Ancient Diocese of Saint-Pons-de-Thomières

The former French Catholic diocese of Saint-Pons-de-Thomières existed from 1317 until the French Revolution. Its see at Saint-Pons-de-Thomières in southern France is in the modern department of Hérault. There was the Abbey of St-Pons, founded in 936 by Raymond, Count of Toulouse, who brought there the monks of St-Géraud d'Aurillac.

By the Concordat of 1801, the territory of the diocese was added to that of the archdiocese of Montpellier.

In the summer of 1317 Pope John XXII began a major reform of the diocesan structure of the Church in the Midi of France, with a view to combatting the Albigensian heresy. The very extensive diocese of Toulouse was separated out into five additional dioceses, with Toulouse as the Metropolitan (Lavaur, Lombez, Mirepoix, Rieux, and Saint-Papoul); Montauban was created out of the territory of Cahors and assigned to Toulouse. Clermont had the diocese of Saint-Flour carved out of its territory. Albi had Castres separated out. Périgueux was divided for the new diocese of Sarlat. Poitiers lost Luçon and Maillezais. Rodez was divided and Vabres created. Limoges had the diocese of Tulle carved out. Agen was split to created Condom. Narbonne was divided up to create Alet (originally planned as Limoux) and Saint-Pons-de-Thomières, with Narbonne as the Metropolitan.

The diocese was extremely small, containing around fifty parishes, scattered around a territory which was almost completely rural. There were only two monasteries in the diocese, the Benedictine abbey of Saint-Chignan, and the Premonstratensian abbey of Fontcaude. There was also a convent of Récollets. In 1713 the episcopal seat of Saint-Pons contained some 2000 inhabitants, a number which had not increased by 1770.

As at Maillezais and Alet (and others) Saint-Pons was founded where there was a monastery with a large church available to be used as a cathedral. The abbot of the monastery was named the first Bishop, and the monks of the monastery were named the Canons of the Cathedral Chapter. At Saint-Pons, the last Abbot of Saint-Pons-de-Thomières, Pierre Roger, became the first bishop of the diocese of Saint-Pons-de-Thomières. In the new Chapter, there was an Archdeacon, an Aumonier, a Precentor and eleven other Canons. There was also a Theologus, who, however, did not enjoy the status of a Canon. The Archdeacon was elected by the Canons and installed by the Bishop. The Canons were appointed by the Bishop.

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