Bishopric of Blois
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Diocese of Blois Dioecesis Blesensis Diocèse de Blois |
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| Location | |
| Country |  France |
| Ecclesiastical province | Tours |
| Metropolitan | Archdiocese of Tours |
| Statistics | |
| Area | 6,422 km2 (2,480 sq mi) |
| Population - Total - Catholics |
(as of 2015) 342,224 184,050 (53.8%) |
| Parishes | 293 |
| Information | |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Sui iuris church | Latin Church |
| Rite | Roman Rite |
| Established | 1 July 1697 |
| Cathedral | Cathedral of St. Louis in Blois |
| Patron saint | St. Louis IX of France |
| Secular priests | 58 (diocesan) 28 (Religious Orders) 10 Permanent Deacons |
| Current leadership | |
| Pope | Francis |
| Metropolitan Archbishop | Bernard-Nicolas Jean-Marie Aubertin |
| Emeritus Bishops | Maurice de Germiny |
| Website | |
| Website of the Diocese | |
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Blois (Latin: Dioecesis Blesensis; French: Diocèse de Blois) is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in France. The diocese lies in western France, and encompasses the department of Loir-et-Cher. Since 2002 it has been a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Tours.
On 1 July 1697 Pope Innocent XII, at the request of King Louis XIV of France, canonically erected the Bishopric of Blois from territory of the Diocese of Chartres. The Archdeacon of Blois had up to that time been a dignity in the Church of Chartres. The diocese was created in order to combat the considerable Huguenot influence in the southern part of the Diocese of Chartres. Since the new diocese had need of a cathedral, the parish Church of Saint Solenne was chosen; the church had been severely damaged in a fire in 1678, and it was in the last stages of reconstruction in 1697. It was renamed the Cathedral of Saint Louis.
With a new cathedral, a new Cathedral Chapter was required. The canons of the Collegiate Church of Saint Salvator, whose church had been sacked and destroyed by the Huguenots in the previous century and only gradually rebuilt, were transferred to the new Cathedral of Saint Louis. The dignities were the Dean, the Precentor, the Subdean, the Provost, the Treasurer and the Prior of S. Solenne. Twelve additional Canons were instituted, to be named alternately by the King and the Bishop. In addition thirty-two chaplains were created, one of whom would administer the Church of Saint Salvator. The benefices which had been in the gift of the Collegiate Chapter of S. Salvator continued to be under the control of the Canons, who also named the Canons who were to preside at S. Salvator on certain days. To support the Canons of the Cathedral of Saint Louis, the income of two monasteries and five priories was redirected by papal bull. Even so, since the number of twelve Canons was thought to be too small for a cathedral, the Chapter of the Hospital of S. James (founded in 1346) was also transferred to the Chapter of Saint Louis by the first bishop, David-Nicolas de Berthier, with the consent of all parties. In 1753 there were eighteen Canons. All cathedral chapters were dissolved by order of the Constituent Assembly and the Legislative Assembly by virtue of the Civil Constitution of the Clergy in 1791. On 2 July 1699 Bishop de Berthier created two Archdeacons, who were added to the dignities of the Cathedral Chapter.
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