Diocese of Angers


The Diocese of Angers is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church in France. The episcopal see is located in Angers Cathedral in the city of Angers. The diocese extends over the entire department of Maine-et-Loire.
It was a suffragan see of the Archdiocese of Tours under the old regime as well as under the Concordat. Since the general reorganization of the French hierarchy of 8 December 2002, the diocese is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Rennes, Dol, and Saint-Malo.
In 2022, in the Diocese of Angers there was one priest for every 2,944 Catholics.

History

The first bishop of Angers known in history is Defensor, who was present in 372 at the election of the Bishop of Tours, and made a determined stand against the nomination of Martin of Tours. The legend concerning the earlier episcopate of a certain Auxilius, who converted nearly the entire province ca. 260–270; he is connected with the cycle of legends that centre about Firmin of Amiens, who is said to have evangelized Bauvais, and is contradicted by Angevin tradition from before the thirteenth century.
Among the names of the Diocese of Angers during the first centuries of its existence are those of Maurilius, disciple of Martin of Tours, and at an earlier period hermit of Chalonnes, who made a vigorous stand against idolatry, and died in 427. As for the tradition that Renatus, who had been raised from the dead by Maurilius, was Bishop of Angers for some time shortly before 450, it bases its claims to credibility on a late life of Maurilius written in 905 by the deacon Archinald, and circulated under the name of Gregory of Tours, and it seems to have no real foundation.
Thalassius, consecrated bishop in 453, has left a compendium of canon law, consisting of the decisions of the councils of the province of Tours; Licinius, a courtier and constable of King Chlothar I who appointed him Count of Anjou, was bishop from 586 to 616.
Berengarius, the heresiarch condemned for his doctrines on the Holy Eucharist, was Archdeacon of Angers about 1039, and for some time found a protector in the person of Eusebius Bruno, Bishop of Angers. Bernier, who played a great role in the wars of La Vendée and in the negotiations that led to the Concordat, was curé of St. Laud in Angers.
Among the Bishops of Angers in modern times were:
A diocesan synod was an irregularly held, but important, meeting of the bishop of a diocese and his clergy. Its purpose was to proclaim generally the various decrees already issued by the bishop; to discuss and ratify measures on which the bishop chose to consult with his clergy; to publish statutes and decrees of the diocesan synod, of the provincial synod, and of the Holy See.
Bishop Nicolas Gellent held diocesan synods, usually at Pentecost and/or the Feast of Saint Luke, in 1261, in 1262, in 1263, 1265, 1266, 1269, 1270, 1271, 1272, 1273, 1274, 1275, 1276, 1277, 1280, 1281, 1282, and 1291. Bishop Guillaume Le Maire held synods in 1291, 1292, 1293, 1294, 1295, 1298, 1299, 1300, 1302, 1303, 1304, 1312, and 1314. Bishop Foulques de Mathefelon held diocesan synods in 1326, 1327, and 1328.
Bishop Jean Michel held a diocesan synod at Pentecost 1442. Bishop Jean de Rely presided at a diocesan synod in 1493.
A diocesan synod was held in 1499, under the auspices of Bishop François de Rohan, but presided over by his vicar-general; another was held in 1503, and again in 1504, 1505, 1507, 1508, 1509, 1510, 1511, 1512, 1513, 1514, 1517, 1519, 1520, 1521, and 1523; another was held at Pentecost in 1524, but presided over by his suffragan, Bishop Jean Rouault of Rheon; in 1525, 1526, 1527, and 1528. In 1533, 1534, 1535, 1536, 1537, and 1539, Bishop Jean Olivier presided over a diocesan synod. Bishop Gabriel Bouvery held synods in 1540, 1541, 1542, 1543, 1544, 1547, 1551, 1552, 1554, 1558, and 1564; in 1565, he held a diocesan synod, warning pastors to reside in their parishes and carry out their canonical duties. Bishop Guillaume Ruzé held a diocesan synod at Pentecost 1586. Vicars of Bishop-elect Charles Miron held a diocesan synod in 1588, since he was only 18 years old when appointed in 1598, and too young to be ordained a priest or bishop; other synods were held in 1589, in 1594 and in 1595, 1598 and 1600. The synod of 1600 was particularly vigorous, with 26 canons, calling for clerical residence in their benefices, requiring preachers to warn against attending Protestant services, and demanding better education for the clergy. Other synods were held in 1601, in 1605, in 1606, in 1610, in 1612, in 1613, in 1614, and in 1615.
Bishop Guillaume Fouquet held a diocesan synod in 1617, and published extensive Statutes in French. Bishop Charles Miron held a synod in October 1622. Two synods were held by Bishop Claude de Rueil, in 1634 and 1637.
Bishop Henri Arnauld held a diocesan synod at Pentecost 1651. On each occasion of a synod, an address by the bishop preceded the publication of the statutes. All Arnaud's publications were in French. Another took place at Pentecost 1652. On 20 May 1652, Arnaud issued a separate ordonnance, forbidding residents of the diocese to enter taverns on Sunday, or to visit taverns and public fêtes on holy days while church services were in progress. He held another synod at Pentecost 1653, and at Pentecost 1654, the latter having 32 statutes. On 12 June 1654, Bishop Arnaud published a decree forbidding dueling; his strong stand brought a letter of thanks and appreciation from King Louis XIV. Another synod was held at Pentecost 1655, producing 19 statutes, and another in 1656, and again in 1657 with 21 statutes. There was another synod at Pentecost 1658, in 1659, in 1660, in 1661, in 1662, in 1663, in 1664, in 1665, in 1666, in 1667, in 1668, in 1669, in 1670, in 1671, in 1672, in 1673, in 1674, in 1675, in 1676, in 1677, in 1678, and in 1679.
Having returned from Paris, where he subscribed to a declaration of the French hierarchy in favor of Pope Clement XI's bull "Unigenitus", Bishop Michel Poncet de la Rivière held a diocesan synod on 16 May 1714, in which he preached a powerful denunciation of Jansenism. He held another synod on 28 May 1721, in which he mourned the passing of Pope Clement XI, who was strongly anti-Jansenist. Bishop Jean de Vaugirault, who had been Vicar-General of Angers, shortly after his appointment in January 1731 held a synod in which he re-enacted all the legislation of his predecessors. He was vigorously anti-Jansenist.
Bishop Guillaume-Laurent-Louis Angebault held diocesan synods in Angers in 1859, on 24–26 September 1861, and in 1863.
A provincial council, presided over by Archbishop Jean Bernardi of Tours, was held in Angers from 1–17 August 1448. It issued a set of 17 canons, mostly concerned with clerical discipline. Bishop Jean de Beauvau of Angers was not present.

