The Diocese of Tarbes et Lourdes (Latin: Dioecesis Tarbiensis et Lourdensis; French: Diocèse de Tarbes et Lourdes) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in France. Until 2002 Tarbes was a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Auch. It is now a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Toulouse. Erected in the 4th century, the diocese of Tarbes is the historical diocese of Bigorre, part of the larger region of Gascony. The diocese were suppressed in 1801 following the concordat, it was restored in 1822 and has since covered the department of Hautes-Pyrénées. The name of the diocese was changed from the Tarbes to the Diocese of Tarbes et Lourdes on 20 April 1912. In 2022, in the Diocese of Tarbes, there was one priest for every 1,210 Catholics.

History

The earliest known bishop of Tarbes appears to be Syagrius, who attended the Council of Nîmes in 394. The Cathedral had been burned and seriously damaged in the French Wars of Religion by the Huguenots, and was a long time in being restored. The Cathedral had fourteen Canons. Until 1524 the Canons served under the Rule of Saint Augustine; thereafter they were secular canons. There were twelve prebendaries. The Chapter had an unusually large number of dignitaries: a Provost (which became dormant), eight Archdeacons, the Cantor, the Sacristan, the Chamberlain and the Infirmarius. In 1676 the city of Tarbes, which was under the jurisdiction of the King of France, had approximately 2000 Catholic inhabitants. In the city were convents of the Franciscans (O.Min.), Carmelites, Capucines, and Doctrinarii; there was a convent of Ursuline nuns. Elsewhere in the diocese there were convents of Dominicans, Repenties, Capucines, Carmelites, and Minims of S. Francesco di Paola. There were also five houses of Benedictine monks: Saint-Sever-de-Rustan, Saint-Savin-in-Lavadan, Saint-Pé-de-Generest, Saint-Pierre-de-Tasque, and Saint-Orenz-de-Reulle.

Bishops of Tarbes

Previous Bishops of Tarbes (-et-Lourdes) include:

To 1200

1200 to 1400

1400 to 1600

1600 to 1800

Since 1800

Reference works

Studies