Ancient Diocese of Arles

The former French Catholic Archbishopric of Arles had its episcopal see in the city of Arles, in southern France.

The bishopric of Arles was founded in 330. It was promoted a metropolitan archdiocese in 460, suppressed a first time to become part of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Aix and restored shortly in 1816.

The Archbishopric of Arles was suppressed again, and incorporated into the Archdiocese of Aix in 1822. The latter is since officially called "Archdiocese of Aix (-Arles-Embrun)" and is no longer a Metropolitan but an archiepiscopal title, within the ecclesiastical province of Marseille.

The first Council of Arles was held in 314, for the purpose of putting an end to the Donatist controversy. Bishops from the western part of the empire including three from Britain attended. It confirmed the findings of the Council of Rome (313), i.e. it recognized the validity of the election of Caecilian of Carthage and confirmed the excommunication of Donatus of Casae Nigrae. Its twenty-two canons dealing with various abuses that had crept into ecclesiastical life since the persecution of Diocletian (284-305) are among the most important documents of early ecclesiastical legislation.

A council held in 353, and attended, among others, by two papal legates, was decidedly Arian in attitude. The legates were tempted into rejecting communion with Athanasius and refused to condemn Arius, an act which filled Pope Liberius with grief.

A council was held on New Year's Day of 435, to settle the differences that had arisen between the Abbot of Lérins and the Bishop of Fréjus.

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