Diocese of Amiens

The Diocese of Amiens (Latin: Dioecesis Ambianensis; French: Diocèse d'Amiens) is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church in France. The diocese comprises the department of Somme, of which the city of Amiens is the capital. In 2022 it was estimated that there was one priest for every 6,916 Catholics in the diocese.

History

The diocese of Amiens was a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Reims during the old regime; it was made subordinate to the diocese of Paris under the Concordat of 1801, from 1802 to 1822; and then in 1822 it became a suffragan of Reims again.

Louis Duchesne denies any value to the legend of two Saints Firmin, honoured on the first and twenty-fifth of September, as the first and third Bishops of Amiens. The legend is of the 8th century and incoherent.Duchesne, Fastes III, pp. 122-124. Regardless of whether a St. Firmin, native of Pamplona, was martyred during the Diocletianic Persecution, it is certain that the first bishop known to history is St. Eulogius, who defended the divinity of Christ in the councils held during the middle of the 4th century.

Cathedral and churches The cathedral (13th century) is a Gothic building. It was the subject of careful study by John Ruskin in his Bible of Amiens. The nave of this cathedral is considered a type of the ideal Gothic.

Cathedral Chapter

The Cathedral of Notre Dame d'Amiens was served by a Chapter composed of eight dignities and forty-six Canons. The dignities were: the Dean, the Provost, the Chancellor, the Archdeacon of Amiens, the Archdeacon of Ponthieu, the Cantor, the Master of the Schola, and the Penitentiary. The Dean was elected by the Chapter.Pouillé, p. 1 (c. p. 323). In 1706 there were 9 dignities and 43 Canons: Ritzler-Sefrin, p. 81, note 1; VI, p. 79, note 1.

Churches

The city of Amiens also had a Collegiate Church of Saint-Firmin, whose Chapter was composed of a Dean and six prebendaries. All were elected by the Chapter and installed by the bishop. Saint-Nicolas-au-Cloître d'Amiens also had a Chapter, composed of a Dean and eight prebendaries, all elected by the Chapter and installed by the bishop.

The church of St. Acheul, near Amiens, and formerly its cathedral, was, in the 19th century, the home of a major Jesuit novitiate. The beautiful churches of St. Ricquier and Corbie William W.Kibler, William W.Clark, L. Gaillard, and J.Daoust, eds. Corbie, abbaye royale (Lille: Facultés Catholiques, 1963). perpetuate the memory of the great Benedictine abbeys and homes of learning founded in these places in 570 and 662.

In 859 the Normans invaded the valley of the Somme, and sacked the abbey of Saint-Riquier. They pillaged Amiens and held it for more than a year, until the city was ransomed by Charles the Bald.Soyez, pp. 27-28.

Bishops

There is a medieval list of the Bishops of Amiens, but it first appears in the work of Robert of Torigni in the second half of the 12th century, and its names before the 8th century are very uncertain.Duchesne, p. 123.

