him as Roman Emperor....
made Darantasia a metropolis with three suffragans, Aosta
Aosta
Aosta is the principal city of the bilingual Aosta Valley in the Italian Alps, north-northwest of Turin. It is situated near the Italian entrance of the Mont Blanc Tunnel, at the confluence of the Buthier and the Dora Baltea, and at the junction of the Great and Little St. Bernard routes...
, Sion
Sion, Switzerland
Sion is the capital of the Swiss canton of Valais. it had a population of .Landmarks include the Basilique de Valère and Château de Tourbillon. Sion has an airfield for civilian and military use, which, because of its location in a valley, causes a reasonable amount of noise pollution. FC Sion...
(=Sitten), and Maurienne, but maintained the primacy of Vienne
Vienne
Vienne is the northernmost département of the Poitou-Charentes region of France, named after the river Vienne.- Viennese history :Vienne is one of the original 83 departments, established on March 4, 1790 during the French Revolution. It was created from parts of the former provinces of Poitou,...
. A letter written by John VIII
Pope John VIII
Pope John VIII was pope from December 13, 872 to December 16, 882. He is often considered one of the ablest pontiffs of the ninth century and the last bright spot on the papacy until Leo IX two centuries later....
in 878 formally designated the Bishop of Maurienne as suffragan of Tarentaise
Tarentaise
Tarentaise can refer to the following:Places* Moûtiers, historically known as Tarentaise, in Savoy* Tarentaise Valley* Tarentaise, LoirePeople* Peter of TarentaiseOther*Tarentaise cattle...
, but for four centuries this primacy was the cause of conflicts between the archbishops of Tarentaise and the metropolitans of Vienna who continued to claim Maurienne as a suffragan see; subsequently under Callistus II (1120) Maurienne was again attached to the metropolis of Vienne.
Local tradition claims as early bishops of Maurienne: Saint Emilianus
Emilianus
]Saint Aemilian is an Iberic saint, widely revered throughout Spain, who lived during the age of Visigothic rule.-Life:...
, martyred by the Saracens (736 or 738); St. Odilard, slain by the Saracens (916) together with St. Benedict, Archbishop of Embrun.
After the Saracens had been driven out, the temporal sovereignty of the Bishop of Maurienne appears to have been very extensive, but there is no proof that such sovereignty had been recognized since Gontran's time. At the death of Rudolph III, Bishop Thibaut was powerful enough to join a league against Conrad II of Franconia. The emperor suppressed the See of Maurienne, and gave over its title and possessions to the Bishop of Turin (1038); but this imperial decree was never executed.
Among the later bishops of Maurienne were: St. Ayroldus (1132–46), once a monk of the Charterhouse of Portes
Portes
-In France:*Portes, Eure, in the Eure département*Portes, Gard, in the Gard département*Portes-en-Valdaine, in the Drôme département*Portes-lès-Valence, in the Drôme département*Les Portes-en-Ré, in the Charente-Maritime département...
; Louis de La Palud (1441–50), who as Bishop of Lausanne had taken an active part at the Council of Basle in favour of the antipope Felix V
Antipope Felix V
-External links:*...
, who named him Bishop of Maurienne in 1441 and afterwards cardinal, confirmed in both appointments by Nicholas V in 1449; John of Segovia (1451–72), who at the Council of Basle as representative of the King of Aragon had also worked for pope Felix V, was appointed by him cardinal in 1441, and whom pope Nicholas V
Pope Nicholas V
Pope Nicholas V , born Tommaso Parentucelli, was Pope from March 6, 1447 to his death in 1455.-Biography:He was born at Sarzana, Liguria, where his father was a physician...
gave ten years later the see of Maurienne; he is the author of "Gesta Concilii Basileensis"; William d'Estouteville (1473–80), who was made cardinal in 1439 and as a pluralist held among other titles those of Maurienne and Rouen; Louis de Gorrevod (1499–1550) was made cardinal in 1530; Hippolyte d'Este (1560), made cardinal in 1538, acted as legate
Papal legate
A papal legate – from the Latin, authentic Roman title Legatus – is a personal representative of the pope to foreign nations, or to some part of the Catholic Church. He is empowered on matters of Catholic Faith and for the settlement of ecclesiastical matters....
