Archbishopric of Besançon
Encyclopedia
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
of Besançon is a Latin Rite Roman Catholic ecclesiastical territory in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. It comprises the département of Doubs
Doubs
Doubs is a department the Franche-Comté region of eastern France named after the Doubs River.-History:As early as the 13th century, inhabitants of the northern two-thirds of Doubs spoke the Franc-Comtois language, a dialect of Langue d'Oïl. Residents of the southern third of Doubs spoke a dialect...
(except for Montbéliard
Montbéliard
Montbéliard is a city in the Doubs department in the Franche-Comté region in eastern France. It is one of the two subprefectures of the department.-History:...
) and the département of Haute-Saône
Haute-Saône
Haute-Saône is a French department of the Franche-Comté région, named after the Saône River.- History :The department was created in the early years of the French Revolution through the application of a law dated 22 December 1789, from part of the former province of Franche-Comté...
, except for the canton of Héricourt
Héricourt, Haute-Saône
Héricourt is a commune in the Haute-Saône department in the region of Franche-Comté in eastern France.-References:*...
.
The current archbishop is Monseigneur André Jean René Lacrampe, who succeeded Monseigneur Lucien Charles Gilbert Daloz to this post on August 13, 2003.
Formerly it also was the Imperial city of Besançon a prince-bishopric, an ecclesiastical state in the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
. Comprising only a tiny area around the city of Besançon
Besançon
Besançon , is the capital and principal city of the Franche-Comté region in eastern France. It had a population of about 237,000 inhabitants in the metropolitan area in 2008...
in the Franche-Comté
Franche-Comté
Franche-Comté the former "Free County" of Burgundy, as distinct from the neighbouring Duchy, is an administrative region and a traditional province of eastern France...
, the Archbishopric became an enclave when Franche-Comté was annexed by France in 1678. In 1792 it was annexed again during the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
.
Early history of the diocese
Ferreolus and Ferrutio
Saints Ferreolus and Ferrutio are venerated as martyrs and saints by the Catholic Church. Their legendary acts state that they were converted to Christianity by Saint Polycarp. They were brothers who were ordained as a priest and deacon, respectively, by Saint Irenaeus of Lyons. They were sent to...
(Ferréol and Ferjeux), who were sent here by St. Irenaeus
Irenaeus
Saint Irenaeus , was Bishop of Lugdunum in Gaul, then a part of the Roman Empire . He was an early church father and apologist, and his writings were formative in the early development of Christian theology...
, Bishop of Lyon. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, "Louis Duchesne
Louis Duchesne
Louis Marie Olivier Duchesne was a French priest, philologist, teacher and a critical historian of Christianity and Roman Catholic liturgy and institutions....
proved that these legends belong to a chain of narratives forged in the first half of the 6th century and of which the "passion" of St. Benignus of Dijon was the initial link.").
The monastery of Luxeuil
Luxeuil Abbey
Luxeuil Abbey was one of the oldest and best-known monasteries in Burgundy, located in the "département" of Haute-Saône in Franche-Comté, France.-Columbanus:...
, founded by St. Columbanus
Columbanus
Columbanus was an Irish missionary notable for founding a number of monasteries on the European continent from around 590 in the Frankish and Lombard kingdoms, most notably Luxeuil and Bobbio , and stands as an exemplar of Irish missionary activity in early medieval Europe.He spread among the...
(d. 615), gave to the diocese of Besançon a series of saints. First came the direct successors of St. Columbanus; the Abbot St. Eustasius who founded a celebrated school in this monastery; the Abbot St. Valbert who sent monks to found the Abbeys of St.-Valéry, St.-Omer, and St.-Bertin, and died in 665; the Abbot St. Ingofroid; St. Donatus, who became Bishop of Besançon; and St. Ansegisus, author of a celebrated collection of capitularies.
