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Diocese of Tournai

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Diocese of Tournai
Dioecesis Tornacensis
Diocèse de Tournai (French)
Bistum Tournai (German)
Bisdom Doornik (Dutch)
Aerial view of Tournai Cathedral
Aerial view of Tournai Cathedral
Location
Country Belgium
Ecclesiastical province Mechelen-Brussels
Metropolitan Archdiocese of Mechelen-Brussels
Coordinates 50°36′26″N 3°23′18″E / 50.607195°N 3.388198°E
Statistics
Area 3,796 km2 (1,466 sq mi)
Population
Total
Catholics 		(as of 2020)
1,344,241
708,400 (52.7%)
Information
Denomination Catholic Church
Sui iuris church Latin Church
Rite Roman Rite
Established 6th Century
Cathedral Cathedral of Our Lady in Tournai
Current leadership
Pope Leo XIV
Bishop Frédéric Rossignol
Metropolitan Archbishop Luc Terlinden
Bishops emeritus Guy Harpigny
Map
The Diocese of Tournai, coextensive with the province of Hainaut
Website
Website of the Diocese

The Diocese of Tournai (Latin: Dioecesis Tornacensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in Belgium. The diocese was formed in 1146, upon the dissolution of the Diocese of Noyon and Tournai, which had existed since the 7th century.[1] It is now suffragan in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Mechelen–Brussels. The cathedra is found within the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Tournai, which has been classified both as a major site for Wallonia's heritage since 1936[2] and as a World Heritage Site since 2000.[3]

History

As early as the second half of the 3rd century St. Piat evangelized Tournai; some sources name him as the first bishop, but this remains unsubstantiated. At the end of the 3rd century Emperor Maximian rekindled persecutions, and St. Piat was martyred as a result.

Barbarian invasions began shortly afterwards. These lasted from the end of the 3rd century till the end of the 5th century. St. Remigius used the good-will of the Frankish monarchy to organize the Catholic hierarchy in the North of Gaul. He confided the Diocese of Arras and Cambrai to St. Vaast (Vedastus), and founded the See of Tournai (c. 500), appointing as its titular Eleutherius.

It was probably its status of royal city which secured Tournai's early rise, only to lose its position as capital upon the departure of the Merovingian court. Nevertheless, it maintained its own bishops for nearly a century. Then, at about 626 or 627, under the episcopate of St. Achar, the sees of Tournai and Noyon were reunited, retaining however their separate structures. Tournai lost its privileges and was relegated to level of the neighbouring dioceses, such as Boulogne and Therouanne, Arras and Cambrai. The same ordinary held both sees for five hundred years. It was only in 1146 that Tournai received its own bishop.

Notable bishops are: St. Eleutherius (beginning of 6th century); St. Achar (626/27 – 1 March 637/38); St. Eloi (641–660); Simon de Vermandois (1121–1146); Walter de Marvis (1219–1251), the great founder of schools and hospitals; Etienne of Tournai (1192–1203), godfather of Louis VII of France and minister to the queen; Andrea Chini Malpiglia (1334–42), cardinal and papal legate; Guillaume Fillastre (1460–1473), chancellor of the Golden Fleece; Michel de Warenghien (1283–1291), a very erudite doctor; Michel d'Esne (1597–1614), the author of several works. Raphael de Mercatellis (1487–1507), illegitimate son of Philip the Good and noted bibliophile, was auxiliary bishop of Tournai.[4]

During Spanish rule (1521–1667) the see continued to be occupied by natives of the country, but the seize of Tournai by Louis XIV in 1667 caused it to have a number of Frenchmen for bishop: Gilbert de choiseul duplessis praslin (1670–1689); François de La Salle de Caillebot (1692–1705); Louis Marcel de Coëtlogon (1705–1707); François de Beauveau (1708–1713). After the Treaty of Utrecht (1713) the French were replaced by Germans: Johann Ernst, Count of Löwenstein-Wertheim (1713–1731); Franz Ernst, Count of Salm-Reifferscheid (1731–1770); Wilhelm Florentine, Prince of Salm-Salm (1776–1794).

The reunion of the see with Noyon and the ensuing removal of the seat of the bishopric bolstered the chapter. The chapter's requirement to appoint only nobility and scholars, as set forth by the old régime, tended to attract the highly born and educated. Illustrious French and Belgian names are inscribed in the archive's registers and on the cathedral's tombstones. The cathedral, 439 feet (134 m) long by 216 feet (66 m) wide, is surmounted by 5 towers 273 feet (83 m) high. The nave and transept are Romanesque (12th century), while the choir is primary Gothic, begun in 1242 and completed in 1325.

