Simon Vigor
Encyclopedia
Simon Vigor was a French Catholic bishop and controversialist.
. In 1545 he became a doctor of theology and was appointed penitentiary of Evreux. Thenceforth he devoted himself to pastoral and controversial preaching, with great success.
He was called upon to speak at Rouen, Paris, Metz, and elsewhere. When conferences took place at Saint-Germain
near Paris (1562) between the Catholics and the Calvinists, defended by Theodore Beza
and others, Vigor was one of those chosen to defend the Catholic cause in the name of the Sorbonne
. In 1563 he was among the twelve theologians representing the Sorbonne at the Council of Trent
, where he took part in the discussions on clandestine marriages and indulgence
s. He was instrumental in cementing amicable relations between Cardinal Hosius of Warsaw, papal legate
to the council, and Francisco Torres (Turrianus), and won the confidence of Cardinal de Lorraine whom he accompanied on his visit (February 1563) to the Emperor Ferdinand I at Innsbruck
.
On his return to France, Vigor became pastor of the Church of St. Paul-de-Paris, the royal parish, theologian of the chapter of Notre-Dame de Paris, and court preacher. He preached against the Protestants with an ardour which drew on him for some of his propositions (March, 1564) if not the censure, at least the displeasure, of the Sorbonne. He converted several of them, among others Pierre Pithou
.
After preaching at Lent
at Amiens
, he stated that at his arrival he had found there more than 800 heretics and at his departure there remained only forty. In 1566 he held, together with Claude de Sainctes
, against the Calvinist ministers Jean de l'Epine and Sureau de Rosier, a conference of which the acts were printed (Paris, 1582). According to Génébrard the defeat of the ministers was so overwhelming that the subsequent Calvinist synod forbade conferences to be held thenceforth with Catholics.
These successes had made Vigor famous when in 1572 Pope Gregory XIII
raised him to the See of Narbonne. After his consecration he went to his diocese, long without a resident bishop. He never returned to Paris or to his home, being wholly engaged in converting the Protestants of his own and the neighbouring dioceses, in which work death overtook him.
After his death the Bishop of Rennes in a letter to Gregory XIII called him the Athanasius or Hilary of his time, and Duval praised him as a model of learning and piety, a pillar of the Roman Church.
Life
Son of Raynaud Vigor, a court physician, he went to Paris about 1520, where his studies included Greek, Hebrew, and Latin; later he devoted himself to theology. Admitted to the College of Navarre in 1540, in the same year he became rector of the University of ParisUniversity of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
. In 1545 he became a doctor of theology and was appointed penitentiary of Evreux. Thenceforth he devoted himself to pastoral and controversial preaching, with great success.
He was called upon to speak at Rouen, Paris, Metz, and elsewhere. When conferences took place at Saint-Germain
Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye
The Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye is a royal palace in the commune of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, in the département of Yvelines, about 19 km west of Paris, France. Today, it houses the Musée d'Archéologie Nationale ....
near Paris (1562) between the Catholics and the Calvinists, defended by Theodore Beza
Theodore Beza
Theodore Beza was a French Protestant Christian theologian and scholar who played an important role in the Reformation...
and others, Vigor was one of those chosen to defend the Catholic cause in the name of the Sorbonne
Sorbonne
The Sorbonne is an edifice of the Latin Quarter, in Paris, France, which has been the historical house of the former University of Paris...
. In 1563 he was among the twelve theologians representing the Sorbonne at the Council of Trent
Council of Trent
The Council of Trent was the 16th-century Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church. It is considered to be one of the Church's most important councils. It convened in Trent between December 13, 1545, and December 4, 1563 in twenty-five sessions for three periods...
, where he took part in the discussions on clandestine marriages and indulgence
Indulgence
In Catholic theology, an indulgence is the full or partial remission of temporal punishment due for sins which have already been forgiven. The indulgence is granted by the Catholic Church after the sinner has confessed and received absolution...
s. He was instrumental in cementing amicable relations between Cardinal Hosius of Warsaw, papal 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....
to the council, and Francisco Torres (Turrianus), and won the confidence of Cardinal de Lorraine whom he accompanied on his visit (February 1563) to the Emperor Ferdinand I at Innsbruck
Innsbruck
- Main sights :- Buildings :*Golden Roof*Kaiserliche Hofburg *Hofkirche with the cenotaph of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor*Altes Landhaus...
.
On his return to France, Vigor became pastor of the Church of St. Paul-de-Paris, the royal parish, theologian of the chapter of Notre-Dame de Paris, and court preacher. He preached against the Protestants with an ardour which drew on him for some of his propositions (March, 1564) if not the censure, at least the displeasure, of the Sorbonne. He converted several of them, among others Pierre Pithou
Pierre Pithou
Pierre Pithou was a French lawyer and scholar. He is also known as Petrus Pithoeus.He was born at Troyes. From childhood he loved literature, and his father Pierre encouraged this interest. Young Pithou was called to the Paris bar in 1560...
.
After preaching at Lent
Lent
In the Christian tradition, Lent is the period of the liturgical year from Ash Wednesday to Easter. The traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer – through prayer, repentance, almsgiving and self-denial – for the annual commemoration during Holy Week of the Death and...
at Amiens
Amiens
Amiens is a city and commune in northern France, north of Paris and south-west of Lille. It is the capital of the Somme department in Picardy...
, he stated that at his arrival he had found there more than 800 heretics and at his departure there remained only forty. In 1566 he held, together with Claude de Sainctes
Claude de Sainctes
Claude de Sainctes was a French Catholic controversialist.At the age of fifteen he joined the Canons Regular of Saint-Cheron, and was sent to the College of Navarre in Paris, where he received the degree of Doctor of Theology...
, against the Calvinist ministers Jean de l'Epine and Sureau de Rosier, a conference of which the acts were printed (Paris, 1582). According to Génébrard the defeat of the ministers was so overwhelming that the subsequent Calvinist synod forbade conferences to be held thenceforth with Catholics.
These successes had made Vigor famous when in 1572 Pope Gregory XIII
Pope Gregory XIII
Pope Gregory XIII , born Ugo Boncompagni, was Pope from 1572 to 1585. He is best known for commissioning and being the namesake for the Gregorian calendar, which remains the internationally-accepted civil calendar to this date.-Youth:He was born the son of Cristoforo Boncompagni and wife Angela...
raised him to the See of Narbonne. After his consecration he went to his diocese, long without a resident bishop. He never returned to Paris or to his home, being wholly engaged in converting the Protestants of his own and the neighbouring dioceses, in which work death overtook him.
After his death the Bishop of Rennes in a letter to Gregory XIII called him the Athanasius or Hilary of his time, and Duval praised him as a model of learning and piety, a pillar of the Roman Church.