Roman Catholic Diocese of Perpignan-Elne

Diocese of Perpignan-Elne
Dioecesis Elnensis
Diocèse de Perpignan-Elne

Location
Country France
Ecclesiastical province Montpellier
Metropolitan Archdiocese of Montpellier
Statistics
Area 4,143 km2 (1,600 sq mi)
Population
- Total
- Catholics		 (as of 2004)
400,000
308,000 (77%)
Information
Denomination Roman Catholic
Rite Roman Rite
Established 6 October 1822
Cathedral Cathedral Basilica of St John the Baptist in Perpignan
Co-cathedral Co-Cathedral of St Eulalia and St Julia in Elne
Patron saint Saint John the Baptist
Saint Eulalia
Saint Julia
Current leadership
Pope Francis
Bishop André Marceau
Metropolitan Archbishop Pierre-Marie Carré
Emeritus Bishops Jean Chabbert Bishop Emeritus(1982-1996)
Website
Website of the Diocese
High altar of Perpignan Cathedral, see of the Diocese of Perpignan-Elne.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Perpignan-Elne, is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic church, in France. The diocese comprises the Department of Pyrénées-Orientales. This see continues the old diocese of Elne,[1] which was renamed and had its see relocated at Perpignan, in 1601 after a papal bull of Pope Clement VIII.[2] The diocese of Perpignan as it was re-established in 1817 was suffragan to the archdiocese of Albi. Its see is Perpignan Cathedral.

Its territory brought together the diocese of Elne, part of the Spanish diocese of Urgel known as French Cerdagne, three cantons of the diocese of Alet, and two villages of the diocese of Narbonne. The department was united in 1802 to the diocese of Carcassonne; by the Concordat of 1817 it received a special see.

Elne was a suffragan of Narbonne until 1511; from 1511 to 1517 it was directly subject to the Holy See; in 1517 it became again a suffragan of Narbonne; a Decree of the Council of Trentt made it a suffragan of the archdiocese of Tarragona; after 1678 it was again a suffragan of Narbonne.

History

The first known Bishop of Elne is Dominus, mentioned in 571 in the Chronicle of John of Biclarum. Among others are Cardinal Ascanio Maria Sforza (1494–95), Cardinal Caesar Borgia (1495–98), Cardinal François de Loris (1499-1506), Cardinal Jacques de Serra (1506–12), Cardinal Hieronimo Doria (1530–33); Olympe Gerbet (1854-64).

The Cathedral of Elne (eleventh century) and the adjoining cloister are rich examples of elaborate medieval ornamentation. In the later Middle Ages, and under the influence of Roman Law, Roussillon witnessed revivals of slavery; this is proved by numerous purchase deeds of Muslim and Christian slaves, dating back to the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries.

The diocese honours especially St. Vincent de Collioure, martyr (end of the third century); and St. Eulalia and St. Julia, virgins and martyrs (end of third century). In memory of former ties with the metropolis of Tarragona, the Church of Perpignan honours several Spanish saints: St. Fructuosus, Bishop of Tarragona, and his deacons Augurius and Eulogius, martyred at Tarragona in 259; some martyrs of the Diocletian persecution (end of third century); Justa and Rufina of Seville; Felix and Narcissus of Gerona; Aciselus and Victoria of Cordova; Leocadia, of Toledo; St. Ildefonsus (607-67), Archbishop of Toledo.

The Benedictine Dom Briard (1743-1828), who continued the series of Historiens de France, belonged to Perpignan. At Perpignan Pope Benedict XIII (Pedro de Luna) held a council 1 November 1408, to rally his partisans; they gradually melted away and on 1 February 1409, the eighteen remaining bishops advised the antipope to send ambassadors to Pisa to negotiate with Pope Gregory XII.

Numerous councils were held at Elne: in 1027, 1058, 1114, 1335, 1337, 1338, 1339, 1340, and 1380. The council held in 1027 decreed that no one should attack his enemy from Saturday at nine o'clock to Monday at one; and that Holy Mass be said for the excommunicated for a space of three months, to obtain their conversion. The author of l'Art de verifier les Dates wrongly maintains that the Council of Elvira was held at Elne.

The chief places of pilgrimage of the diocese are: Notre-Dame du Château d'Ultréra, at Sorède; Notre-Dame de Consolation, at Collioure; Notre-Dame de Font Romeu, at Odeillo; Notre-Dame de Forca-Réal, near Millas; Notre-Dame de Juigues, near Rivesaltes; the relics of Sts. Abdon and Sennen at Arles on the Tech.

Bishops

To 1000

1000 to 1300

1300 to 1500

From 1500

Bishops of Perpignan

References

Notes

  1. ↑ Or diocese of Elna, Catalan name.
  2. ↑ Perpignan-Elne (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]
  3. ↑ The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church - Biographical Dictionary - Consistory of May 31, 1503

External links

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton. 

Coordinates: 42°42′02″N 2°53′44″E / 42.70056°N 2.89556°E / 42.70056; 2.89556

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