The former French Catholic diocese of Saint-Pons-de-Thomières existed from 1317Gabriel Chow, GCatholic-org, Diocese of Saint-Pons-de-Thomières, France., retrieved: 2017-06-03. until the French Revolution. Its see at Saint-Pons-de-Thomières in southern France is in the modern department of Hérault. There was the Abbey of St-Pons, founded in 936 by Raymond, Count of Toulouse, who brought there the monks of St-Géraud d'Aurillac.Georges Goyau, "Montpellier," The Catholic Encyclopedia Vol. 10 (New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911); retrieved: 2017-06-03.

By the Concordat of 1801, the territory of the diocese was added to that of the archdiocese of Montpellier.

History

In the summer of 1317 Pope John XXII began a major reform of the diocesan structure of the Church in the Midi of France, with a view to combatting the Albigensian heresy. The very extensive diocese of Toulouse was separated out into five additional dioceses, with Toulouse as the Metropolitan (Lavaur, Lombez, Mirepoix, Rieux, and Saint-Papoul); Montauban was created out of the territory of Cahors and assigned to Toulouse. Clermont had the diocese of Saint-Flour carved out of its territory. Albi had Castres separated out. Périgueux was divided for the new diocese of Sarlat. Poitiers lost Luçon and Maillezais. Rodez was divided and Vabres created. Limoges had the diocese of Tulle carved out. Agen was split to created Condom. Narbonne was divided up to create Alet (originally planned as Limoux) and Saint-Pons-de-Thomières, with Narbonne as the Metropolitan.

The diocese was extremely small, containing around fifty parishes, scattered around a territory which was almost completely rural.Gallia christiana VI, p. 223. There were only two monasteries in the diocese, the Benedictine abbey of Saint-Chinian, and the Premonstratensian abbey of Fontcaude. There was also a convent of Récollets.Jean, p. 277. In 1713 the episcopal seat of Saint-Pons contained some 2000 inhabitants, a number which had not increased by 1770.Ritzler-Sefrin, V, p. 319, note 1; VI, p. 343, note 1.

As at Maillezais and Alet (and others) Saint-Pons was founded where there was a monastery with a large church available to be used as a cathedral. The abbot of the monastery was named the first bishop, and the monks of the monastery were named the canons of the cathedral chapter. At Saint-Pons, the last abbot of Saint-Pons-de-Thomières, Pierre Roger, became the first bishop of the diocese of Saint-Pons-de-Thomières. In the new chapter, there was an archdeacon, an aumonier, a precentor and eleven other canons. There was also a theologus, who, however, did not enjoy the status of a canon. The archdeacon was elected by the canons and installed by the bishop. The canons were appointed by the bishop.Gallia christiana VI, p. 223.

In 1567 Saint-Pons-de-Thomières was attacked by the Huguenots under the leadership of the Vicomte de Saint-Amans, and the cathedral was profaned. The attached monastery was reduced to rubble.Fisquet, p. 579. The convent of women in the suburb of Saint-Magdelaine was also attacked, and though they managed to escape, the buildings were destroyed by the Huguenots.Fisquet, p. 541.

In 1790 the diocese was suppressed by the National Constituent Assembly of the French government in the Civil Constitution of the Clergy. It was one of more than fifty dioceses in France that were deemed to be redundant. The Constituent Assembly intended that the Church should be brought under control of the State, and therefore it proclaimed that ecclesiastical dioceses should have the same territorial boundaries as the new eighty-three civil 'départements' which had just been created. Priests and bishops were to be salaried officials of the State, and elected by the 'electors' of their parish or diocese. The territory of Saint-Pons was subsumed into the new 'departement' and the new diocese of Hérault, with its headquarters at Montpellier, in the 'Metropole des Côtes de la Méditerranée'. The Bishop of Saint-Pons was also redundant, and rather than continue as a priest by taking the oath to the Civil Constitution, Bishop Louis-Henri de Bruyére de Chalabre fled the country; he died in London in 1795.Jean, p. 277. On 27 February 1791 the electors of the diocese of Hérault (who did not have to be Catholics, or even Christians) met and elected as their bishop Father Dominique Pouderous, curé of the church of Saint-Pons-de-Thomières, who was consecrated a 'Constitutional Bishop' in Paris on 3 April 1791. Bishop Pouderous was unwelcome in Montpellier, however, and had to take up residence in Béziers. During the Terror, Pouderous took refuge in Saint-Pons-de-Thomières, while most of his clergy resigned their functions. Back in Béziers, he died on 10 April 1799. A new bishop, Alexandre-Victor Rouanet, was elected in April and consecrated in November 1799. He too had been a priest of Saint-Pons-de-Thomières, and, after the Concordat of 1801, when his services were no longer wanted, he retired to Saint-Pons-de-Thomières, where he died unrepentant in 1821.