The Abbey of Lure (at Lure, Haute-Saône
Lure, Haute-Saône
Lure is a commune in the Haute-Saône department in the region of Franche-Comté in eastern France.The Abbey of Lure was situated here. In the seventh century, Clothaire II recognised the virtues of Saint Deicolus and considerably enriched the Abbey of Lure, also granting Deicolus the manor, woods,...
) was founded at the beginning of the 7th century by St. Déicole (Deicolus), or Desle, disciple of St. Columbanus; later its abbots were princes of the Holy Empire. The Abbey of Beaume les Dames, founded in the 5th century and in which Gontram, King of Burgundy
King of Burgundy
The following is a list of the Kings of the two Kingdoms of Burgundy, and a number of related political entities devolving from Carolingian machinations over family relations.- Kings of the Burgundians :...
, was buried, was the school where St. Odo, afterwards Abbot of Cluny
Abbot of Cluny
The Abbot of Cluny was the head of the powerful monastery of Cluny Abbey in medieval France. The following is a list.-List of abbots:-References:...
, studied in the tenth century; at the end of the eighth century there was built near it an abbey for Benedictine nuns, members of the nobility. During the French Revolution, the superb church of this abbey was laid waste. Other saints of the Diocese of Besançon include the hermit
Hermit
A hermit is a person who lives, to some degree, in seclusion from society.In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Christian who lives the eremitic life out of a religious conviction, namely the Desert Theology of the Old Testament .In the...
St. Aldegrin (10th century).
During the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
several popes visited Besançon, among them pope Leo IX
Pope Leo IX
Pope Saint Leo IX , born Bruno of Eguisheim-Dagsburg, was Pope from February 12, 1049 to his death. He was a German aristocrat and as well as being Pope was a powerful secular ruler of central Italy. He is regarded as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church, with the feast day of April 19...
who consecrated the altar of the old Cathedral of St. Etienne in 1050, and Eugenius III
Pope Eugene III
Pope Blessed Eugene III , born Bernardo da Pisa, was Pope from 1145 to 1153. He was the first Cistercian to become Pope.-Early life:...
, who in 1148 consecrated the church of St. Jean, the new cathedral. A council was held at Besançon in 1162, presided over by Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa
Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick I Barbarossa was a German Holy Roman Emperor. He was elected King of Germany at Frankfurt on 4 March 1152 and crowned in Aachen on 9 March, crowned King of Italy in Pavia in 1155, and finally crowned Roman Emperor by Pope Adrian IV, on 18 June 1155, and two years later in 1157 the term...
, in the interest of the Antipope Victor IV against Pope Alexander III
Pope Alexander III
Pope Alexander III , born Rolando of Siena, was Pope from 1159 to 1181. He is noted in history for laying the foundation stone for the Notre Dame de Paris.-Church career:...
. Guido of Burgundy who was pope from 1119 to 1123 under the name of Calixtus II, and the Jesuit Claude-Adrien Nonnotte
Claude-Adrien Nonnotte
Claude-Adrien Nonnotte was a French Jesuit controversialist, best known for his writings against Voltaire.At nineteen he entered the Society of Jesus and preached at Amiens, Versailles, and Turin...
(1711–1793), an adversary of Voltaire
Voltaire
François-Marie Arouet , better known by the pen name Voltaire , was a French Enlightenment writer, historian and philosopher famous for his wit and for his advocacy of civil liberties, including freedom of religion, free trade and separation of church and state...
, were natives of Besançon.
Later history
St. Peter Fourier (1565–1640), who inaugurated systematic education for girls, was born in the diocese. The miracle attributed to the "Sacred Host of Faverney," during a fire in the year 1608, was annually commemorated by elaborate ceremonies. The places of pilgrimage were Notre Dame du Chêne at Scey; Notre Dame d'Aigremont; the pilgrimage of St. Pierre of Tarentaise at Cirey-les-Bellevaux, where St. Pierre de Tarentaise died in 1174; Notre Dame des Jacobins at Besançon; and Notre Dame de la Motte at VesoulVesoul
Vesoul is a commune in the Haute-Saône department in the region of Franche-Comté in eastern France.The town is the capital of the department, its inhabitants are known in French as Vésuliens.-Notable people:...
