Jean Marie du Lau
Encyclopedia
Jean Marie du Lau was Archbishop of Arles, and was one of the Catholic Martyrs of September 1792 killed during the French Revolution
. He was beatified
on October 17, 1926 by Pope Pius XI
.
He was born on October 30, 1738 at the Château de la Côte at Biras in the Dordogne, in the diocese of Périgueux
, of an aristocratic family which had fed many members into the higher ranks of the clergy. His father was Armand du Lau, seigneur de La Coste and his mother Françoise de Salleton.
he gained a licence in theology at the Sorbonne
and then embarked on his ecclesiastical career, aided by his uncle Jean du Lau, parish priest of Saint-Sulpice
in Paris since 1750. As was the system, he passed from one diocese to another in a rising curve of authority and prestige: canon and treasurer at Pamiers
, vicar general of Bordeaux
, prior of Gabillon and in 1770 attained the notable rank of agent general of the clergy of France. On October 1, 1775, still a young man, he was promoted by Louis XVI to be Archbishop of Arles.
With the convocation of the States General in 1789, he was one of the representatives of the clergy. As the revolutionary situation developed, the archbishop began a bitter conflict with the newly elected mayor of Arles
, Pierre-Antoine Antonelle
, an aristocrat who had sided with radical wing of the Revolution.
The conflict was short-lived for on July 12, 1790, the National Assembly voted for measures that included the abolition of the then archdiocese of Arles. While this had in itself no validity in Church law, as it happened the diocese was never revived thereafter. Jean-Marie du Lau d'Allemans was in fact the last Archbishop of Arles.
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...
. He was beatified
Beatification
Beatification is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a dead person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in his or her name . Beatification is the third of the four steps in the canonization process...
on October 17, 1926 by Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI , born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti, was Pope from 6 February 1922, and sovereign of Vatican City from its creation as an independent state on 11 February 1929 until his death on 10 February 1939...
.
He was born on October 30, 1738 at the Château de la Côte at Biras in the Dordogne, in the diocese of Périgueux
Périgueux
Périgueux is a commune in the Dordogne department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.Périgueux is the prefecture of the department and the capital of the region...
, of an aristocratic family which had fed many members into the higher ranks of the clergy. His father was Armand du Lau, seigneur de La Coste and his mother Françoise de Salleton.
Churchman
After studies at the collège de NavarreCollège de Navarre
The College of Navarre was one of the colleges of the historic University of Paris, rivaling the Sorbonne and renowned for its library. It was founded by Queen Joan I of Navarre in 1305, who provided for three departments, the arts with 20 students, philosophy with 30 and theology with 20...
he gained a licence in theology at 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...
and then embarked on his ecclesiastical career, aided by his uncle Jean du Lau, parish priest of Saint-Sulpice
Saint-Sulpice
-People:*Sulpicius Severus, known as Saint Sulpice , who wrote the earliest biography of Saint Martin of Tours.*Sulpitius the Pious, known as Saint Sulpice, who died around 646 AD...
in Paris since 1750. As was the system, he passed from one diocese to another in a rising curve of authority and prestige: canon and treasurer at Pamiers
Pamiers
Pamiers is a commune in the Ariège department in the Midi-Pyrénées region in southwestern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department. Although Pamiers is the largest city in Ariège, the capital is the smaller town of Foix...
, vicar general of Bordeaux
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
, prior of Gabillon and in 1770 attained the notable rank of agent general of the clergy of France. On October 1, 1775, still a young man, he was promoted by Louis XVI to be Archbishop of Arles.
Archbishop of Arles
Starting in 1777, the new archbishop embarked on a pastoral visitation of the diocese and in 1779 he had a report on the state of the diocese drawn up by the abbé Laurent Bonnemant, with a view to introducing reforms. Like that of many reforming bishops, the archbishop’s interest extended to the preparation of widwives and catechism of children. He also undertook building works, such as the imposing facade of the archbishop’s palace, which he rebuilt in 1786.With the convocation of the States General in 1789, he was one of the representatives of the clergy. As the revolutionary situation developed, the archbishop began a bitter conflict with the newly elected mayor of Arles
Arles
Arles is a city and commune in the south of France, in the Bouches-du-Rhône department, of which it is a subprefecture, in the former province of Provence....
, Pierre-Antoine Antonelle
Pierre-Antoine Antonelle
Pierre-Antoine Antonelle was a French journalist, politician, president of the Jacobin Club and revolutionary. Although he came fom an aristocratic family, he was a strong supporter of the French Revolution, in Arles and Provence, and ultimately in Paris...
, an aristocrat who had sided with radical wing of the Revolution.
The conflict was short-lived for on July 12, 1790, the National Assembly voted for measures that included the abolition of the then archdiocese of Arles. While this had in itself no validity in Church law, as it happened the diocese was never revived thereafter. Jean-Marie du Lau d'Allemans was in fact the last Archbishop of Arles.
Martyrdom
He died a violent death on September 2, 1792 in an improvised prison inside the house of the Carmelite Friars in central Paris, where he was being held with two priests of the diocese of Arles, Armand de Foucauld de Pontbriand and Pierre François Pazery de Thorame, and a large number of other clerics. Those killed included two other bishops, Francois-Joseph de la Rochefoucauld and Pierre-Louis de la Rochefoucauld, priests, clerics and lay religious for a total of 94 men.Reading
- Gérard Cholvy (ed.), Jean Marie du Lau, archevêque d’Arles, et ses compagnons martyrs, 1792-1992. Colloque du IIe centenaire tenu à Arles les 2-4 octobre 1992, Université Paul Valéry, Montpellier, 1995.