The former French Catholic diocese of Comminges existed at least from the sixth century, to the French Revolution. The seat of the bishops was at Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges, now no more than a village, in the modern department of Haute-Garonne in south-west France. The territory of the old diocese now belongs to the archdiocese of Toulouse. The name of Comminges was incorporated into the titulature of the archbishop of Toulouse on 19 January 1935. He is now the archbishop of Toulouse-Saint Bertrand de Comminges-Rieux.David M. Cheney, Catholic-Hierarchy: Archdiocese of Toulouse (-Saint Bertrand de Comminges-Rieux), retrieved: 2016-08-04.

History

The earliest Bishop of Comminges known by name is Suavis, who assisted at the Council of Agde in 506, along with thirty-four other bishops.J.D. Mansi (ed.), Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio Tomus octavus (8) (Florence 1762), p. 337. Sidonius Apollinaris,Epistles, Book VII, letter 6, § 7, to Bishop Basilius (ca. 472/473): propter quod discite cito catholici status valetudinem occultam, ut apertam festinetis adhibere medicinam. Burdigala, Petrogorii, Ruteni, Lemovices, Gabalitani, Helusani, Vasates, Convenae, Auscenses multosque iam maior numerus civitatum summis sacerdotibus ipsorum morte truncatus nec ullis deinceps episcopis in defunctorum officia suffectis... however, writes of the death of a bishop of Comminges in 473.Sidonius Apollinaris, Letters. Tr. O.M. Dalton (1915) vol. 2. pp. 95-137; Book VII.

Among the bishops of CommingesSaint Africus (c. 540), who died in the Rouergue, is wrongly included among the bishops of Comminges. were:

Bertrand of Comminges (1073–1123), grandson of William III, Count of Toulouse, previously archdeacon of Toulouse, who built the cathedral of Comminges and restored the town Bertrand de Goth (1295–99), who became pope under the name of Clement V. Bertrand de Cosnac (1352–72), created cardinal by Pope Gregory XI on 30 May 1371.Eubel, I, p. 21. Bertrand de Cosnac died on 17 June 1374. Amelius de Lautrec (1384–90), created cardinal on 12 July 1385 by Pope Clement VII of the Avignon Obedience.Eubel, I, p. 28. Amelius died in Avignon on 7 June 1390 Pierre de Foix (1422–64), cardinal from 1412–1413 to 1464. Cardinal Amanieu d'Albret, who was Bishop of Comminges (19 July 1499 – 1514, after 7 November)D'Albret was appointed by Pope Alexander VI, but the Cathedral Chapter elected Gaillard de Hospitali, a canon of the Cathedral. Litigation ensued, but when Gaillard died, Pope Leo X adjudged the bishopric to Cardinal d'Albret in 1514. Eubel, III, p. 6 and p. 177, with n. 3. Amanieu d'Albret was created a cardinal on 28 September 1500, and died in Rome on 20 December 1520. Cardinal Carlo Carafa (6 July 1556 – 4 March 1561), nephew of Pope Paul IV, he was arrested, tried, and executed by strangulation on orders of Pope Pius IV. Carafa was never ordained a priest or consecrated a bishop. He never took possession of his see. Urbain de Saint-Gelais, who in 1586, without outside assistance and with the help of a cannon which he caused to be brought from Toulouse, captured the town from the Huguenots.

In the church of St. Bertrand of Comminges (The gothic church is of the 14th century), baptism was administered with peculiar ceremonies: the baptismal water was placed in a silver dove with wings displayed (a symbol of the Holy Spirit), and enclosed in a cupola surmounting the font; at the moment of baptizing the dove was lowered over the head of the child by a pulley, and through its open beak the baptismal water was poured (as though grace from heaven).Catholic Encyclopedia: Toulouse Agos, Vie et miracles de Saint Bertrand, pp. 206-207.

Bishops To 1000

Suavis 506–? Presidius 533–? Amelius 549–? Rufin 584–588 Abraham 788–? Involatus 879–? Oriol 980–? Bertrand Roger 990–?