.
Few 19th-century dioceses have undergone similar territorial changes. The Concordat of 1802 gave the Diocese of Besançon all those districts which, in 1822, constituted the Diocese of St.-Claude. In 1806, Besançon was given jurisdiction over the three parishes of the Principality of Neufchâtel (Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
) which fell under the control of the bishopric of Lausanne in 1814. In 1870, after the annexation of Alsace-Lorraine
Alsace-Lorraine
The Imperial Territory of Alsace-Lorraine was a territory created by the German Empire in 1871 after it annexed most of Alsace and the Moselle region of Lorraine following its victory in the Franco-Prussian War. The Alsatian part lay in the Rhine Valley on the west bank of the Rhine River and east...
by Germany, the district of Belfort was withdrawn from the bishopric of Strasburg and attached to the dicoese of Besançon.
The metropolitan jurisdiction of Besançon also underwent changes. In 1802 its suffragans were the Bishoprics of Dijon
Dijon
Dijon is a city in eastern France, the capital of the Côte-d'Or département and of the Burgundy region.Dijon is the historical capital of the region of Burgundy. Population : 151,576 within the city limits; 250,516 for the greater Dijon area....
and Autun
Autun
Autun is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in Burgundy in eastern France. It was founded during the early Roman Empire as Augustodunum. Autun marks the easternmost extent of the Umayyad campaign in Europe.-Early history:...
(in Burgundy), Metz
Diocese of Metz
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Metz is a Diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic church in France. In the Middle Ages it was in effect an independent state, part of the Holy Roman Empire, ruled by the bishop who had the ex officio title of count. It was annexed to France by King Henry II in...
, Nancy and Strasbourg (in Alsace-Lorraine). Under the Bourbon Restoration
Bourbon Restoration
The Bourbon Restoration is the name given to the period following the successive events of the French Revolution , the end of the First Republic , and then the forcible end of the First French Empire under Napoleon – when a coalition of European powers restored by arms the monarchy to the...
, Dijon and Autun were withdrawn from Besançon, which became the metropolitan of the sees of Saint-Dié, Verdun and Belley
Belley
Belley is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France.-History:Belley is of Roman origin, and in the 5th century became an episcopal see. It was the capital of the province of Bugey, which was a dependency of Savoy till 1601, when it was ceded to France...
. In 1874, after the Franco-Prussian War
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
, the churches of Metz and Strasburg were exempt
Exemption (church)
In the Roman Catholic Church, exemption is the whole or partial release of an ecclesiastical person, corporation, or institution from the authority of the ecclesiastical superior next higher in rank....
, under the direct control of the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
.
On November 3, 1979, Belfort
Belfort
Belfort is a commune in the Territoire de Belfort department in Franche-Comté in northeastern France and is the prefecture of the department. It is located on the Savoureuse, on the strategically important natural route between the Rhine and the Rhône – the Belfort Gap or Burgundian Gate .-...
, Montbéliard, and the canton of Héricourt (Haute-Saône) were detached from the diocese of Besançon and constituted into a new autonomous diocese, that of Belfort-Montbéliard.
To 1000
Catholic Encyclopedia
The Catholic Encyclopedia, also referred to as the Old Catholic Encyclopedia and the Original Catholic Encyclopedia, is an English-language encyclopedia published in the United States. The first volume appeared in March 1907 and the last three volumes appeared in 1912, followed by a master index...
, "the catalogue of the earliest bishops of Besançon is to be read with caution."
- FerreolusFerreolusFerreolus may refer to:*Tonantius Ferreolus*Ferréol of Grenoble, Ferjus of Grenoble, Catholic saint*Ferréol of Uzès, Catholic saint*Ferreolus and Ferrutio, martyrs and saintsSee also*Saint Ferreolus...
