The Archdiocese of Rouen (Latin: Archidioecesis Rothomagensis; French: Archidiocèse de Rouen) is a Latin Church archdiocese of the Catholic Church in France. As one of the fifteen archbishops of France, the Archbishop of Rouen's ecclesiastical province comprises the greater part of Normandy. The Archbishop of Rouen is currently Dominique Lebrun.

In 2022, there was one priest for every 6,238 Catholics in the archdiocese.

History According to legend, developed in the 11th century, the diocese was founded by Nicasius, a disciple of St. Denis who was martyred after arriving in Normandy towards the end of the first century on a mission from Pope Clement I. The monks of S. Ouen appear to have had an active part. Most of the episcopal lists of the Diocese of Rouen, however, omit Nicasius' name.Duchesne, p. 205.

The archdiocese was based on the Roman province of Lugdunensis secunda in the Tetrachy of 295.René Herval, "Les origines chrétiennes de la Seconde Lyonnaise (Normandie actuelle)" in Études Normandes, 1963, n° 163, p. 1–11 (online reading in French)

Rouen became an archdiocese probably around 744 with the accession of Grimo. The archdiocese effectively collapsed as a result of tenth century Viking raids. Archbishop Franco baptized Rollo of Normandy in 911, the Normans became enthusiastic church reformers and the archbishops were involved in the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. Normandy was annexed to France in 1204, and Rouen was later occupied by England from 1419 to 1449 during the Hundred Years' War. In 1562 the city was briefly captured by Huguenots during the French Wars of Religion.

The suffragan dioceses of Rouen in the Middle Ages were Évreux, Avranches, Seès, Bayeux, Lisieux, and Coutances. Today its suffragans are the Diocese of Évreux, the Diocese of Bayeux and Lisieux, the Diocese of Coutances, the Diocese of Le Havre, and the Diocese of Sées.

The seat of the archbishop is the 13th century Gothic Rouen Cathedral. The Cathedral Chapter is composed of ten dignitaries (the Dean,For the Deans of the Cathedral Chapter of Rouen, see Fisquet, pp. 358-366. Already by the end of the 11th century the canons had ceased living together under a common rule (Fisquet, p. 3). the Precentor, the Treasurer, the Archdeacon Major, the Archdeacon Augi (Eu), the Archdeacon of Cales-Major (Grand-Caux), the Archdeacon of Velocassium Franciae (Vexin Français), the Archdeacon of Velocassium Normanniae (Vexin Normande), the Archdeacon of Cales-Minor (Petit-Caux), and the Chancellor); in addition there were forty-seven Canons (which included the offices of Succentor, Theologian and Penitentiary).Gallia christiana IX (Paris 1759), p. 3. Ritzler, V, p. 336, note 1, states that there were fifty canons in 1671; he includes the three offices in the number of canons.

In addition to the right to nominate the Archbishop of Rouen (from the Treaty of Bologna of 1516, between Francis I and Leo X), the King of France also enjoyed the right of nomination of a considerable number of benefices in the archdiocese. These included: twenty-four abbeys; fourteen priories; the Dean and Canons of the Church of Notre-Dame-de-la-Ronde in Rouen; and the Dean and nine prebends of the Church of Saint-Mellon-de-Pontoise.The benefices available in 1648 are listed in:

The cathedral was heavily damaged, along with other buildings in Rouen, during World War II and later rebuilt. The archdiocese was the site of the terrorist attack at the church of Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray, on 26 July 2016.

