Roman Catholic Diocese of Agen

Diocese of Agen
Dioecesis Agennensis
Diocèse d'Agen

Location
Country France
Ecclesiastical province Bordeaux
Metropolitan Archdiocese of Bordeaux
Statistics
Area 5,384 km2 (2,079 sq mi)
Population
- Total
- Catholics
(as of 2012)
337,500
202,000 (59.9%)
Parishes 194
Information
Denomination Roman Catholic
Rite Roman Rite
Established 4th Century
Cathedral Cathedral of Saint Caprais of Agen
Deacon and Martyr Saint Stephen
Secular priests 61
Current leadership
Pope Francis
Bishop Hubert Herbreteau
Metropolitan Archbishop Cardinal Jean-Pierre Ricard
Website
Website of the Diocese

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Agen is a Latin Rite Roman Catholic diocese in France.[1][2]

The diocese comprises the Département of Lot and Garonne, in the Region of Aquitaine. It has been successively suffragan to the archdioceses of Bordeaux (under the old regime), Toulouse (1802–22), and Bordeaux again (since 1822).[3]

Legends which do not antedate the ninth century concerning Saint Caprasius, martyred with St. Fides by Dacianus, Prefect of the Gauls, during the persecution of Diocletian, and the story of Vincentius, a Christian martyr (written about 520), furnish no foundation for later traditions which make these two saints early bishops of Agen.

Bishops

The first bishop of Agen known to history is St. Phoebadius or Phébade, friend of St. Hilary, who published (in 357) a treatise against the Arians and figured prominently at the Council of Rimini in 359.

Cathedral

Agen Cathedral was formerly the church of St. Caprasius, and is a splendid specimen of Romance architecture, dating from the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. It was made the cathedral in place of the church of St. Etienne, which was unfortunately destroyed during the French Revolution.

References

  1. Diocese of Agen -
  2. Official website (in French)
  3. The Diocese of Agen - Catholic Encyclopedia article

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

Coordinates: 44°12′25″N 0°37′10″E / 44.20694°N 0.61944°E / 44.20694; 0.61944

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