Roman Catholic Diocese of Verdun explained

Jurisdiction:Diocese
Verdun
Latin:Dioecesis Virodunensis
Local:Diocèse de Verdun
Coat:Wappen Bistum Verdun.png
Coat Size:130px
Country:France
Province:Besançon
Metropolitan:Archdiocese of Besançon
Area Km2:6,211
Population:197,700
Population As Of:2014
Catholics:173,300
Catholics Percent:87.7
Denomination:Catholic Church
Established:Restored on 6 October 1822
Cathedral:Cathedral of Notre Dame de Verdun
Patron:Blessed Virgin Mary Assumed in Heaven
Bishop:Jean-Paul Gusching
Metro Archbishop:Jean-Luc Bouilleret
Suffragan:for one -->
Archdeacon:for one-->
Emeritus Bishops:François Maupu
Website:catholique-verdun.cef.fr

The Diocese of Verdun (Latin: Dioecesis Virodunensis; French: Diocèse de Verdun) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in France. It is a suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Besançon. The Diocese of Verdun corresponds to the département of Meuse in the région of Lorraine. The diocese is subdivided into 577 parishes.

History

The diocese dates back to the 4th century. Traditionally the city was first evangelized around 332 by St Sanctinus, Bishop of Meaux, who became the first bishop. Sanctinus erected the first Christian oratory dedicated to St. Peter and St. Paul.[1] [2]

The first bishop known to history is St. Polychronius (Pulchrone) who lived in the fifth century and was a relative and disciple of St. Lupus de Troyes.[3] "Other bishops worthy of mention are: St. Possessor (470–486); St. Firminus (486–502); St. Vitonus (Vanne) (502–529); St. Désiré (Desideratus) (529–554), St. Agericus (Airy) (554–591), friend of St. Gregory of Tours and of Fortunatus; St. Paul (630–648), formerly Abbot of the Benedictine Monastery of Tholey in the Diocese of Trier; and St. Madalvaeus (Mauve) (753–776)."[4]

From 1624 to 1636, a large bastioned citadel was constructed on the site of the Abbey of Saint Vanne. The Church of Saint-Vanne was destroyed in 1832 and its cloister, which had been converted into barracks, was burned in 1870.[3]

Until 1801 Verdun was part of the ecclesiastical province of the Archbishop of Trier. On November 29, 1801 it was suppressed and added to the Diocese of Nancy. On October 31, 1822 the diocese was re-established.[3]

During World War I over 200 parishes fell under occupation by the German army and communication with the Bishop of Verdun practically cut off.[5] The administration of the parishes was confided to Thomas Louis Heylen, Bishop of Namur, who had been appointed vicar apostolic to French territory under German occupation.[6]

When the city came under bombardment the diocesan administration relocated to Bar-le-Duc and did not return until 1921. One hundred and fifty-three churches were destroyed and 166 damaged, including the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Verdun, whose towers have never been rebuilt. Of 186 priests who enlisted, 13 were killed, 20 seriously wounded, and 50 taken prisoner. One hundred and sixty citations and diplomas of honor and 120 decorations were awarded to priests of the diocese.[5]

List of bishops

Early bishops

Prince-bishops

Bishops under French rule

Until 1801 Verdun was part of the ecclesiastical province of the Archbishop of Trier. On November 29, 1801 it was suppressed and added to the Diocese of Nancy. On October 6, 1822 the diocese was re-established.

After the Concordat

20th century

21st century

See also

Books

External links

49.1594°N 5.3822°W

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Les grands sites religieux du diocèse de Verdun au Moyen-Âge. Diocèse de Verdun.
  2. Book: Healy, Patrick. The Chronicle of Hugh of Flavigny: Reform and the Investiture Contest in the Late Eleventh Century. 2006. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.. 978-0-7546-5526-8.
  3. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15350c.htm Goyau, Georges. "Diocese of Verdun." The Catholic Encyclopedia
  4. Web site: Diocese of Verdun. CatholiCity. March 22, 2013.
  5. https://books.google.com/books?id=jwqSbnqda8sC&dq=Roman+Catholic+Diocese+of+Verdun&pg=PA758 "Verdun, Diocese of", The Catholic Encyclopedia: Supplement 1, Encyclopedia Press, 1922
  6. https://www.academieroyale.be/Academie/documents/FichierPDFBiographieNationaleTome2091.pdf [Simon, A., "Heylen (Thomas-Louis)", ''Biographie Nationale de Belgique'', vol. 32] (Brussels, 1964), 295-299.
  7. Book: Smith. William. Wace. Henry. A Dictionary of Christian Biography, Literature, Sects and Doctrines, vol 4. 1887. Little, Brown & Company. 436.
  8. https://web.archive.org/web/20161017193057/http://referenceworks.brillonline.com/entries/encyclopedia-of-the-medieval-chronicle/dado-of-verdun-EMCSIM_00847 Gerzaguet, Jean-Pierre. "Dado of Verdun". Encyclopedia of the Medieval Chronicle, (Graeme Dunphy, ed.) Brill Online, 2016. Reference. 09 March 2016
  9. Son of Frederick I, Duke of Upper Lorraine
  10. François-Alexandre Aubert de La Chesnaye Des Bois. "Dictionnaire de la noblesse : contenant les généalogies, l'histoire et la chronologie des familles nobles de France", (Paris: Schlesinger Brothers, 1867), p. 993.
  11. Son of René II, Duke of Lorraine.
  12. (1561–1587), bishop of Toul from 1580 to 1587, son of Nicolas de Mercœur.
  13. (1576–1623), son of Nicolas de Mercœur.
  14. http://www.saivenumismatique.com/coins_r1/coins-of-lorraine_c57/bishopric-of-verdun_p341/type_t1539/1-8-teston–1612-tbplus_article_22872.html Saive Numismatique

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