Constitutional bishop
Encyclopedia
During 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 less or moderate nature. They were elected locally by the same body of electors that elected the députés of the future Legislative Assembly
. They organised national councils in 1797 and 1801 to mark their independence from the pope
, who usually called such councils. On the signature of the 1801 concordat, pope Pius VII
and Napoleon I of France
both demanded that the constitutional bishops and the remaining Ancien Régime bishops who had not sworn to uphold the Civil Constitution all resign their episcopal seats so that new holders could be appointed to the sees. 15 constitutional bishops refused to resign, feeling that their election to their episcopal seats were still valid (one such bishop, Henri Grégoire
, signed himself as bishop of Loir-et-Cher
right up until his death).
or episcopal seat (as was previous practise) but after the department corresponding to his diocese, following the re-drawing of the diocesan boundaries according to the department boundaries created in 1790.
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...
, a constitutional bishop was a Roman Catholic bishop elected from among the clergy who had sworn to uphold the Civil Constitution of the Clergy
Civil Constitution of the Clergy
The Civil Constitution of the Clergy was a law passed on 12 July 1790 during the French Revolution, that subordinated the Roman Catholic Church in France to the French government....
between 1791 and 1801. Constitutional bishops were often priests with less or more moderate Gallican
Gallicanism
Gallicanism is the belief that popular civil authority—often represented by the monarchs' authority or the State's authority—over the Catholic Church is comparable to that of the Pope's...
and partisan ideas, of a less or moderate nature. They were elected locally by the same body of electors that elected the députés of the future Legislative Assembly
Legislative Assembly (France)
During the French Revolution, the Legislative Assembly was the legislature of France from 1 October 1791 to September 1792. It provided the focus of political debate and revolutionary law-making between the periods of the National Constituent Assembly and of the National Convention.The Legislative...
. They organised national councils in 1797 and 1801 to mark their independence from the pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
, who usually called such councils. On the signature of the 1801 concordat, pope Pius VII
Pope Pius VII
Pope Pius VII , born Barnaba Niccolò Maria Luigi Chiaramonti, was a monk, theologian and bishop, who reigned as Pope from 14 March 1800 to 20 August 1823.-Early life:...
and Napoleon I of France
Napoleon I of France
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
both demanded that the constitutional bishops and the remaining Ancien Régime bishops who had not sworn to uphold the Civil Constitution all resign their episcopal seats so that new holders could be appointed to the sees. 15 constitutional bishops refused to resign, feeling that their election to their episcopal seats were still valid (one such bishop, Henri Grégoire
Henri Grégoire
Henri Grégoire , often referred to as Abbé Grégoire, was a French Roman Catholic priest, constitutional bishop of Blois and a revolutionary leader...
, signed himself as bishop of Loir-et-Cher
Loir-et-Cher
Loir-et-Cher is a département in north-central France named after the rivers Loir and Cher.-History:Loir-et-Cher is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790. It was created from parts of the former provinces of Orléanais and...
right up until his death).
Selected constitutional bishops
It is notable that a constitutional bishop's diocese was not named after his cathedraCathedra
A cathedra or bishop's throne is the chair or throne of a bishop. It is a symbol of the bishop's teaching authority in the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church, and has in some sense remained such in the Anglican Communion and in Lutheran churches...
or episcopal seat (as was previous practise) but after the department corresponding to his diocese, following the re-drawing of the diocesan boundaries according to the department boundaries created in 1790.
- Yves Marie Audrein, bishop of FinistèreFinistèreFinistère is a département of France, in the extreme west of Brittany.-History:The name Finistère derives from the Latin Finis Terræ, meaning end of the earth, and may be compared with Land's End on the opposite side of the English Channel...
- Jean-Baptiste-Luc Bailly, bishop of PoitiersPoitiersPoitiers is a city on the Clain river in west central France. It is a commune and the capital of the Vienne department and of the Poitou-Charentes region. The centre is picturesque and its streets are interesting for predominant remains of historical architecture, especially from the Romanesque...