to 1000 [c. 300: Firminus,] first bishop, and martyr The episcopal list actually names two bishops Firminus, one after the other. [4th century: Firminus the Younger,] second bishop, and confessor c. 346: EulogiusBishop Eulogius was present at the Council of Cologne in 346. Duchesne, p. 127, no. 1. Carolus Munier, Concilia Galliae, A. 314 – A. 506 (Turnholt: Brepols 1963), p. 27. 5th century: Leodardus circa 450: Audoenus c. 511: EdibiusBishop Edibius was present at the Council of Orléans in 511. Duchesne, p. 127 no. 2. C. De Clercq, Concilia Galliae, A. 511 – A. 695 (Turnholt: Brepols 1963), p. 13. c. 549: BeatusBishop Beatus was present at the Council of Orléans in 549. Duchesne, p. 127 no. 3. C. De Clercq, Concilia Galliae, A. 511 – A. 695 (Turnholt: Brepols 1963), p. 160. [c. 554: Honoratus]Honoratus is known from a collection of miracle stories of the 11th century, and it dates him to the time of Pope Pelagius (555–560). The episcopal list puts him immediately after the second Firminus, and in Firminus' Legend he is associated with Pope Vigilius (537–555). Duchesne, p. 125. [circa 600: Salvius]Duchesne, p. 125: "Quant à S. Salvius, qui vient au quatrième rang sur la liste, le document biographique qui le concerne est un faux grossier." It is scarcely more than a reproduction of the chapter devoted to Saint Salvius of Albi by Gregory of Tours. c. 614: BerachundusBishop Berachundus participated in the Council of Paris in 614. Duchesne, p. 127 no. 4. C. De Clercq, Concilia Galliae, A. 511 – A. 695 (Turnholt: Brepols 1963), p. 282, line 202. c. 650: BertofredusBishop Bertofredus was present at the Council of Chalon-sur-Saone in 650. Duchesne, p. 127-128 no. 5. C. De Clercq, Concilia Galliae, A. 511 – A. 695 (Turnholt: Brepols 1963), p. 309, line 163. [circa 670: Thodefridus]Theodefrid was the first abbot of Corbie. There are two charters which mention the name of a bishop Theodefrid, one of Thierry III (whose authenticity has been questioned) and one of Bishop Aiglibert of Mans; but neither mentions the diocese of which he was bishop, and his name does not appear in Robert de Torigni's list of bishops of Amiens. Duchesne, p. 128 no. 6, with notes 2 and 3. 7th century: DeodatusDeodatus is only a name in the episcopal list. Sainte-Marthe, Gallia christiana X, p. 1156. Soyez, p. 20. 7th century: DadoDado is only a name in the episcopal list. Sainte-Marthe, Gallia christiana X, p. 1156. Soyez, p. 21. c. 692–c. 697: UrsinianusUrsinianus is named in two charters of King Clovis III, in 692 and 697. Sainte-Marthe, Gallia christiana X, p. 1156. Mioland, I, p. xxv. Soyez, p. 81. Duchesne, p. 128, no. 7. [c. 721: Dominicus]Dominicus is known only from a hagiographical account of the transfer of the remains of Saint Lambert at Liège in 721. Sainte-Marthe, Gallia christiana X, p. 1156. Mioland, I, p. xxvi. Soyez, p. 22. Duchesne, p. 128, no. 8, note 5, states that the document on which the story rests has no historical value (n'a aucune valeur). Acta Sanctorum Septembris Tomus V (Antwerp 1755), p. 553. before 728 – 746: ChristianusChristianus had been Abbot of Moustier Saint-Jean c. 713. He was elected Bishop of Amiens at a date unknown. He consecrated a virgin c. 728. He died in 746. Sainte-Marthe, Gallia christiana X, pp. 1156-1157. Mioland, I, p. xxv. Soyez, pp. 21-22. Duchesne, p. 128, no. 9. c. 748–768: RaimbertusBishop Rimbertus was the addressee of a letter of Pope Zacharias in 748. He died on 25 February 767 (i.e. 768). Sainte-Marthe, Gallia christiana X, p. 1157. Mioland, I, p. xxvi. Soyez, p. 22. Duchesne, p. 128, no. 10. c. 777?: VitultusThree sources agree that nothing is known about Bishop Vitulfus except the date of his death, 777, which contradicts the information on Bishop Georgius. But none of the three provides a reference for the fact. Sainte-Marthe, Gallia christiana X, p. 1157. Mioland, I, pp. xxv-xxvi. Soyez, p. 22. Duchesne, p. 128, no. 11, calls him Ailulfus, quoting (p. 122) the episcopal list, but without a date. c. 769–798/799: GeorgiusGeorgius was bishop of Ostia, and had been in France with Pope Stephen II in 754. In February 756 he was dispatched by Pope Stephen II to France to beg help from the Franks against the Lombard King Aistulf, who was besieging Rome. Georgius was still in France in March 757. He was back in Rome at the beginning of the reign of Pope Paul I, who sent him as ambassador to Pipin again in the Spring of 