Alexandre Guy Pingré

Dom Alexandre Guy Pingré, C.R.S.A. (11 September 1711 – 1 May 1796) was a French canon regular, astronomer and naval geographer.

Pingré was born in Paris but was educated by the canons regular of the Abbey of St. Vincent in Senlis, Oise, where he entered the community at the age of sixteen. In 1735, after his ordination as a priest, he was appointed professor of theology at the school. He soon, however, came under suspicion of subscribing to Jansenism and was summoned by the Bishop of Pamiers, by whom he was rebuked and required to submit to an interrogation by a committee of Jesuits.

In 1745 King Louis XV called a General Chapter of the Congregation of Canons Regular of St. Genevieve to which Pingré belonged. He commanded the election of a canon who would enforce the royal policy against Jansenist teachings. Participation in the chapter required an oath of obedience to the papal bull Unigenitus, which had been issued to condemn those teachings. Pingré and several other canons of Senlis objected to the chapter and were removed from their positions of responsibility in the congregation. He subsequently was assigned to serve only in rural parishes.

At an early age Pingré had developed an interest in astronomy, and in 1749 he was appointed professor of astronomy at the newly founded Academy of Rouen. He would eventually be appointed the librarian of the Abbey of St Genevieve in Paris, and the university's chancellor. At St. Genevieve he would build an observatory, and continue to work there for forty years.

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