180?–211? - Linus
- Antidius I. c.267
- Germanus
- Maximinus died before 304
- Paulinus died c.310
- Eusebius
- Hilarius
- Pancratius died c.353
- Justus c.362
- Aegnanus died c.374
- Sylvester I 376–396?
- AnianusAnianusAnianus may refer to:*Pope Anianus of Alexandria, Patriarch of Alexandria from 68 to 82*Anianus of Celeda, an early 5th century deacon and supporter of Pelagius*Aignan of Orleans, aka Anianus, Bishop, canonized*A 4th century bishop of Besançon...
(4th century) - Fronimius
- Desideratus
- Leontius ?–443
- Chelidonius c. 445, died 451?, deposed by Hilary of ArlesHilary of ArlesSaint Hilary of Arles was a bishop of Arles. He is recognized as a saint by the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, with his feast day celebrated on 5 May.- Life :...
- Antidius II
- Chelmegisl
- Claudius I c.517
- Urbicus c.549
- Tetradius I c.560
- Sylvester II. c.580
- Vitalis I
- St. Rothadius, a monk at LuxeuilLuxeuil AbbeyLuxeuil Abbey was one of the oldest and best-known monasteries in Burgundy, located in the "département" of Haute-Saône in Franche-Comté, France.-Columbanus:...
and organizer of the monastic life - Nicetas died c.611
- Protadius 614?–624?
- St. Donatus, a monk at Luxeuil, wrote a rule for canon priests in his diocese, died 660
- Migetius
- Ternatius died c.680
- St. Gervase c.680, died 685)
- Claudius IIClaudius of BesançonSaint Claudius of Besançon , sometimes called Claude the Thaumaturge , was a priest, monk, abbot, and bishop. A native of Franche-Comté, Claudius became a priest at Besançon and later a monk. Georges Goyau in the Catholic Encyclopedia wrote that “The Life of St...
, 685, died 693? - Felix c.710
- Tetradius II died 732
- Albo c.742
- Wandelbert
- Evrald
- Arnoul
- Hervaeus 757–762
- Gedeon died 796
- Bernoin 811–829
- Amalwin 838–840
- Arduicus 843–872
- Theoderic I 872–895
- Berengar 895–831
- Aymin c.914
- Gontier c.931
- Gottfried I 944–953
- Guy 958–970
- Guichard
- Leutald 993–994
1000–1300
- Hektor 1002–1015
- Walter I 1016–1031
- St. Hugh I of Besançon (Hugh I of Salins) (1031–1067), prince of the Empire, founded markets and schools in Besançon
- Hugo II de Montfaucon died 1085
- Hugo III of Burgundy 1085–1101, son of William I, Count of BurgundyWilliam I, Count of BurgundyWilliam I , called the Great , was Count of Burgundy and Mâcon from 1057 to 1087. He was a son of Renaud I and Alice of Normandy, daughter of Richard II, Duke of Normandy...
, brother of Pope Callixtus IIPope Callixtus IIPope Calixtus II , born Guy de Vienne, the fourth son of William I, Count of Burgundy , was elected Pope on February 1, 1119, after the death of Pope Gelasius II . His pontificate was shaped by the Investiture Controversy, which he was able to settle through the Concordat of Worms... - Hugo IV 1102–1107
- Guillaume I de Arguel 1109?–1117
- Anseric de Montréal 1117–1134
- Humbert 1134–1162
- Walter II 1162–1163
- Herbert (schismatic) 1163–1170
- Eberhard de Saint-Quentin 1171–1180
- Theoderic II. de Montfaucon 1180–1191
- Etienne de Vienne 1191–1193
- Amadeus de Tramelay 1197–1220
- Gerard I. de Rougemont 1221–1225
- Jean I. Allegrin (John Halgren of AbbevilleJohn Halgren of AbbevilleJohn Halgren of Abbeville was a French scholastic philosopher and writer of sermons, papal legate and Cardinal.In theology he was a follower of Peter the Chanter and Stephen Langton. After studying with Hugolino of Ostia at the University of Paris, he became dean of the chapter at Amiens in 1218;...
