The former French Catholic diocese of Alet (Lat.: Electensis) was created in 1317 from territory formerly in the diocese of Narbonne. The diocese continued until the French Revolution when it was suppressed by the Concordat of 1801.Alet (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Alet-les-Bains is located in south-west France, in the current department of Aude. The diocese was divided between: diocese of Carcassonne (to which the bishopric was formally attached) the diocese of Toulouse and the diocese of Perpignan.

History

In 1317, Pope John XXII engaged in a major restructuring of the episcopal organization of southern and western France. The diocese of Narbonne was very large, and it was deemed advisable to separate off the western part, the Archdeaconry of Alet, and erect it into a separate diocese. The papal bull, Sane Considerantes, issued on 20 August 1317, envisioned the creation of the new diocese with its seat at Limoux, and the promotion of the Church of Saint-Martin into a cathedral. In the next few months, however, Pope John changed his mind. On 28 (or 18) February 1318, he revoked his previous arrangements and named Alet as the site of the new bishopric; and on 1 March 1318 he appointed Bartholomaeus, the Abbot of the Monastery of Alet, and a papal nuncio, as the new bishop.Bartholomeus' bull of appointment is given in Gallia christiana VI, Instrumenta, pp. 117–118. His Abbey of Notre-Dame d'Alet, which followed the Rule of Saint Benedict, became the cathedral of the diocese, and its monks became Canons of the cathedral chapter. In erecting the new diocese, Pope John transferred eighty parishes from the diocese of Narbonne to Alet.Devic and Vassete, Histoire general de Languedoc IV, p. 422.

The Cathedral of Alet was served by a Chapter, composed of twelve canons. The dignities were: the Dean, the Archdeacon, the Treasurer and the Precentor. There were sixteen beneficiaries. The Chapter had the right, granted by the Papacy, to elect the bishop of Alet. The Chapter was secularized on 17 November 1531 by the papal bulla Ad Exequendum of Pope Clement VII, at the request of Bishop Guillaume de Joyeuse and at the suggestion of King Francis I. The Pope explained in the bull that the problem was twofold: the number of people seeking to become monks had greatly decreased; and the financial situation of the Chapter had severely deteriorated. At the beginning the money was sufficient to supply the needs of thirty or more monks, but in 1531 it could scarcely support seven or eight. The priories which had belonged to the Chapter had gradually been appropriated by the bishop who appointed commendatory abbots and priors, causing money to be directed away from the monastic foundations. In addition the coldness of the weather and the frequent wars, with plundering and pillaging, had diminished regular revenues. The present income could satisfy the requirements for secular dignities and canons, but could not support the entire monastic establishment. Gallia christiana VI, Instrumenta, pp. 117–118. In order to place the finances of the new secular chapter on a firm footing, the Pope ordered the suppression of a number of priories in several dioceses: Notre-Dame de Peyran et de Rupefort, S. Valerius, de Varilles, de Exchalabria, and de Rupifera (all Benedictine houses); many of these were being held in commendam, but all were placed at the disposal of the Chapter.Gallia christiana VI, Instrumenta, pp. 119 and 121.

Pope John XXII also secularized one of the monasteries in the new diocese, Saint Paul de Fenouillèdes, converting it into a Collegiate Church, administered by a Chapter composed of three dignitaries, twelve Canons and thirty semi-prebends. There were three other abbeys in the diocese: Saint Jacques de Jocou, Saint Martin de Lys and Saint Pierre.Devic and Vassete, Histoire general de Languedoc IV, p. 422. Forest, p. 78.

The diocese was suppressed by the National Constituent Assembly in the Civil Constitution of the Clergy in 1790. The territory of the diocese of Alet was incorporated into a new (republican) 'Constitutional Diocese', the Diocese of Aude, which was coterminous with the new administrative Département de l'Aude (named after a river); the new diocese included 565 parishes which had been part of the (arch)dioceses of Narbonne, Carcassonne, Alet, Saint-Papoul and Mirepoix. The headquarters of the diocese was to be Narbonne, and the Metropolitan of the Metropolitanate of the 'Métropole du Sud' was to be in Toulouse.

