Saint-Pons-de-Thomières

Saint-Pons-de-Thomières
A general view of Saint-Pons-de-Thomières
Coat of arms
Saint-Pons-de-Thomières
Location within Languedoc-Roussillon region  Saint-Pons-de-Thomières
Coordinates: 43°29′22″N 2°45′39″E / 43.4894°N 2.7608°ECoordinates: 43°29′22″N 2°45′39″E / 43.4894°N 2.7608°E
Country	France
Region	Languedoc-Roussillon-Midi-Pyrénées
Department	Hérault
Arrondissement	Béziers
Canton	Saint-Pons-de-Thomières
Intercommunality	Pays Saint-Ponais
Government
• Mayor (2008–2014)	Kléber Mesquida
Area^1	40.99 km^2 (15.83 sq mi)
Population (2008)^2	2,121
• Density	52/km^2 (130/sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code	34284 / 34220
Elevation	273–1,026 m (896–3,366 ft) (avg. 301 m or 988 ft)
^1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. ^2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Saint-Pons-de-Thomières is a commune in the Hérault department in the Languedoc-Roussillon region in southern France.

History

It is named after its patron saint, Saint Pontius of Cimiez (Pons de Cimiez in French), martyr under Emperor Valerian, who is venerated throughout the diocese of Montpellier.

The Abbey of St-Pons was founded in 936 by Raymond, Count of Toulouse, who brought to it the monks of Saint Gerald of Aurillac.

By a papal bull of 18 February 1318, Pope John XXII raised the abbey to an episcopal see.

A Brief of 16 June 1877 authorized the bishops of Montpellier to call themselves bishops of Montpellier, Béziers, Agde, Lodève, and Saint-Pons, in memory of the different dioceses united in the present Diocese of Montpellier.

Population

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±%
1962	2,900	—
1968	3,267	+12.7%
1975	3,117	−4.6%
1982	2,733	−12.3%
1990	2,566	−6.1%
1999	2,287	−10.9%
2008	2,121	−7.3%

See also

• Communes of the Hérault department

References

• INSEE

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