Deanery of Savoy
The Deanery of Savoy, also known as the Archpriestship of Savoy and formerly the Deanery of Saint-André, was a Catholic administrative district encompassing most parishes of the former County of Savoy. It was one of four subdivisions of the [Roman Catholic Church|Catholic Diocese of Grenoble-Vienne|Diocese of Grenoble]. Its establishment date is unknown.
The deanery's seat was in Saint-André, located in what is now the commune of Les Marches, which was abandoned in the 13th century after a landslide on Mount Granier. In 1779, it was reorganized into the Diocese of Chambéry.
Geography
Location
The Deanery of Savoy was a Catholic administrative district roughly corresponding to the region of Savoie Propre, including Aix-les-Bains, the southern part of Lake Bourget, the southern Bauges, the Chambéry area, and parts of the Chartreuse slopes. Situated within the County of Savoy, it was under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Grenoble in the Dauphiné. This arrangement held significance during the 13th-century between the County of Savoy and the Dauphiné, lasting until 1355.Territorial organization
The Deanery of Savoy, also known as the Deanery of Saint-André, was one of four administrative districts within the Diocese of Grenoble. According to a 1497 pouillé of the Church of Grenoble, it comprised 66 churches and 16 priories, one of which was suppressed, along with 59 parishes and seven dependent churches. Most parishes were located in Savoie Propre, with a few in the Dauphiné region, specifically in the Chartreuse and Grésivaudan areas.History
The origins of the Deanery of Savoy are uncertain, with estimates suggesting its establishment between the 10th and 12th centuries, possibly as early as the 6th century. It is believed to have existed before the episcopate of Saint Hugh of Grenoble.Following the destruction of Saint-André due to the 1248 Granier landslide, the deanery's seat was temporarily relocated to Montagnole before being permanently established in Chambéry. Thereafter, it was known as the Deanery of Savoy, while remaining under the authority of the Bishop of Grenoble.
The 1355 Treaty of Paris resolved the, stabilizing their shared border.
In 1474, Yolande of France, regent of the Duchy of Savoy, secured papal approval from Pope Sixtus IV to transfer the Deanery of Savoy from the authority of the Bishop of Grenoble to the Chapter of the Sainte-Chapelle in Chambéry. This granted the dean of the Sainte-Chapelle episcopal powers. In 1476, the King of France, supported by the Bishop of Grenoble, obtained papal annulment of this separation, restoring the deanery to the Bishop of Grenoble's authority.
In 1515, Pope Leo X established Chambéry and Bourg-en-Bresse as episcopal sees, but this decision was annulled in 1516.
On 8 July 1775, Pope Pius VI separated the Deanery of Savoy from the Diocese of Grenoble. By a papal bull dated August 18, 1779, a new bishopric was created in Chambéry, aligning ecclesiastical boundaries with civil ones. The, appointed by the king, was directly accountable to the Holy See.