Roman Catholic Diocese of Digne

"Bishop of Digne" redirects here. For the character in Les Misérables, see Bishop Myriel.
Diocese of Digne-Riez-Sisteron
Dioecesis Diniensis-Reiensis-Sistariensis
Diocèse de Digne-Riez-Sisteron

Location
Country France
Ecclesiastical province Marseille
Metropolitan Archdiocese of Marseille
Statistics
Area 6,986 km2 (2,697 sq mi)
Population
- Total
- Catholics
(as of 2006)
139,523
96,271 (69%)
Information
Denomination Roman Catholic
Rite Roman Rite
Established United: 15 February 1916
Cathedral Cathedral of St Jerome
Patron saint Saint Domnin
Saint Vincent of Digne
Current leadership
Pope Francis
Bishop Jean-Philippe Nault
Metropolitan Archbishop Georges Pontier
Emeritus Bishops Edmond-Marie-Henri Abelé Bishop Emeritus (1980-1987)
François-Xavier Loizeau Bishop Emeritus (1997-2014)
Website
Website of the Diocese

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Digne, is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic church in France. Erected in the 4th century as the Diocese of Digne, the diocese is now known as the Diocese of Digne, Riez and Sisteron, since 1922. The diocese comprises the entire department of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, in the Region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. The diocese used to be a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Aix until 2002, but is now a suffragan of Marseille. The bishops are seated at Digne-les-Bains, in Digne Cathedral.

Extent

By the Concordat of 1801, this diocese was made to include the two departments of the Hautes-Alpes and the Basses-Alpes, in addition to the former Diocese of Digne, the Archdiocese of Embrun, the dioceses of Gap, Sisteron and Senez, a very considerable part of the dioceses of Glandèves and Riez, and fourteen parishes in the Archdiocese of Aix and the Diocese of Apt. In 1822 Gap was made an episcopal see and, thus divested of the department of the Hautes Alpes, the present Diocese of Digne covers the territory formerly included in the Dioceses of Digne, Senez, Glandèves, Riez and Sisteron.

History

The former diocese of Digne was evangelized by Saints Domninus and Vincentius who came from North Africa in the second half of the fourth century with Saint Marcellinus, the Apostle of Embrun. It is not certain that they were bishops. The first historically known bishop was Pentadius who attended the Council of Agde in 506.

List of Bishops

Pre-Revolutionary Bishops

List of bishops since 1802

Notes

  1. His kindness was proverbial, and he was the original of "Bishop Myriel" in Victor Hugo's Les Misérables: the character is even given the nickname "Monsignor Bienvenue".

Sources

Coordinates: 44°05′29″N 6°14′11″E / 44.09139°N 6.23639°E