After the signing of the Concordat of 1801 with First Consul Napoleon Bonaparte, the diocese of Alet was not revived, but abolished by Pope Pius VII in his bull Qui Christi Domini of 29 November 1801. Ritzler-Sefrin, VI, p. 206, note 1.

Bishops

1318–1333 ?: Barthélemy, O.S.B., Abbot Sainte-Marie d'AletOn 1 June 1318, immediately after his installation as Bishop of Alet, Barthélemy was sent by Pope John XXII to Lithuania, to evangelize King Gedeminnus, at the king's request. In 1319 he sat as an assessor on the bench of bishops who tried Bernard Delicieux. Barthélemy is last heard of in 1329. Gallia christiana VI, p. 274-275. Gams, p. 486 column 1. Eubel, I, p. 236. 1333-†1355 : Guillaume (I) d'Alzonne, O.S.B., Abbot of la Grasse 1355-†1363 : Guillame (II), O.S.B., Abbot of Sendras 1363-†1385 : Arnaud de VillarsArnaud had previously been bishop of Mirepoix (1361–1363). He was appointed Bishop of Alet on 5 July 1363 by Pope Urban V. He participated in the provincial council at Narbonne in April 1374. Gallia christiana VI, p. 276. Gams, p. 486 column 1. Eubel, I, pp. 236, 344. 1385–1386 : Cardinal Pierre Aycelin de Montaigut (Administrator)Petrus de Monteacuto: Eubel, I, p. 237 with note 4. 1386–1390 : Robert du Bosc (Avignon Obedience)Robert du Bosc, a native of the Auvergne, had been Abbot of Bourg-Dieu (diocese of Bourges). He was appointed Bishop of Alet by Clement VII on 15 June 1386. He was transferred to the diocese of Couserans on 27 May 1390, and then to the diocese of Mende on 17 October 1390. He died c. 1408. Eubel, I, pp. 203, 287, 342. 1390-†1420 : Henri (I) Bayler (Avignon Obedience)Henri, who had been elected to the diocese of Constance, was previously Bishop of Valence (1388–1390). Even after the Council of Constance, where Pope Martin V was elected, Henri Bayler followed the obedience of Benedict XIII. Gallia christiana VI, p. 276-277. Eubel, I, p. 237 with note 6; 513. 1421–1441 : Pierre (II) Assalbit, O.E.S.A.Pierre Assalbit was a native of Limoges and a nephew of Bishop Pierre Amielh de Brénac. Assalbit was previously bishop of Oleron (1418–1419), then bishop of Condom (1419–1421). Gallia christiana VI, p. 277-278. Eubel, I, p. 202, 287, 377. 1441–1442 : Antoine de Saint-ÉtienneGams, p.486. He is not recognized by Eubel. 1443–1447 : Pierre (III)Gams, p.486. He is not recognized by Eubel. 1448–1454 : Élie de PompadourPompadour was elected on 18/19 February 1447, and issued his bulls on 24 January 1448. He was transferred to the diocese of Viviers on 29 November 1454. Gallia christiana VI, pp. 278–279. Eubel, II, pp. 149, 296. 1454–1455 : Louis d'Aubusson, O.S.B.Louis had been Abbot of Villa Dei. He received papal approval on 4 (or 2) December 1454. He was elected Bishop of Tulle, in succession to his deceased brother Hugh (died September 1455), and was granted papal bulls on 17 December 1455. Gallia christiana VI, pp. 278–279. Eubel, II, pp. 149, 259 with notes 1,2,3. 1455–1460 : Ambroise de Cameraco, Abbot of Saint-Germain-des-Prés 1461-†1468 : Antoine (I) Gobert 1468-†1486 : Guillaume (III.) Oliva 1487–1488 : Pierre (III) HallwynHallwyn was a cleric of the diocese of Thérouanne, Master of Arts, and a Protonotary Apostolic. He was confirmed as bishop of Alet on 21 November 1487. He resigned in 1488. Gallia christiana VI, p. 280. Eubel, II, p. 149. 1489-†1508 : Guillaume (IV.) de Rupe, Abbot of Montolieu [Jean Dupuy, Abbot of Saint-Tibéry]In the election following the death of Bishop Guillaume de Rupe, the Chapter elected Jean Dupuy and he was confirmed by the Metropolitan; he then refused the election. The Chapter then elected Pierre Raymond. But Dupuy reconsidered, and wanted to be confirmed as bishop. His desire was opposed by the King, who prevailed upon Pope Julius II to confirm Pierre Raymond, which the Pope did, on 7 July 1508. Jean Dupuy never received either the temporalities or the spiritualities of the Diocese of Alet. He maintained his pretensions until 1511, when he had to resign them in order to have his election to a new term as Abbot of Saint-Tibéry confirmed by the Papacy. Lasserre, p. 99. Eubel, III, p. 191. notes 2 and 3. 