Digne (-Riez-Sisteron) (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

François-Xavier Jacques Marie Loizeau, Bishop
Edmond-Marie-Henri Abelé, Bishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
United: 15 February 1916
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Marseille
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: France
Square Kilometers: 6,986 (2,698 Square Miles)
Conference Region: Provence-Méditerranée
Official Web Site: http://catho04.cef.fr/
Mailing Address: Eveche, 18 bl. Soustre, B.P. 67, 04002 Digne CEDEX, France
Telephone: 4.92.31.32.90
Fax: 4.92.32.21.13

Historical Details

Diocese of Digne
- Latin Name: Diniensis
- Erected: 4th Century
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Embrun
- Country: France

Past and Present Ordinaries

Raphaël de Bologne † (Feb 1628 Appointed - 14 Apr 1664 Died)
Toussaint de Forbin-Janson † (14 May 1664 Succeeded - 27 Jan 1668 Appointed, Bishop of Marseille)
Jean-Armand de Rotondy de Biscarras † ( 1668 Appointed - 1669 Appointed, Bishop of Lodève)
Jean de Vintimille du Luc † (21 Sep 1670 Ordained Bishop - 1675 Appointed, Bishop of Toulon)
Henri-Félix de Tassy † ( 1675 Appointed - 1678 Appointed, Bishop of Chalons-sur-Saône)
François Letellier † ( 1677 Appointed - 11 Feb 1708 Died)
Henri du Puget † (7 Apr 1708 Appointed - 22 Jan 1728 Died)
Antoine-Joseph-Amable Feydeau † (1 Nov 1728 Appointed - 3 Dec 1741 Died)
Paul de Ribeyre † (2 Apr 1742 Appointed - 12 May 1742 Appointed, Bishop of Saint-Flour)
Jean-Louis du Lau d'Allemans † (29 May 1742 Appointed - 15 Sep 1746 Died)
Louis-Sextius de Jarente de La Bruyère † ( 1746 Appointed - 29 Jan 1758 Appointed, Bishop of Orléans)
Pierre-Paul du Quaylar (Caylar) † (2 Feb 1758 Appointed - 1783 Resigned)
François Mouchet de Villedieu † (2 Feb 1784 Appointed - 1801 Resigned)
Irénée-Yves Desolle (Dessole) † (29 Apr 1802 Appointed - 30 Jan 1805 Appointed, Bishop of Chambéry)
François-Melchior-Charles-Bienvenu de Miollis † (28 Aug 1805 Appointed - 31 Aug 1838 Retired)
Marie-Dominique-Auguste Sibour † (28 Sep 1839 Appointed - 10 Jul 1848 Appointed, Archbishop of Paris)
Marie-Julien Meirieu † (28 Sep 1848 Appointed - Jan 1880 Retired)
Louis-Joseph-Marie-Ange Vigne † (30 Jan 1880 Appointed - 13 Jan 1885 Appointed, Archbishop of Avignon (-Apt, Cavaillon, Carpentras, Orange, e Vaison))
Alfred-François Fleury-Hottot † (13 Jan 1885 Appointed - 16 Apr 1887 Appointed, Bishop of Bayonne)
Henri-Abel Mortier † (16 Apr 1887 Appointed - 27 Jan 1889 Died)
Pierre-Paul Servonnet † (24 Apr 1889 Appointed - 15 Apr 1897 Appointed, Archbishop of Bourges)
Jean Hazera † (14 Apr 1897 Appointed - 17 Jun 1905 Died)
Dominique Castellan † (13 Jul 1906 Appointed - 26 May 1915 Appointed, Archbishop of Chambéry)
Léon-Adophe Lenfant † (1 Jun 1915 Appointed - 6 Aug 1917 Died)
Jean-Joseph-Benoît-Marie Martel † (27 Nov 1917 Appointed - 17 Mar 1923 Died)
Cosme-Benjamin Jorcin † (23 Dec 1923 Appointed - 20 Dec 1958 Died)
René-Fernand-Bernardin Collin, O.F.M. † (21 Dec 1958 Appointed - 1 Dec 1980 Retired)
Edmond-Marie-Henri Abelé (1 Dec 1980 Appointed - 2 Jun 1987 Resigned)
Georges Paul Pontier (2 Feb 1988 Appointed - 5 Aug 1996 Appointed, Bishop of La Rochelle (-Saintes))
François-Xavier Jacques Marie Loizeau (10 Nov 1997 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Digne
4th Century	Erected		Diocese of Digne (erected)
29 November 1801	Territory Added	Diocese of Apt (suppressed)	Diocese of Avignon Diocese of Digne
29 November 1801	Territory Added	Archdiocese of Embrun (suppressed)	Diocese of Digne
29 November 1801	Territory Added	Diocese of Gap (suppressed)	Diocese of Digne Diocese of Grenoble
29 November 1801	Territory Added	Diocese of Glandèves (suppressed)	Diocese of Digne Diocese of Nice
29 November 1801	Territory Added	Diocese of Riez (suppressed)	Archdiocese of Aix Diocese of Digne
29 November 1801	Territory Added	Diocese of Senez (suppressed)	Diocese of Digne
29 November 1801	Territory Added	Diocese of Sisteron (suppressed)	Diocese of Digne
Diocese of Digne (-Riez-Sisteron)
15 February 1916	United	Diocese of Digne	Diocese of Digne (-Riez-Sisteron)
16 December 2002	Metropolitan Changed		Diocese of Digne (-Riez-Sisteron) (from Aix)