- Louis BelmasLouis BelmasLouis Belmas was a French churchman and bishop.-Early life:Louis was born to a publicly-esteemed businessman in Languedoc and his wife, both of whom died within six weeks of each other when Louis was aged only 4½. They left behind Louis, seven other children and a very limited fortune...
, bishop of AudeAudeAude is a department in south-central France named after the river Aude. The local council also calls the department "Cathar Country".Aude is also a frequent feminine French given name in Francophone countries, deriving initially from Aude or Oda, a wife of Bertrand, Duke of Aquitaine, and mother... - Claude Debertier, bishop of Aveyron
- Jean-Baptiste Demandre, bishop of Doubs
- Charles-François Dorlodot, bishop of Mayenne
- Louis-Alexandre Expilly de la PoipeLouis-Alexandre Expilly de la PoipeLouis-Alexandre Expilly de la Poipe was rector of Saint-Martin-des-Champs near Morlaix in Léon, North Finistère...
, bishop of FinistèreFinistèreFinistère is a département of France, in the extreme west of Brittany.-History:The name Finistère derives from the Latin Finis Terræ, meaning end of the earth, and may be compared with Land's End on the opposite side of the English Channel...
, the first constitutional bishop to be elected - Claude Fauchet (1744-1793), bishop of Calvados
- Léonard Honoré Gay de Vernon, bishop of Haute-VienneHaute-VienneHaute-Vienne is a French department named after the Vienne River. It is one of three departments that together constitute the French region of Limousin.The chief and largest city is Limoges...
- Jean-Baptiste Gobel, bishop of ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
- Henri GrégoireHenri GrégoireHenri Grégoire , often referred to as Abbé Grégoire, was a French Roman Catholic priest, constitutional bishop of Blois and a revolutionary leader...
, bishop of Loir-et-CherLoir-et-CherLoir-et-Cher is a département in north-central France named after the rivers Loir and Cher.-History:Loir-et-Cher is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790. It was created from parts of the former provinces of Orléanais and...
, better known as abbé Grégoire - Marc-Antoine Huguet (1757-1796), bishop of Creuse (executed by firing squad on 124 Fructidor, year 4)
- Louis Jarente de Sénac d'Orgeval, bishop of Loiret
- Antoine-Adrien Lamourette, bishop of Rhône-et-LoireRhône-et-LoireRhône-et-Loire was a département of France whose préfecture was Lyon. Created on March 4, 1790 like the other French départements, Rhône-et-Loire was abolished on August 12, 1793 when it was split into two départements: Rhône and Loire...
(LyonLyonLyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
) - Jean-Claude Leblanc de Beaulieu, bishop of RouenRouenRouen , in northern France on the River Seine, is the capital of the Haute-Normandie region and the historic capital city of Normandy. Once one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe , it was the seat of the Exchequer of Normandy in the Middle Ages...
- René Lecesve, bishop of PoitiersPoitiersPoitiers is a city on the Clain river in west central France. It is a commune and the capital of the Vienne department and of the Poitou-Charentes region. The centre is picturesque and its streets are interesting for predominant remains of historical architecture, especially from the Romanesque...
. - 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...
, bishop of Ille-et-VilaineIlle-et-VilaineIlle-et-Vilaine is a department of France, located in the region of Brittany in the northwest of the country.- History :Ille-et-Vilaine is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790... - Jean-Baptiste Massieu, bishop of Oise
- Charles II Montault-Désilles, bishop of Maine et Loire (AngersAngersAngers is the main city in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France about south-west of Paris. Angers is located in the French region known by its pre-revolutionary, provincial name, Anjou, and its inhabitants are called Angevins....
) - Hugues Pelletier, bishop of Maine et Loire (Angers)
- Michel-Joseph de Pidoll, bishop of Sarthe
- François-Ambroise Rodrigue, bishop of Vendée
- Barthélemy-Jean-Baptiste Sanadon, bishop of Basses-Pyrénées
- Jean-Baptiste Pierre Saurine, bishop of Landes
- Noël-Gabriel-Luce Villar, bishop of Mayenne