Ancient Diocese of Uzès

The Ancient Diocese of Uzès is a former Roman Catholic diocese in France. From the arrival of Christianity in the 5th century until the French Revolution the southern French city of Uzès was the seat of a bishop, a competitor to the local lords.

History

The first historically verified Bishop of Uzès was Constantius, who was present at the Council of Vaison in 442. Other notable bishops were the fourth, Saint Firminus (541-53), who is locally venerated as Saint Firmin and whose relics remain in Uzès Cathedral (dedicated to Saint Theodoritus (Saint Théodorit), martyr, and patron saint of the town), and who was venerated as a patron saint against plague, and Saint Ferreol (553-81).

As the power of territorial magnates dispersed, the bishops obtained the right to strike coinage, a sure sign of their secular power, and the seigneurial right to dispense justice. In the 13th century, at the height of the see's power, the bishop was able to purchase a part of the signory of Uzès. Guillaume de Grimoard du Roure officiated as bishop of Uzès before becoming Pope Urban V.

Like many cloth-manufacturing centers (Uzès manufactures serge), the city and the surrounding countryside were strongly Protestant during the Wars of Religion in the 16th century, which wreaked havoc in the Languedoc regions, and Bishop Jean de Saint Gelais (1531–60) became a Calvinist. Many of the city's churches were burned by Huguenots and only two remain.

The celebrated missionary Bridaine, (1701–67), was a native of the diocese of Uzès. For seventy days the little city was the fortified residence of Cardinal Pacca, after his confinement at Fenestrelles (1812). The town of Pont Saint Esprit, on the Rhône, owes its names to a bridge built there between 1265 and 1309 with the proceeds of a general collection made by the monks.

After the bishopric of Nîmes was re-established as a separate diocese in 1821, a Papal Brief of 27 April 1877, granted to its bishop the right to add Alais and Uzès to their bishopric, with the two dioceses being combined with that of Nîmes.

Bishops

Bishops of Uzès
Year Name
419–462 Constantinus (Constance, Constantine)
506 Probatius (Probatien, Probace)
533–538 Roricius (Rorice)
538–553 Saint Firmin
553–581 Saint Ferréol of Uzès
581 Albinus (Albin)
581 Jovinus (Jovin)
581 Marcellus (Marcel)
659 Aurelien (Aurele)
661 Mummolus (Mummole)
773 Sigibert (Sigepert, Sigisbert)
791 Arimundus (Arimond)
823–835 Amelius I.
842 Éliphas (Éléphant, Alphant, Alphonse)
858–879 Walafrid (Wilfrid, Wilfred)
885 Asaël
886–915 Amelius II.
945 Rostaing
994–1030 Heribald (Aribald, Arbaud)
1030–1080 Hugues (Hugo)
1096–1138 Raymond I.
1139–1150 Ébrard I. (Éverard)
1150–1188 Raymond II. de Posquières
1188–1190 Bertrand I.
1190–1204 Guillaume I. de Vénéjan
1204–1208 Ébrard II.
1208–1212 Raymond III. (Rainon, Raynier)
1212–1227 Raymond IV named de Mas d'André (Mansus Andreae)
1228–1239 Berlio (Berlion, Berlionc)
1240–1249 Pons de Becmil
1249–1285 Bertrand II. Armand
1285–1307 Guillaume II. des Gardies
1315–1318 André de Frédol
1318–1344 Guillaume III. de Mandagout
1344–1346 Élias (Hélias de Saint-Yrieix)
1357–1365 Pierre I. d'Aigrefeuille
1365–1366 Pierre II. (Gérard de la Rovère)
1366–1371 Bompar (Bonuspar)
1371–1374 Bernard de Saint-Étienne
1375–1398 Martial
1400–1405 Pierre III. de Beaublé (Belbladi)
1405–1426 Géraud de Breuil (Guiraud de Broglio)
1427 Pierre IV. Soybert
1427–1441 Bertrand III. de Cadoène
1441–1442 Guillaume IV. de Champeaux
1442–1445 Alain de Coëtivy
1445–1446 Guillaume V. Soybert
1446–1448 Olivier du Châtel (Oliverius de Castro)
1448–1463 Gabriel du Châtel
1463–1483 Jean I. de Mareuil (de Marolio)
1483–1503 Nicolas I. Malgras (Maugras, Malgrassi)
1503–1531 Jacques I. de Saint-Gelais
1531–1570 Jean II. de Saint-Gelais
1570–1591 Robert de Girard
1591–1601 François I. Rousset
1601–1624 Louis de Vigne
1621–1633 Paul-Antoine de Fay de Peraut
1633–1660 Nicolas de Grillié (de Grillet)
1660–1674 Jacques II. Adhémar de Monteil de Grignan
1674–1677 Michel I. Phélypeaux de la Vrillière
1677–1728 Michel II. Poncet de la Rivière
1728–1736 François II. de Lastic de Saint-Jal
1737–1779 Bonaventure Baüyn
1779–1792 Henri Benoît Jules de Béthizy de Mézières

Source and external links

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