After the signing of the Concordat of 1801 with First Consul Napoleon Bonaparte, the diocese of Saint-Pons de Thomières was not revived, but abolished by Pope Pius VII in his bull Qui Christi Domini of 29 November 1801. Ritzler-Sefrin, VI, p. 343, note 1.

Bishops

Pierre Roger (19 April 1318 – 1324)Pierre Roger was the son of Pierre Roger, Seigneur de Rosiers. He had been Abbot of Saint-Pons-de-Thomières since at least 1311. He is last heard of as Bishop of Saint-Pons in a document dated 18 December 1323. His date of death is unknown. Gallia christiana VI, pp. 236–237. Fisquet, pp. 539–540; 543. G. de Lesquen (1905), Jean XXII (1316–1334): Lettres communes, p. 135, no. 6984. Raymond d'Apremont de Roquecorne (21 November 1324 – 1345)Raymond had been the first bishop of Sarlat (1318–1324), which was a See lacking in financial resources. After six and a half years of struggle, Raymond demanded and received a transfer. Gallia christiana VI, pp. 237–238. Fisquet, pp. 543–546 (conjecturing a date of death of 15 September 1344). Eubel, I, pp. 405–406 (giving a date of death of 1345); 436. Étienne d'Audebrand or de Chamberet (13 February 1346 – 14 August 1348)Stephanus Aldebrandi Cambaruti was Treasurer General of the Holy Roman Church. On 11 January 1347 he was named Chamberlain of Pope Clement VI, and was reappointed by Pope Innocent VI. On 7 January 1349 Bishop Étienne was named Archbishop of Arles (1348–1350), and then Archbishop of Toulouse. He died on 25 March 1361. Fisquet, pp. 546–547. C. Samaran and G. Mollat, La fiscalité pontificale en France au XIVe siècle (Paris 1905), p. 168. Eubel, I, p. 103, 406. Gilbert de Mandegaches (14 August 1348 – 30 January 1353)Guibert de Mandegaches had been a papal chaplain and Archdeacon of Béziers (attested in 1343). He was transferred to the diocese of Gap on 30 January 1353. Fisquet, pp. 547–548. Eubel, I, pp. 406. 514. Pierre de Canillac (30 January 1353 – 29 January 1361)Pierre's mother was a sister of Cardinal Bertrand de Deaulx, and Pierre's niece was married to Pope Innocent VI's brother; his brother Raymond was a cardinal. In 1348 he became Abbot of Montmajour-lès-Arles. He was named to the diocese of Saint-Pons on 30 January 1353 by Pope Innocent VI. On 29 January 1361 he was transferred to the diocese of Maguelonne. He died on 7 July 1361. Eubel, I, pp. 203, 320, 406. Jean de Rochechouart (29 January 1361 – 30 May 1382)Jean de Rochechouart was the second son of Jean, Vicomte de Rochechouart, royal councilor and Chamberlain of John II of France. He had previously been Archdeacon of Hannonia (Hainault) in the diocese of Cambrai, and then Bishop of Couserans (1358–1361). He was transferred to the diocese of Saint-Pons by Pope Innocent VI on 29 January 1361. On 30 May 1382 he was transferred to the diocese of Bourges by Clement VII (Avignon Obedience), and on 17 October 1390 to the diocese of Arles. He died on 13 December 1398. Fisquet, pp. 548–550. Eubel, I, pp. 103, 139, 203, 406. Dominique de Florence, O.P. (30 May 1382 – 24 October 1392)Dominique had been confessor of Cardinal Robert of Geneva, who became Pope Clement VII on 20 September 1378 at Fondi. Pope Clement appointed Dominique Bishop of Albi on 18 May 1379, and then on 30 May 1382 Bishop of Saint-Pons. He was sent as legate to John I of Castile, where he successfully