Year Catholics Total Population Percent Catholic Diocesan Priests Religious Priests Total Priests Catholics Per Priest Permanent Deacons Male Religious Female Religious Parishes Source

Diocese of Digne (-Riez-Sisteron)

1948 75,000 80,000 93.8% 170 170 441 250 346 ap1951

1970 95,000 105,000 90.5% 101 6 107 887 6 290 192 ap1971

1980 107,000 120,000 89.2% 86 13 99 1,080 22 430 198 ap1981

1990 101,000 126,000 80.2% 67 22 89 1,134 28 245 198 ap1991

1999 110,000 143,000 76.9% 51 14 65 1,692 2 19 153 198 ap2000

2000 110,000 139,523 78.8% 49 15 64 1,718 4 23 139 198 ap2001

2001 110,000 139,523 78.8% 48 13 61 1,803 4 21 146 198 ap2002

2002 110,000 139,523 78.8% 46 12 58 1,896 4 18 141 198 ap2003

2003 110,000 139,523 78.8% 43 13 56 1,964 5 22 149 198 ap2004

2004 110,000 139,523 78.8% 48 8 56 1,964 5 24 159 198 ap2005

2006 96,271 139,523 69.0% 43 7 50 1,925 6 28 136 198 ap2007

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Diocese of Digne (-Riez-Sisteron)
1948	75,000	80,000	93.8%	170		170	441			250	346	ap1951
1970	95,000	105,000	90.5%	101	6	107	887		6	290	192	ap1971
1980	107,000	120,000	89.2%	86	13	99	1,080		22	430	198	ap1981
1990	101,000	126,000	80.2%	67	22	89	1,134		28	245	198	ap1991
1999	110,000	143,000	76.9%	51	14	65	1,692	2	19	153	198	ap2000
2000	110,000	139,523	78.8%	49	15	64	1,718	4	23	139	198	ap2001
2001	110,000	139,523	78.8%	48	13	61	1,803	4	21	146	198	ap2002
2002	110,000	139,523	78.8%	46	12	58	1,896	4	18	141	198	ap2003
2003	110,000	139,523	78.8%	43	13	56	1,964	5	22	149	198	ap2004
2004	110,000	139,523	78.8%	48	8	56	1,964	5	24	159	198	ap2005
2006	96,271	139,523	69.0%	43	7	50	1,925	6	28	136	198	ap2007

Note: Any changes in boundaries over time are not indicated in the above table.

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Raphaël de Bologne † (Bishop: Feb 1628 to 14 Apr 1664)
Dominique Castellan † (Bishop: 13 Jul 1906 to 26 May 1915)
René-Fernand-Bernardin Collin, O.F.M. † (Bishop: 21 Dec 1958 to 1 Dec 1980)
Irénée-Yves Desolle (Dessole) † (Bishop: 29 Apr 1802 to 30 Jan 1805)
Jean-Louis du Lau d'Allemans † (Bishop: 29 May 1742 to 15 Sep 1746)
Henri du Puget † (Bishop: 7 Apr 1708 to 22 Jan 1728)
Pierre-Paul du Quaylar (Caylar) † (Bishop: 2 Feb 1758 to 1783)
Antoine-Joseph-Amable Feydeau † (Bishop: 1 Nov 1728 to 3 Dec 1741)
Alfred-François Fleury-Hottot † (Bishop: 13 Jan 1885 to 16 Apr 1887)
Toussaint de Forbin-Janson † (Coadjutor Bishop: 1653; Bishop: 14 May 1664 to 27 Jan 1668)
Jean Hazera † (Bishop: 14 Apr 1897 to 17 Jun 1905)
Louis-Sextius de Jarente de La Bruyère † (Bishop: 1746 to 29 Jan 1758)
Cosme-Benjamin Jorcin † (Bishop: 23 Dec 1923 to 20 Dec 1958)
Léon-Adophe Lenfant † (Bishop: 1 Jun 1915 to 6 Aug 1917)
François Letellier † (Bishop: 1677 to 11 Feb 1708)
Jean-Joseph-Benoît-Marie Martel † (Bishop: 27 Nov 1917 to 17 Mar 1923)
Marie-Julien Meirieu † (Bishop: 28 Sep 1848 to Jan 1880)
François-Melchior-Charles-Bienvenu de Miollis † (Bishop: 28 Aug 1805 to 31 Aug 1838)
Henri-Abel Mortier † (Bishop: 16 Apr 1887 to 27 Jan 1889)
François Mouchet de Villedieu † (Bishop: 2 Feb 1784 to 1801)
Paul de Ribeyre † (Bishop: 2 Apr 1742 to 12 May 1742)
Jean-Armand de Rotondy de Biscarras † (Bishop: 1668 to 1669)
Pierre-Paul Servonnet † (Bishop: 24 Apr 1889 to 15 Apr 1897)
Marie-Dominique-Auguste Sibour † (Bishop: 28 Sep 1839 to 10 Jul 1848)
Henri-Félix de Tassy † (Bishop: 1675 to 1678)
Louis-Joseph-Marie-Ange Vigne † (Bishop: 30 Jan 1880 to 13 Jan 1885)
Jean de Vintimille du Luc † (Bishop: 21 Sep 1670 to 1675)

Diocese of Digne (-Riez-Sisteron)

Dioecesis Diniensis (-Reiensis-Sistariensis)