of Pius IV to the Council of Poissy, and built the famous Villa d'Este
Villa d'Este
The Villa d'Este is a villa situated at Tivoli, near Rome, Italy. Listed as a UNESCO world heritage site, it is a fine example of Renaissance architecture and the Italian Renaissance garden.-History:...
at Tivoli near Rome; Charles Joseph Fillipa de Martiniana (1757–79), made cardinal in 1778, was the first to whom Bonaparte, after the battle of Marengo, confided his intention of concluding a concordat with Rome; Alexis Billiet (1825–40), made cardinal in 1861. Emmanuel Philibert, Duke of Savoy, took solemn possession of a canonry in the cathedral of Maurienne in 1564.
Among the saints specially honoured in, or connected with, the diocese are: Saint Aper
Aprus of Sens
Saint Aprus was a 7th century French priest and hermit. He is the namesake of Saint-Avre. A native of Sens, he was a hermit near La Chambre and Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne...
(Saint Avre), a priest who founded a refuge for pilgrims and the poor in the Village of St. Avre (seventh century); Blessed Thomas, b. at Maurienne, d. in 720, famous for rebuilding the Abbey of Farfa
Abbey of Farfa
Farfa Abbey is a territorial abbey in northern Lazio, central Italy. It is one of the most famous abbeys of Europe. It belongs to the Benedictine Order and is located about 60 km from Rome, in the commune of Fara Sabina, not far from the Fara Sabina railway station.-History:A legend in the...
, of which the third abbot, Lucerius
Lucerius
Lucerius was the third Abbot of Farfa, succeeding Aunepert in 724 at the latest. He was originally from Provence and had been raised at Farfa by Thomas of Maurienne, the first abbot. Lucerius' abbacy was a period of growth and expansion on the part of the abbey. In his first year he received a...
, was also a native of Maurienne; St. Marinus, monk of Chandor
Chandor
Chandor is a village in South Goa district, Goa, India, on the banks of the river Kushavati, 10 km east from Margao.-History:...
, martyred by the Saracens (eighth century); St. Landry, pastor of Lanslevillard
Lanslevillard
Lanslevillard is a commune in the Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.-References:*...
(eleventh century), drowned in the Arc during one of his apostolic journeys; St. Bénézet, or Benoit de Pont (1165–84), b. at Hermillon in the diocese, and founder of the guild of Fratres Pontifices of Avignon; Blessed Cabert or Gabert, disciple of St. Dominic, who preached the Gospel for twenty years in the vicinity of AiguebelIe (thirteenth century).
The chief shrines of the diocese were: Notre Dame de Charmaise, near Modane
Modane
Modane is a commune in the Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in southeastern France.It was part of the Kingdom of Sardinia until 1860.-Transportation:...
, Notre Dame de Bonne Nouvelle, near St-Jean-de-Maurienne, which dates from the sixteenth century, and Notre Dame de Beaurevers at Montaimon, dating from the seventeenth century.
The Sisters of St. Joseph
Sisters of St. Joseph
The title Sisters of St. Joseph applies to several Roman Catholic religious congregations of women. The largest and oldest of these was founded in Le Puy-en-Velay, France...
, a nursing and teaching order, with mother-house at St-Jean-de-Maurienne, are a branch of the Congregation of St. Joseph at Puy
Puy
Puy is a geological term used locally in the Auvergne, France for a volcanic hill. The word derives from the Provencal puech, meaning an isolated hill, coming from Latin podium, which has given also puig in Catalan and poggio in Italian....
. At the end of the nineteenth century, they were in charge of 8 day nurseries and 2 hospitals. In Algeria, the East Indies, and the Argentine houses were fouded, controlled by the motherhouse at Maurienne.
- 579: Saint Felmase
- 581–602: Saint Æconius (Hiconius)
- 650: Leporius
- 725: Walchinus
- c.736 to 738: Saint Emilianus
- 773: Vitgarius
- 837: Mainard
- 855: Joseph
- 858: Abbo
- 876: Adalbert
- 899: Wilhelm I.
- c.915 Benedict
- 916–926: Saint Odilard or Edolard
- 994–1025: Evrard
- c.1032–1060: Thibaud
- 1060–1073: Brochard
- 1075–1081: Artaud
- 1081–1116: Conon
- 1116–1124: Amédée de Faucigny
- 1124–1132: Conon II.