Originally, the borders of the diocese arguably were those of the Civitas Turnacensium, as mentioned in the "Notice des Gaules". The prescriptions of councils and the interest of the Church both favoured such borders, and they were retained throughout the Middle Ages. The diocese then further extended along the left bank of the river Schelde, from the river Scarpe to the North Sea, with the exception of the Vier-Ambachten (Hulst, Axel, Bouchaute, and Assenede), which are said to have always belonged to the Diocese of Utrecht. The Schelde thus formed the natural border between the Dioceses of Tournai and Cambrai, cutting through the towns of Termonde, Ghent, Oudenarde, and Tournai itself. The North Sea seaboard between the Schelde and the Yser was wholly part of this perimeter. On the far side of the Yser resided the Diocese of Thérouanne, which bordered Tournai as far as Ypres. There began the Diocese of Arras, which bordered Tournai as far as the confluence of the Scarpe and the Schelde at Mortgne, France. This vast diocese was for a long time divided into three archdeaneries and twelve deaneries. The archdeanery of Bruges comprised the deaneries of Bruges, Ardenbourg, and Oudenbourg; the archdeanery of Ghent, the deaneries of Ghent, Roulers, Oudenarde, and Waes; the archdeanery of Tournai, the deaneries of Tournai, Seclin, Helchin, Lille, and Courtrai.

In 1559, to support the war against Protestantism, King Philip II of Spain obtained from Paul IV the foundation of a series of new dioceses. The ancient Diocese of Tournai was split up, with nearly two-thirds of its territory being cut away. The outlines of the archdeaneries of Bruges and Ghent formed the new diocese of Bruges and diocese of Ghent, and six parishes passed to the new diocese of Ypres. This situation lasted until the beginning of the 19th century. The French Revolution created the Department of Jemappes, which in 1815 became the Province of Hainaut, whose borders coincided with those of the Diocese of Tournai, after a concordat between the plenipotentiaries of Pius VI and the consular government of the republic. The Bishop of Tournai retained only two scores of the parishes formerly under his jurisdiction, but received on the right bank of the Schelde a number of parishes which, prior to the Revolution, had belonged to the Diocese of Cambrai (302), Namur (50), and Liège (50).

Bishops

To 1146

  • 540: St. Eleutherius of Tournai (Eleuthere)
  • c. 549 and 552: Agrecius
  • 545: Medardus
  • Then jointly with Noyon
  • c. 626–c. 638: Acarius
  • 641–660: Eligius
  • c. 661–c. 686: Mummolenus
  • Gondoin
  • c. 700: Antgaire
  • c. 715: Chrasmar
  • c. 721: Garoul
  • c. 723: Framenger
  • c. 730: Hunuan
  • c. 740: Gui et Eunuce
  • c. 748: Elisée
  • c. 756/765: Adelfred
  • ?: Didon
  • 769–c. 782: Giselbert
  • c. 798/799: Pleon
  • c. 815: Wendelmarus
  • c. 830/838: Ronegaire
  • c. 830/838: Fichard
  • 840–860: Immon
  • 860–879: Rainelme
  • 880–902: Heidilon
  • 909: Rambert
  • 915–932: Airard
  • †936: Walbert
  • 937–950: Transmar, Transmarus
  • 950–954: Rudolf
  • 954–955: Fulcher
  • 955–977: Hadulphe
  • 977–988: Liudolf of Vermandois
  • 989–997: Radbod I
  • 1000–1030: Hardouin
  • 1030–1044: Hugo
  • 1044–1068: Balduin
  • 1068–1098: Radbod II
  • 1099–1112: Baldric of Noyon
  • 1114–1123: Lambert
  • 1123–1146: Simon of Vermandois
  • Diocese split

1146 to 1500; bishops of Tournai

1500 to 1800

From 1800

Canonical status and jurisdiction

Roman Catholic Diocese of Tournai is a diocese of the catholic church of the Catholic Church.[7]

From the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia

Diocese of Tournai (Lat. TURNACUM, TORNACUM; Flemish, DOORNIJK - TORNACENSIS)

Diocese in Belgium. As early as the second half of the third century St. Piat evangelized Tournai; some writers represent him as the first bishop, but this cannot be proved. Towards the end of the third century the Emperor Maximian rekindled the persecutions, and St. Piat suffered martyrdom. The great barbarian invasions began shortly afterwards, and a wave of Germanic paganism mingled with the Roman paganism, to the destruction of all Christian life. This lasted from the end of the third century till the end of the fifth. But with the progress of the Frankish race Clodion established himself at Tournai; Childeric, his successor, died there in 481. St. Remigius profited by the good will of the Frankish monarchy to organize the Catholic hierarchy in the north of Gaul. He confided the Diocese of Arras and Cambrai to St. Vaast (Vedastus), and erected the See of Tournai (c. 500), appointing as its titular Eleutherius. It was probably its character of royal city which secured for Tournai this premature creation, but it soon lost its rank of capital by the departure of the Merovingian court. Nevertheless it kept its own bishops for nearly a century; then about 626 or 627, under the episcopate of St. Achar, the sees of Tournai and Noyon were united, retaining separate organizations. Tournai then lost the benefit of a privileged situation, and shared the condition of the neighbouring dioceses, such as Boulogne and Therouanne, Arras and Cambrai, where the same titular held both sees for five hundred years. It was only in 1146 that Tournai received its own bishop.