758 (or 759); he was still at the royal court in June 761. At some point between 764 and 766 Pepin requested that Bishop George of Ostia stay in France at the royal court, and the Pope again granted his request (iam iterum concedit). On 28 June 767 the new Pope, Constantine II, was consecrated by Bishop George of Palestrina, a privilege usually reserved to the Bishop of Ostia. In 769 he was present at the Council of Rome, as the Bishop of Amiens. In 782 he was sent on a mission to Pope Hadrian by Charlemagne. He took part in the consecration of the churches at Saint-Riquier on 1 January 798. Sainte-Marthe, Gallia christiana X, p. 1157. Duchesne, Les fastes III, p. 127, no. 12. c. 799–831: JesseBishop Jesse is known to have consecrated an altar in the church of the monastery of Centule in September 799. He accompanied Pope Leo III in his return to Rome, and was present for the coronation of Charlemagne on Christmas Day, 800. In 831 at an Assembly held at Aix-la-Chapelle by Louis the Pious, Bishop Jesse was canonically deposed from his bishopric. An attempt to restore him on the part of Archbishop Ebbo of Reims failed. He died in Italy at the court of King Lothaire on 31 August 836. Sainte-Marthe, Gallia christiana X, p. 1157-1158. Mioland, pp. xxvi-xxvii. Soyez, pp. 23-25. Duchesne, p. 129 no. 13. 830–833, 834–849: Ragenar 849–872: HilmeradHilmeradus was elected Bishop of Amiens in June 849, at the command of King Charles the Bald. Lupus of Ferrieres wrote to Archbishop Hincmar of Reims that, although Hilmeradus was lacking somewhat in erudition, he would be agreeable to the policies of Hincmar. Hilmeradus attended the council of Paris in November 849, in 859 at that of Savonières, in 860 at Tufey (Toul), in 861 at Poissy, in 863 at Verberie, in 866 at Verberie, and again at Verberie in 869. In 871 he sent a proxy to the council of Douzy (Reims). He died in 872. Sainte-Marthe, Gallia christiana X, p. 1159. Mioland, pp. xxviii-xxix. Soyez, pp. 26-28. c. 875: GeroldusGeroldus was present at the Council of Chalons in 875, and the Assembly of Pontion in 876. It was in the episcopacy of Bishop Geroldus, in 875, that the income of the Cathedral-Monastery was separated into the income (mensa) of the bishop and the income of the Canons. In 881 the Normans destroyed Amiens. He died in 881 or 891. Sainte-Marthe, Gallia christiana X, pp. 1159-1160. Mioland, p. xxix. Soyez, p. 28. c. 892–928: OtgariusOtgarius had been Dean and Canon of Saint-Quentin (Vermand). The Chronicle of Corbie makes him bishop of Amiens by 892. He was present at the consecration of Archbishop Hervé of Reims in 900. He sent a procurator to the Council of Reims in 923. Flodoard, the chronicler of Reims, places his death in 928. Sainte-Marthe, Gallia christiana X, p. 1160. Mioland, pp. xxix-xxx. Soyez, pp. 28-29. c. 929–947: DeroldusDeroldus had received medical training, and was part of the entourage of Louis, son of Charles the Simple, who became Louis IV of France in 936. He became Bishop of Amiens in 929, and was present at the Council of Soissons in 941. He was present at an Assembly at Laon on 10 April 947. He died in 947. Sainte-Marthe, Gallia christiana X, pp. 1160-1161. Mioland, p. xxx. Soyez, pp. 30-31. [947: Thibault] (Intrusus)In 947, following the death of Bishop Deroldus, the electors at Amiens chose Ragembaldus, Abbot of Saint-Valery, as their bishop. Hugh, Count of Paris, however, who was at war with Louis IV, wanted a loyal supporter in the bishopric of Amiens, and had his nephew, Archbishop Hugh of Reims, consecrate a deacon of the Church of Soissons named Thibault as bishop of Amiens. Archbishop Hugh himself had been deposed from the archbishopric of Reims. He was deposed by the Papal Legate at the Council of Trier in 947, and with the aid of the Count of Flanders, a supporter of Louis IV, the Amienois drove Thibault out of Amiens in 949. Sainte-Marthe, Gallia christiana X, p. 1161. Mioland, pp. xxx-xxxi. Soyez, pp. 31-32. from c. 949: RagembaldusRagembaldus had been chosen bishop in 947, but had been excluded from Amiens, but had been excluded by the actions of Hugh of Paris, his nephew Archbishop Hugh, and his follower Count Roger of Amiens. After Thibault was deposed and expelled, Ragembaldus was consecrated by Archbishop Artoldus. The date of the end of his episcopacy is unknown. Sainte-Marthe, Gallia christiana X, p. 1161. Mioland, pp. xxx-xxxi. Soyez, pp. 31-32.