- 1132–1134: Saint Airald, Ayrald I. or Ayrold
- 1134–1146: Ayrald II.
- 1146–1158: Bernard I.
- 1158: Ayrald III.
- 1162–1176: Guillaume II.
- 1177: Peter
- 1177–1198: Lambert
- 1198–1200: Allevard
- 1200–1211: Bernard II.
- 1215 Amadeus of Genf
- 1215–1221 Ean
- 1221–1236 Aimar de Bernin
- 1236–1256: Amadeus of Savoyen († 1268), son of Thomas I of SavoyThomas I of SavoyThomas I or Tommaso I was Count of Savoy from 1189-1233. He was the son of Humbert III of Savoy and Beatrice of Viennois. His birth was seen as miraculous; his monkish father had despaired of having a male heir after three wives. Count Humbert sought counsel from St...
- 1256–1261: Pierre de Morestel
- 1261–1269: Anselm I. de Clermont († 1269)
- 1269–1273: Pierre de Guelis
- 1273–1301: Aymon I. de Miolans
- 1302: Ayrald IV.
- 1302–1308: Amblard d’Entremont (de Beaumont)
- 1308–1334: Aymon II. de Miolans d’Hurtières
- 1335–1349: Anselme II. de Clermont († 1349)
- 1349–1376: Amadeus of Savoyen-Achaia (also Bishop of Maurienne and Lausanne)
- 1376–1380: Jean Malabaila
- 1380–1385: Henry de Severy
- 1385–1410: Savin de Floran
- 1410–1422: Amédée de Montmayeur
- 1422–1432: Aimon Gerbais
- 1433–1441: Oger Moriset
- 1441–1451: Cardinal Louis de La Pallud de Varembon
- 1451–1452: Cardinal Juan de Segovia
- 1452–1483: Cardinal Guillaume d'Estouteville (also Bishop of Angers, Lodève, Ostia, Porto and Archbishop of Rouen)
- 1483–1499: Etienne de Morel (also Abbot of Ambronay (BresseBresseBresse is a former French province. It is located in the regions of Rhône-Alpes, Bourgogne, and Franche-Comté of eastern France. The geographical term Bresse has two meanings: Bresse bourguignonne , which is situated in the east of the department of Saône-et-Loire, and Bresse, which is located...
)) - 1499–1532: Cardinal Louis II. de Gorrevod de Challand
- 1532–1544: Louis III. de Gorrevord
- 1544–1559: Cardinal Jérôme Recanati Capodiferro or Testaferrata (also Bishop of Nizza)
- 1560–1563: Brandolesius de Trottis
- 1563–1567: Cardinal Ippolito II d'EsteIppolito II d'EsteIppolito d'Este was an Italian cardinal and statesman. He was a member of the House of Este, and nephew of the other Ippolito d'Este, also a cardinal.-Biography:...
- 1567–1591: Pierre de Lambert
- 1591–1618: Philibert Milliet de Faverges
- 1618–1636: Charles Bobba
- 1640–1656: Paul Milliet de Challes
- 1656–1686: Hercule Berzzeti
- 1686–1736/41: François-Hyacinthe Valpergue de Masin
- 1741–1756: Ignace-Dominique Grisella de Rosignan
- 1756–1778: Cardinal Charles-Joseph Filippa
- 1780–1793: Charles-Joseph Compans de Brichanteau
- 1802–1805: René des Monstiers de Mérinville (also Bishop of Chambéry and Genf)
- 1805–1823: Irénée-Yves De Solle (also Bishop of Chambéry and Genf)
- 1825–1840: Cardinal Alexis Billiet (also Archbishop of Chambéry)
- 1840–1876: François-Marie Vibet
- 1876–1906: Michel Rosset
- 1906–1924: Adrien Alexis Fodéré
- 1924–1946: Auguste Grumel
- 1946–1954: Frédéric Duc
- 1954–1956: Louis Ferrand (also coadjutor archbishop of Tours)
- 1956–1960: Joël-André-Jean-Marie Bellec (also Bishop of Perpignan-Elne)
- 1961–1966: André Georges Bontemps (also Archbishop of Chambéry)