Bishops

Nicasius (c. 250) Mellonius (260–311) AvitianusBishop Avitianus was present at the Council of Arles in 314. C. Munier, Concilia Galliae, A. 314 – A. 506 (Turnholt: Brepols 1963), p. 16 (Ibidianus), 18 (Avitianus). Fisquet, p. 14. Duchesne, p. 206 no. 2. (311–325) SeverusFisquet, p. 15. Duchesne, p. 206 no. 3. (325–341) EusebiusHe subscribed the acts of the Council of Cologne of 346, and the Council of Sardica in 347. J.D. Mansi (ed.) Sacrorum conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio, editio novissima, Tomus II (Florence 1759), p. 1371 and 1379. Fisquet, p. 15. Duchesne, p. 206 no. 4. (c. 341–366) MarcellinusMarcellinus: Fisquet, p. 15. Duchesne, p. 206 no. 5 (366–385) Peter IPeter: Fisquet, p. 15. Duchesne, p. 206 no. 6. (385–393) VictriciusVictricius visited Rome toward the end of 403. Fisquet, pp. 15–20. Duchesne, p. 206 no. 7. (393–417) Innocent (417–c. 426)Innocent: Fisquet, p. 21. Sylvester (c. 426–442)Sylvester: Fisquet, p. 21. Duchesne, p. 207 note 2, remarks that his name does not appear in the two oldest episcopal lists. Malsonus (c. 442–451)Malsonus: Fisquet, p. 21. GermanusGermanus participated in the first Council of Tours in 461. Meunier, p. 148. Fisquet, p. 21. Duchesne, pp. 208–209, no. 21. (c. 451–462) CrescentiusOnly his name is known from the episcopal lists. Fisquet, p. 21. Duchesne, pp. 204 and 207 no. 13 (c. 462–488) Godardus (c. 488–525), Gildard, GildardusGildaredus took part in the First Council of Orléans in 511. C. De Clercq, Concilia Galliae, A. 511 – 695 (Turnhout: Brepols 1963), p. 13 and 14 (Geldaredus), 15 and 16 (Gildaredus, and Gildardus), 17 (Gelidandus), 19 (Gildaredus). Fisquet, pp. 21–22. Duchesne, p. 207 no. 14 with note 3: "C'est tout ce qu'on peut dire de certain." Filleul (525–542) Evodus (542–550) Saint PraetextatusPraetextatus was present at the Council of Tours in 567. In 577, at a council in Paris, he was accused of treason by King Chilperic, and imprisoned until the king's death in 584. He was present at the Council of Mâcon in 585. On 14 April (or 24 February) 586, Queen Fredegund had him assassinated. Fisquet, pp. 22–27. Duchesne, p. 207, no. 16. (550–586) MelantiusMelantius was the recipient of a papal letter in June 601. Fisquet, pp. 27–28. Duchesne, p. 207, no. 17. (589–602) HidulphusHidulfus was present at the Council of Paris in 614. Duchesne, p. 207, no. 18. (602–631) RomanusFisquet, pp. 28–31. (631–640) Saint OuenFisquet, pp. 31–36. (641–689) AnsbertAnsbert, former Abbot of Fontanelle, is attested in 688/689 in a charter issued during a provincial council. He was imprisoned by Pippin d'Heristal in the Abbey of Hautmont (Cambrai) where he died in 692 or 693. Duchesne, pp. 208–209, no. 21. (689–693) GrippoGrippo is attested in a charter of 696/697. Duchesne, p. 209, no. 22 (695–c. 719) Roland (c. 719–c. 732) Hugh of Champagne (720–730) Robert I (740–744)

Archbishops

744–1000

GrimoGrimo is attested in 744, as the recipient of the pallium from Pope Zacharias at the request of Saint Boniface. Philipp Jaffé, Regesta pontificum Romanorum edition altera Tomus I (Leipzig 1885), p. 264, nos. 2269–2271. Duchesne, p. 209 no. 26. (744–c. 748) Ragenfred (748–753) Remigius (753–762) Hugh II (762–769) Meinhard (769–c. 800) Gilbert (800–828) Ragnoard (828–836) Gombaud (836–849) Paul (849–855) WeniloWenilo (Ganelon): He participated in the Synod apud Carisiacum (palatium) of 858; the Council of Metz in 859; the Council of Tulle apud Saponarias (Savonnières) on 14 June 859; the Council of Aix on 9 January 860; the Council of Tulle apud Tusiacum (Teuzey) on 22 October 860; the Council of Pitres in 862; the Council of Soissons on 18 August 866; the Council of Troyes on 25 October 867; the Council of Quierzy on 5 December 868; and the Councils of Verberie (Vermerium palatium) and Pitres in 869. Jacques Sirmond, Concilia antiqua Galliae Tomus III (Paris 1629), p. 117 and 131, 144, 157, 162, 297 and 302, 358. Abbé Cochet, "Palace of Charles the Bald," The Gentleman's Magazine and Historical Review (1859), pp. 476–479 (on the palace at Pitres). Fisquet, pp. 46–47. Council of Verberie: J.-D. Mansi (ed.), Sacrorum conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio, editio novissima, Tomus XVI (Venice 1771), p. 568. (858–869) AdalardAdalardus was present at the Council of Deuzey in August 871. J.-D. Mansi, p. 677. Fisquet, p. 47. (869–872) Riculf (872–876) John IBishop John was present at the Council of Metz in 888: J.-D. Mansi, Sacrorum conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio, editio novissima, Tomus XVIII (Venice 1773), p. 72. Fisquet, pp. 48–50. (876–889) WitoBishop Witton took part in the Assembly at the royal palace of Verberie (Vermieriense palatium) near Compiègne on 30 September 892: He was also present at the Council of Trosley (Troslejanum) under the presidency of the Archbishop Hervé of Reims of 26 June 909. Mansi XVIII, p. 308. Fisquet, pp. 51–52. (889–c. 910) FrancoFisquet, pp. 52–54. (911–919) GonthardFisquet, p. 54. (919–942) Hugh IIIFisquet, pp. 54–55. (942–989) Robert IIFisquet, pp. 55–59. (990–1037)