) 1225–1227 - Nicolas de Flavigny 1227–1235
- Gottfried II. 1236–1241
- Jean II. 1242–1244
- Guillaume II. de la Tour 1245–1268
- Odo de Rougemont 1269–1301
1300–1500
- 1302–1311 : Hugues de Chalon (also prince-bishop of Liège)
- 1312–1333 : Vital de Maignaut
- 1333–1355 : Hugues de Vienne
- 1355–1361 : Jean de Vienne
- 1361–1362 : Louis de Montbéliard
- 1363–1370 : Aymon de Villersexel
- 1371–1391 : Guillaume de Vergy
- 1391–1404 : Gerard d'Athies
- 1405–1429 : Thiébaudde Rougemont
- 1430–1437 : Jean de La RochetailléeJean de La RochetailléeJean de La Rochetaillée was a French churchman, eminent jurist, and Cardinal. His real name was Jean de Fort.He was bishop of Saint-Papoul in 1413, bishop of Geneva in 1418, and bishop of Paris in 1421/2. He became archbishop of Rouen in 1423, but fell out with his chapter...
- 1437–1438 : François Condomieri
- 1438–1439 : Jean de Norry
- 1439–1462 : Quentin Ménard
- 1462–1498 : Charles de Neufchâtel
1500–1800
- Antoine I. de Vergy 1502–1541
- Pierre de la Beaume 1542–1544
- Claude III. de la Beaume 1544–1584
- Antoine II. de PerrenotAntoine Perrenot de GranvelleAntoine Perrenot de Granvelle , Comte de La Baume Saint Amour, was a Burgundian statesman, made a cardinal, who followed his father as a leading minister of the Spanish Habsburgs, and was one of the most influential European politicians during the time which immediately followed the appearance of...
1584–1586 - Ferdinand de Rye 1586–1636
- Francois III. de Rye 1636–1637 (Koadjutor)
- Claude IV. de Achey 1637–1654
- Charles Emanuel de Gorrevot 1654–1659
- Jean Jacques Fauche 1659–1662
- Antoine Pierre I. de Gramont 1662–1698
- Francois-Joseph de Grammont 1698–1717
- René de Mornay 1717–1721
- Honoré de Grimaldi 1723–1731
- Antoine-Francois de Bliterswijk-Montcley 1733–1734
- Antoine Pierre II. de Grammont 1735–1754
- Antoine Clairiard de Choiseul de Beaupré 1754–1774
- Raymond de Durfort 1774–1792
- Philippe-Charles-François Seguin 1791–1793
- Flavigny 1791–1801
- Demandre 1798–1801
- Antoine Perrenot de GranvelleAntoine Perrenot de GranvelleAntoine Perrenot de Granvelle , Comte de La Baume Saint Amour, was a Burgundian statesman, made a cardinal, who followed his father as a leading minister of the Spanish Habsburgs, and was one of the most influential European politicians during the time which immediately followed the appearance of...
(1584–1586), the minister of Philip IIPhilip II of SpainPhilip II was King of Spain, Portugal, Naples, Sicily, and, while married to Mary I, King of England and Ireland. He was lord of the Seventeen Provinces from 1556 until 1581, holding various titles for the individual territories such as duke or count....
, who built the palace of Besançon - Antoine-Pierre de Grammont (1662–1698), who opposed JansenismJansenismJansenism was a Christian theological movement, primarily in France, that emphasized original sin, human depravity, the necessity of divine grace, and predestination. The movement originated from the posthumously published work of the Dutch theologian Cornelius Otto Jansen, who died in 1638...
and the ReformationProtestant ReformationThe Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
. In 1691, he transferred to Besançon the University of DôleUniversity of DoleThe University of Dole was founded in 1422 by Philip the Good of Burgundy, and was a leading university in western Europe, historically notable for its teaching of canon and civil law...