1000–1300

Peter I. 1003–? Arnaud I. 1035–? William I. 1040–1055 Bernhard II. 1056–? William II. 1068–? Olger (Ulger) ?–1073? Saint Bertrand 1073–1126 Roger de Nuro 1126?–1153? Arnaud Roger 1153–1176 Arsius (Arsenius) 1179–1188 Raymond Arnaud 1188–1205 Sperague (Hisparigus) 1205–1206 Adhémar du Châtel 1207–1209 Garcias de Lorte 1210–1217 Grimoard I. 1217–1240 Arnaud III. Roger 1241–1260 Guillaume III. d'Audiran 1260–1263 Bertrand de Miramont 1263–1286 Bertrand de Got He was given the bishopric of Comminges by Boniface VIII, and was approved as Archbishop of Bordeaux on 23 December 1299: Eubel, I, p. 150. 1295–1299 Boso de Salignac 1299–1315Eubel, I, p. 207, 150. He was approved by Boniface VIII on 22 December 1299

1300–1500

Bernardus, O.P. (1316-1317) Pierre Vital de Millario 1317–1318 Scot de Linières 1318–1325 Guillaume de Cun 1325–1336 Hugues de Castillon 1336–1351 Bertrand de Cosnac 1352–1371Eubel, I, p. 207. (Cardinal from 1371) Guillaume d'Espagne 6 June 1371 – 1382 Amelius (Amelie) II. de Lautrec 1384–1390 (Cardinal from 1385) Menaud de Barbazan 1390–1421 Pierre de Foix 7 August 1422 – 1451Eubel, I, p. 207; II, p. 135. (Cardinal from 1412 or 1413)Pierre de Foix was created cardinal by Pope John XXIII. He died on 13 December 1464. Eubel, II, p. 4. Arnaud-Raymond V. d'Espagne 1451–146?Eubel, II, p. 135. Jean de Foix 9 May 1466 – 1499Eubel, II, p. 135. Cf.

From 1500

Amanieu d'Albret (19 July 1499 – 1514, after 7 November) (He never had possession). Gaillard de l'Hospital 1502–1514 (contested election; Gaillard never received papal approval; he died in 1514) Louis Dourelle (Dourville) 8 January 1515 – 1523 Jean de Mauléon 71 June 1523 – 1551 Jean Bertrand 1551–1555 Carlo Carafa, AdministratorCarlo Carafa was nominated by King Henri II when he was Papal Legate in France in 1556. He was not ordained a deacon until 15 April 1557, and was never ordained priest or consecrated bishop: Salvador Miranda, The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church: Carafa, Carlo, retrieved: 2016-08-01. 1556–1561 (Cardinal, nephew of Pope Paul IV) (executed 6 March 1561) Pierre d'Albert 1561–1565 Charles III de Bourbon 1569–1570 Urbain de Saint-Gelais 1570–1613 Gilles de Souvré 1614–1623 Barthélemy de Donnadieu de Griet 1625–1637 Hugues II. de Labatut, including his Last Will and Testament, and codicil. 1638–1644 Gilbert de Choiseul Duplessis Praslin 1644–1671 Louis de Rechiègne Voisin de Guron 1671–1693 Louis-François de Brezay de Denon-Ville 1693–1710 Olivier-Gabriel de Lubières du BouchetDavid M. Cheney, Catholic-Hierarchy: Bishop Olivier-Gabriel de Lubières (Nubières) du Bouchet, retrieved: 2016-08-04. 1710–1740 Antoine de Lastic 1740–1763 Charles-Antoine-Gabriel d'Osmond de MédavyJean, p. 81. 1763–1785 Antoine Eustache d'Osmond 1785–1801 (resigned)Bishop d'Osmond resigned in accordance with the request of Pope Pius VII, who had concluded a Concordat with First Consul Napoleon Bonaparte, which liquidated the Constitutional church. Osmond was then appointed Bishop of Nancy. Ritzler, VI, p. 181, note 4. Jean, pp. 81-82. J. Lestrade, "Un curieux groupe d' évêques Commingeois: XX. Antoine Eustache d'Osmond (1754-1823),"

See also Catholic Church in France List of Catholic dioceses in France

References

Bibliography (Use with caution; obsolete) (in Latin)

Studies [hagiography] [author of the "Litany of Saint-Bertrand", and other devotional texts]

See also The Cathedral of Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges Munoz, Sarah (2009), "Cathédrale de Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges: Notice historique" (in French)