1000–1400

Mauger (1037–1055) Maurilius (1055–1067) John II (1067–1078) William I Bonne-Âme (1079–1110) Geoffrey Brito (1111–1128) Hugh de Boves (1129–1164)Grégory Combalbert (2013), "Formation et déclin d’un réseau réformateur. Hugues d’Amiens, archevêque de Rouen, et les évêques normands, entre le pape et le duc (fin des années 1130-1164)," Annales de Normandie 63e année, n° 2, juillet-décembre 2013, pp. 3-48. Rotrou (1165–1184) Walter de Coutances (1184–1208) Robert III PoulainRobert Poulain was granted his bulls of consecration and installation on 23 August 1208. Fisquet, pp. 110–112. Eubel, I, p. 425. (1208–1222) Thibaud d'AmiensThibaud: Fisquet, pp. 112–114. (1222–1231) MauriceMaurice: Fisquet, pp. 115–119. (1231–1237) Peter II de ColmieuColmieu: Fisquet, pp. 119–121. (1237–1245) Eudes I ClementBishop Odo's election was not canonically carried out and so it was quashed by Pope Innocent IV, who immediately provided him anyway, on 30 March 1245. Odo died on 5 May 1247. Fisquet, pp. 121–123. Eubel, I, p.425 with note 5. (1245–1247) Eudes II RigaudRigaud: Fisquet, pp. 123–132. (1247–1276) Flavacourt: Fisquet, pp. 132–138. (1276–1306) Bernard de FargisFargis: Fisquet, pp. 138–140. (1306–1311) Gilles I Aycelin de MontaiguAycelin: Fisquet, pp. 141–144. (1311–1319) William III de DurfortFisquet, pp. 144–146. (1319–1331) Peter III Roger de BeaufortPierre Roger de Beaufort (Pope Clement VI): Fisquet, pp. 146–153. (1331–1338) Aimery GuenaudAimeric Guenod: Fisquet, pp. 153–155. (1338–1342) Nicolas I Roger (1342–1347) John III de Marigny (1347–1351) Peter IV de la Forêt (1351–1356) William IV de Flavacourt (1356–1369) Philippe of Alençon (1369–1375) Peter V de la Montre (1375) William V de Lestranges (1375–1388) William VI de Vienne, O.S.B.Guillaume de Vienne had been Abbot of Saint-Seine (Langres). He was named Bishop of Autun on 11 February 1379 by Clement VII, and then Bishop of Beauvais on 26 August 1387. He was appointed Archbishop of Rouen on 29 March 1389. Archbishop Guillaume died on 18 February 1407. Fisquet, pp. 175–177. Eubel, I, p. 73, 426. (1389–1406) (Avignon Obedience)

1400–1800

Louis I d'HarcourtLouis d'Harcourt was the nephew of Queen Jeanne, wife of King Charles V of France. He was elected on 18 March 1407, at the age of 28, but his election was contested by Cardinal Jean d'Armagnac, who had been appointed by Benedict XIII. Louis was represented at the Council of Pisa (1409) by procurators, where Benedict XIII and Gregory XII were deposed and excommunicated. Louis d'Harcourt was provided by Pope Alexander V on 29 July 1409, thereby clarifying his title to the bishopric of Rouen. He died on 19 November 1422. Fisquet, pp. 177–179. Eubel, I, p. 426. (1406–1422) Jean de La Roche-TailléeLa Roche-Taillée: Fisquet, pp. 179–182. Eubel, I, p. 225. (1422–1430) Hugh V des OrgesHugues des Orges was already Bishop of Châlons-sur-Marne (1416–1431). He was granted his bulls for Rouen on 26 January 1431. He died on 19 August 1436. Fisquet, pp. 182–184. Eubel, I, p. 153; II, p. 225. (1430–1436) Louis II de LuxemburgFisquet, pp. 184–186. Eubel, I, p. 225. (1436–1443) Raoul RousselRoussel: Fisquet, pp. 186–189. (1443–1455) Guillaume d'Estouteville (1453–1482)