The Diocese of Lisieux was a Roman Catholic ecclesiastical territory in France, centered on Lisieux, in Calvados. The bishop of Lisieux was the Ordinary of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lisieux. The bishopric was suppressed during the French Revolution and was not reinstated. Present day Lisieux is part of the Diocese of Bayeux.

History

Early History

A list of alleged early bishops of Lisieux was included in the Ritual of Lisieux, published in 1661 under the direction of Bishop Léonor (I) Goyon de Matignon. The list, however, was padded with the names of saints whose putative relics were stored in the Cathedral. These included Saint Ursinus, Saint Patrick and Saint Cande, none of whom can be shown to have been a bishop. The first known Bishop of Lisieux is one Theodibandes, mentioned in connection with a council held in 538.

Middle Ages

A synod was held at Lisieux in 1055 by the Papal Legate, Bishop Hermanfried of Sion, with the cooperation of Duke William d'Eu, the illegitimate son of Richard I of Normandy, in which Archbishop Malgerius of Rouen was deposed. His dissolute life was notorious, he had refused to attend a Roman Council though summoned, and he made rebellion against the Duke. The deposition had already been agreed to by Pope Leo IX. In the middle of October 1106, King Henry I of England visited Lisieux, where he held an assembly of the leading figures of the duchy of Normandy, both lay and ecclesiastical. He dealt with the disorders which had been caused by his brother Duke Robert, taking hostages (who were sent to England) including Robert, and condemning to imprisonment for life Count Guillaume Werlenc of Mortain, Robert d'Estouteville, and several others. In 1136, the cathedral was burned by Geoffrey of Anjou. Under Arnulf of Lisieux essential repairs were conducted before it was then completely rebuild from 1160 onwards. The Collège de Lisieux was founded at Paris in 1336 by Bishop Guy de Harcourt, Bishop of Lisieux, by testamentary bequest, and with additional endowments from three members of the d'Estouteville family. It supported twenty-four poor students of the diocese. It lasted until 1764, when it was transferred to the Collège de Dormans. In August 1417, King Henry V of England besieged, captured and sacked the city of Lisieux. When the Bishop of Lisieux, Pierre Fresnel, was killed in street fighting in Paris on 12 June 1418, King Henry considered it a good moment to install a bishop in Lisieux who would be favorable to the English cause. His wishes ran contrary to those of Pope Martin V, leading to the appointment of Cardinal Branda da Castiglione as administrator of the diocese. When Henry died on 31 August 1422, Martin V was able to appoint Castiglione's nephew as bishop.

Structure

The Chapter of the Cathedral of Saint-Pierre was composed of nine dignities and thirty Canons. The dignities were: the Dean, the Cantor, the Treasurer, the Capicerio, the Magister Scholarum, and the four Archdeacons (Lieuven, Auge, Pont-Audemer, and Gacé). All were appointed by the bishop, except the Dean, who was elected by the Chapter. There were thirty-one prebends, the first eleven of whom had the title of 'Baron'. The Cathedral also had four Vicars and thirty chaplains. The Bishop of Lisieux was ex-officio Conservator of the University of Caen. The diocese of Lisieux contained 487 parishes and 520 rectories. On its territory there were six abbeys for men and two for women. Almost all of these houses belonged to the Order of Saint Benedict: the male abbeys of Saint-Evroul, Bernay, Préaux, Grestain, Cormeilles, as also the two female houses of Saint-Léger, and Saint-Désir. The sole exception was the male Abbey of Mondaye, located at Mont-Dée, which was a house of Canons Regular belonging to the Order of Premonstratensians.

List of bishops

To 1000

1000 to 1300

1300 to 1500

From 1500

Reference works

Studies