From 1800
- Claude Le CozClaude Le CozClaude Le Coz was a French Catholic bishop.He was pupil, then professor, and finally principal of the Collège de Quimper...
(1802–1815), former constitutional bishopConstitutional bishopDuring the French Revolution, a constitutional bishop was a Roman Catholic bishop elected from among the clergy who had sworn to uphold the Civil Constitution of the Clergy between 1791 and 1801. Constitutional bishops were often priests with less or more moderate Gallican and partisan ideas, of a...
who opposed the ConcordatConcordat of 1801The Concordat of 1801 was an agreement between Napoleon and Pope Pius VII, signed on 15 July 1801. It solidified the Roman Catholic Church as the majority church of France and brought back most of its civil status.... - Gabriel Cortois de Pressigny 1817–1823
- Paul-Ambroise Frère de Villefrancon 1823–1828
- Cardinal de Rohan-Chabot (1828–1833)
- Louis-Guillaume-Valentin Dubourg, P.S.S. 3 February 1833 to 12 December 1833
- Cardinal Mathieu (1834–1875), who defended episcopal temporal power, and was a member of the "Opposition" at the First Vatican CouncilFirst Vatican CouncilThe First Vatican Council was convoked by Pope Pius IX on 29 June 1868, after a period of planning and preparation that began on 6 December 1864. This twentieth ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church, held three centuries after the Council of Trent, opened on 8 December 1869 and adjourned...
. He opposed strenuously in his diocese the "simultaneous churches" which sprang up throughout the district of MontbéliardMontbéliardMontbéliard is a city in the Doubs department in the Franche-Comté region in eastern France. It is one of the two subprefectures of the department.-History:...
where there were many Protestants. - Pierre-Antoine-Justin Paulinier 1875–1881
- Joseph-Alfred FoulonJoseph-Alfred FoulonJoseph-Alfred Foulon was a French Roman Catholic Cardinal and Archbishop of Lyon.He was born in Paris and studied in the Saint-Sulpice Seminary. He was ordained priest on December 18, 1847, in Paris, where he taught for twelve years in the minor seminary.He was elected bishop of Nancy on March 27,...
(May 26, 1887 — January 23, 1893) - Marie-Joseph-Jean-Baptiste-André-Clément-Fulbert Petit 1894–1909
- François-Léon Gauthey (20 Jan 1910 – 25 Jul 1918)
- Louis Humbrecht (14 Sep 1918 – 28 Jun 1927)
- Charles BinetCharles BinetCharles Henri Joseph Binet was a French Archbishop of Besançon and Cardinal.Charles Binet was born in Juvigny, France, and was educated at the Seminary of Saint-Sulpice, Paris, and at the Seminary of Notre Dame des Champs. He was ordained on October 22, 1893, in Soissons. He worked in the diocese...
(31 Oct 1927 – 15 Jul 1936) - Maurice-Louis Dubourg (9 Dec 1936 – 31 Jan 1954)
- Marcel-Marie-Henri-Paul Dubois (10 Jun 1954 – 2 Jul 1966)
- Marc-Armand Lallier (26 Aug 1966 – 6 Mar 1980)
- Lucien Charles Gilbert Daloz (12 Dec 1980 – 13 Aug 2003)
- André Jean René Lacrampe (13 Aug 2003 – )
Sources and external links
- Besançon (Vesontio) - Catholic EncyclopediaCatholic EncyclopediaThe Catholic Encyclopedia, also referred to as the Old Catholic Encyclopedia and the Original Catholic Encyclopedia, is an English-language encyclopedia published in the United States. The first volume appeared in March 1907 and the last three volumes appeared in 1912, followed by a master index...
article - Website of the archdiocese
- Catholic hierarchy