1508–1523 : Pierre (IV.) Raymond de Guiert, Abbot of Sorèze 1524–1540 : Guillaume (V.) de Joyeuse 1541–1559 : Guillaume VI. de JoyeuseGuillaume was the second son of Jean de Joyeuse, Seigneur de Saint-Sauveur, and Françoise de Voisins, baronne d'Arques. An agreement was drawn up between Bishop Guillaume de Joyeuse and his nephew of the same name, that the Bishop would renounce his diocese in favor of his nephew, who was only seventeen years old. The agreement was presented to Pope Paul III, who ratified it and granted Guillaume junior his bulls on 28 January 1541. For the next ten years the diocese was governed by the uncle, as Administrator. Guillaume junior never entered holy orders. In 1559 he attempted to arrange a resignation in favor of François de Lestrange, which was discussed by the Pope in consistory on 7 April 1559, but not finalized; it was brought up again on 17 April, but not agreed to, there being opposition. When his elder brother died, Guillaume junior renounced the clerical state, married, had three sons (one of whom became the Cardinal de Joyeuse), and became a Marshal of France. Gallia christiana VI, p. 282. Lasserre, p. 99. Eubel, III, p. 191 with note 7. 1560-†1564 : François de LestrangeLestrange (also called Lestang) was the son of Louis de Lestrange, vicomte de Ohaylane, baron de Vézénobre, and was an Aumonier of King Charles IX. François was nominated by King Francis II of France, and confirmed by Pope Pius IV on 26 January 1560. He died c. August-September 1560. Eubel, III, p. 191 with note 9. 1565–1572? : Antoine (II.) DaxAntonius Dax (d'Acqs) was one of three brothers, sons of Jean Dax, Seigneur de Leuc, de la Serpente, du Lion, d'Axat, et d'Argibues. Antoine had been a Canon and Precentor of the Cathedral Chapter, and was Abbot of Saint-Polycarpe (diocese of Narbonne) from 1529 to 1565. He served as Grand Vicar for Cardinal Charles de Bourbon-Vendôme, who was Bishop of Carcassonne 1546-1552. He was elected Bishop of Alet on 26 September 1564, and confirmed on 8 June 1565 by Pope Pius IV. Lasserre, p. 142, states that Dax died in 1572, and that, due to the Huguenots having destroyed the cathedral and driven off the Canons, an election could not be held for some time. Eubel, III, p. 193 note 11, points out that he was already a septuagenarian when appointed to the diocese of Alet on 8 June 1565, and that a successor was not appointed until 1594, there must have been a long sede vacante. Gallia christiana VI, p. 282. (1572–1594) : Sede VacanteLasserre, p. 142, refers to a document from the Archives indicating that Cardinal François de Joyeuse, Archbishop of Narbonne (1581–1588) and Metropolitan of the diocese of Alet, served as Apostolic Administrator. The Papal Nuncio to France, Antonio Salviati, wrote in 1575 that the See of Alet had been vacant for a long time: [1594–1603 : Christophe de L'Estang]De l'Estang had previously been a priest of the diocese of Bordeaux and then bishop of Lodève (1580–1603). He received papal approval for transfer to the diocese of Alet on 5 September 1594, but he did not take possession of the diocese of Alet. He was therefore considered to still be the Bishop of Lodève, and was transferred to the diocese of Carcassonne on 26 May 1603. Gallia christiana VI, p. 282. Gauchat, Hierarchia catholica IV, pp. 181 with note 2.