Royal rights

In 1516, following the papal loss of the Battle of Marignano, Pope Leo X signed a concordat with King Francis I of France, removing the rights of all French entities which held the right to elect to a benefice, including bishoprics, canonicates, and abbeys, and granting the kings of France the right to nominate candidates to all these benefices, provided they be suitable persons, and subject to confirmation of the nomination by the pope. This removed the right of cathedral chapters to elect their bishop, or even to request the pope to name a bishop. The Concordat of Bologna was strongly protested by the University of Paris and by the Parliament of Paris. These benefices included all of the abbots and abbesses in the diocese of Angers.

Cathedral and churches

The earliest cathedral church in Angers is mentioned by Gregory of Tours. It burned in 473. A second church is associated with the name Dagobert or Pipin, which would seem to point to the 7th century. The second cathedral was in a ruinous state when Bishop Hubert de Vendôme, with the support of his parents, Vicount Hubert de Vendome and Emeline, rebuilt it; the third cathedral was dedicated on 16 August 1030. It had three naves, and two subsidiary naves. Less than two years later, on 27 September 1032, a major fire destroyed the city of Angers, including the cathedral, and, outside the walls, even destroyed most of the monastery of S. Aubin. The cathedral was rebuilt, though it did not get its stone vault until 1150. Bishop Ulger built the façade. Between 1125 and 1170, most of the old windows were replaced with stained glass. The choir was built in the last quarter of the 12th century. The left transept belongs to the 2nd quarter of the 13th century. A hurricane brought down the north tower in 1192.
The Cathedral of S. Maurice was administered and served by a corporation called the Chapter. It consisted of 8 dignities and 30 canons. The kings of France held by right the first of the canonicates. Among the canons were the abbot of S. Sergius and the abbot of Omnes Sancti. The Dean was elected by the Chapter, and confirmed by the archbishop of Tours. In 1334, Archbishop Stephen of Tours freed the Chapter from episcopal jurisdiction; in 1468, Pope Paul II did likewise.
In addition, there were seven collegiate churches inside the city of Angers, each served by a Chapter of canons: S. Jelianus, S. Laudus, S. Magnobodus, S. Martinus, S. Maurilius, S. Petrus, and Sanctissima Trinitas. There were twenty more collegiate churches elsewhere in the diocese.
In the Civil Constitution of the Clergy, the National Constituent Assembly abolished cathedral chapters, canonicates, prebends, chapters and dignities of collegiate churches, chapters of both secular and regular clergy of both sexes, and abbeys and priories whether existing under a Rule or in commendam.
The cathedral of S. Mauritius was still under the control of the Catholic clergy until 20 March 1791, when it was taken over by the Constitutional clergy. The Constitutionals used the cathedral until 11 November 1793, when the Constitutional Church was abolished and the cathedral became the Temple of Reason. From 8 June 1794 until 4 August 1795, it was the Temple of the Supreme Being. The Constitutional Church was restored and used the cathedral until 28 April 1798, when it became the Temple décadaire, a name which was employed until 8 August 1800, until the name was again changed, to Temple consecré aux fêtes nationales. In April 1802, Catholicism reclaimed its cathedral.