Diocese of Nancy and Toul Dioecesis Nanceiensis et Tullensis Diocèse de Nancy et de Toul |
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Location | |
Country | France |
Ecclesiastical province | Besançon |
Metropolitan | Archdiocese of Besançon |
Statistics | |
Area | 5,275 km2 (2,037 sq mi) |
Population - Total - Catholics |
(as of 2013) 755,200 672,000 (89%) |
Information | |
Denomination | Roman Catholic |
Sui iuris church | Latin Church |
Rite | Roman Rite |
Established | United: 20 February 1824 |
Cathedral | Cathedral of Notre-Dame-de-l'Annonciation in Nancy |
Patron saint | The Blessed Virgin Mary Assumed in Heaven |
Current leadership | |
Pope | Francis |
Bishop | Jean-Louis Papin |
Metropolitan Archbishop | Jean-Luc Bouilleret |
Map | |
Website | |
Website of the Diocese |
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Nancy and Toul (Latin: Dioecesis Nanceiensis et Tullensis; French: Diocèse de Nancy et de Toul) is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in France. After a considerable political struggle between Louis XV, Louis XVI, and the Dukes of Lorraine, the diocese was erected by Pope Pius VI on 17 December 1777. The diocese is currently suffragan to the Archdiocese of Besançon.
The title of count and the rights of sovereignty of the medieval Bishops of Toul originated in certain grants which Henry the Fowler gave St. Gauzelin in 927. During the Conflict of Investitures in 1108, the chapter became divided: the majority elected Riquin of Commercy as bishop; the minority chose Conrad of Schwarzenburg. Henry V granted Conrad the title of bishop, with the stipulation that he did not exercise episcopal office.
In 1271 grave differences broke out again in the chapter of Toul. In 1278 Pope Nicholas III personally appointed Conrad of Tübingen as bishop. Thereafter, it was generally the Holy See which appointed the bishops, alleging various reasons as vacancies arose. As a result, many Italian prelates held this important see until 1552, when Toul was occupied by France. In 1597 Charles III, duke of Lorraine asked Pope Clement VIII for the dismemberment of the See of Toul and the creation of a see at Nancy; this failed through the opposition of Arnaud d'Ossat, Henry's ambassador at Rome. In the end, Clement VIII decided that Nancy was to have a primatial church and that its prelate would have the title of Primate of Lorraine and wear episcopal insignia, but should not exercise episcopal jurisdiction.