brought about a reconciliation with the Avignon Papacy and removed the King's excommunication; he also managed to broker a peace between the King of Castile and the King of France, concluded on 27 May 1391. On 24 October 1392 Dominique was transferred back to the diocese of Albi. He participated in the Council of Pisa in 1409. On 24 August 1410 he was named Archbishop of Toulouse by Pope John XXIII. He died on 17 March 1422. Fisquet, pp. 550–552. Eubel, I, pp. 81, 406, 488. Aimon Séchal (10 February 1393 – 5 November 1397) (Administrator)Aimo was Patriarch of Jerusalem. On 10 February 1393 he was named Administrator of the diocese of Saint-Pons. Fisquet, pp. 553–554. Eubel, I, p. 406. Pierre Ravot, (5 November 1397 – 1409)Pierre Ravot (or de Rabat), an Augustinian canon, Doctor of Canon Law and papal Referendary (judge), had been Chancellor of the Church of Toulouse, and then Bishop of Mâcon from 1395 to 1397 (an appointee of Benedict XIII). In 1402 Benedict quashed the election of Vital de Castelmoron to the archbishopric of Toulouse, and appointed Pierre Ravot instead. Pierre Ravot was sent to Rome by Benedict XIII (Avignon Obedience) in September 1404, in anticipation of the death of Boniface IX (Roman Obedience) to try to end the schism; his intemperate behavior doomed the embassy. In November 1406 Ravot's supporters attempted to install him by force in Toulouse. Excommunications were imposed from both sides, and the Parliament of Paris intervened by confiscating all of their goods. In January 1408 King Charles VI of France drove Ravot out of Toulouse. Benedict XIII made Ravot a cardinal on 22 September 1408. On 21 October 1408 the National Council of France, meeting in Paris, declared Ravot a heretic and schismatic, and revoked all the benefices which he held from Benedict XIII. Ravot was driven out of both Toulouse and Saint-Pons. Pope Alexander V, who had been elected by the cardinals of both obediences after the claimants to the papal throne had been deposed by the Council of Pisa, invalidated the election of Ravot to the archbishopric of Toulouse and provided bulls for Castelmoron. Fisquet, pp. 554–558. Eubel, I, pp. 30 no. 10; 331; 406. Geoffroi de Pompadour (17 February 1410 – 17 October 1420)After the deposition of Pierre Ravot on 21 October 1408, King Charles VI authorized the Chapter of Saint-Pons to elect a new bishop. On 16 February 1409, Geoffroy de Pompadour was elected, but only with a plurality, and the election was contested. Archbishop François de Conzié of Narbonne appointed his Vicar General to settle the matter, and on 15 March he declared Geoffroy elected. An appeal to the Pope was lodged, though Geoffroy was consecrated a bishop on 9 June 1409 by Bishop Pierre Saupin of Bazas, acting for Archbishop Conzié. He is first mentioned as a bishop in the papal registers on 12 February 1410. Geoffroy was transferred to the diocese of Carcassonne by Pope Martin V on 17 October 1420. Fisquet, pp. 558–559. Eubel, I, p. 406 with notes 7 and 8. Aimon de Nicolai, O.P. (14 March 1421 – 12 June 1422)A native of Aix, Avinio (Aimo, Aimon, Aimar) de Nicolai had been Provincial of his Order. He was named Bishop of Senez (1390). On 3 July 1422 he was named Archbishop of Aix. He died on 15 June 1443. Fisquet, pp. 560–561. Eubel, I, pp. 406 with note 9; 445.