Among its bishops may be mentioned: St. Eleutherius (beginning of sixth century); St. Achar (626-27 - 1 March, 637-38); St. Eloi (641-60); Simon de Vermandois (1121-46); Walter de Marvis (1219-51), the great founder of schools and hospitals; Etienne (1192-1203), godfather of Louis VII and minister of the queen; Andrea Chini Malpiglia (1334-42), cardinal and papal legate; Guillaume Filastre (1460-73), chancellor of the Golden Fleece; Michel de Warenghien (1283-91), a very learned doctor; Michel d'Esne (1597-1614), the author of several works. During the Spanish domination (1521-1667) the see continued to be occupied by natives of the country, but the capture of Tournai by Louis XIV in 1667 caused it to have as bishops a series of Frenchmen: Gilbert de Choiseul du Plessis-Praslain (1670-89); François de La Salle de Caillebot (1692-1705); Louis Marcel de Coëtlogon (1705-07); François de Beauveau (1708-13). After the Treaty of Utrecht (173) the French were replaced by Germans: Johann Ernst, Count of Löwenstein-Wertheim (1713-31); Franz Ernst, Count of Salm-Reifferscheid (1731-1770); Wilhelm Florentine, Prince of Salm-Salm (1776-94).

It will be readily understood that the union of the see with Noyon and the removal thither of the seat of the bishopric had favoured the growth of the power of the chapter. The privilege possessed by the chapter under the old régime of being composed only of nobles and scholars necessarily attracted to it the most distinguished for birth and learning. Illustrious names of France and Belgium are inscribed in the registers of the archives or on the tombstones of the cathedral. The cathedral, 439 feet long by 216 feet wide, is surmounted by 5 towers 273 feet high. The nave and transept are Romanesque (twelfth century), and the choir is primary Gothic, begun in 1242 and finished in 1325. Originally the boundaries of the diocese must have been those of the Civitas Turnacensium mentioned in the "Notice des Gaules". The prescriptions of councils and the interest of the Church both favoured these boundaries, and they were retained throughout the Middle Ages. The diocese then extended along the left bank of the Schelde from the Scarpe to the North Sea, with the exception of the Vier-Ambachten (Hulst, Axel, Bouchaute, and Assenede), which seem to have always belonged to the Diocese of Utrecht. The Schelde thus formed the boundary between the Dioceses of Tournai and Cambrai, cutting in two the towns of Termonde, Ghent, Oudenarde, and Tournai itself. The shore of the North Sea between the Schelde and the Yser was wholly included within the perimeter. On the other side of the Yser was the Diocese of Thérouanne, which bordered Tournai as far as Ypres. There began the Diocese of Arras, which bordered Tournai as far as the confluence of the Scarpe and the Schelde at Mortgne, France. This vast diocese was long divided into three archdeaneries and twelve deaneries. The archdeanery of Bruges comprised the deaneries of Bruges, Ardenbourg, and Oudenbourg; the archdeanery of Ghent, the deaneries of Ghent, Roulers, Oudenarde, and Waes; the archdeanery of Tournai, the deaneries of Tournai, Seclin, Helchin, Lille, and Courtrai.

In 1559 in order to wage more successful war against Protestantism, King Philip II of Spain obtained from Paul VI the erection of a series of new dioceses. The ancient Diocese of Tournai was divided, nearly two-thirds of its territory being taken away. The outlines of the archdeaneries of Bruges and Ghent formed the new dioceses of Bruges and Ghent, and six parishes passed to the new Diocese of Ypres. These conditions lasted until the beginning of the nineteenth century. The French Revolution created the Department of Jemappes, which in 1815 became the Province of Hainault, whose boundaries followed those of the Diocese of Tournai, after a concordat between the plenipotentiaries of Pius VI and the consular government of the republic. The Bishop of Tournai retained only two score of the parishes formerly under his jurisdiction, but he governed on the right bank of the Schelde a number of parishes which, prior to the Revolution, belonged to the Diocese of Cambrai (302), Namur (50), and Liege (50).

The Diocese of Tournai, with 1,240,525 inhabitants, has 537 parishes, divided into 33 deaneries: Antoing (21 parishes), Ath (12), Beaumont (17), Beloeil (15), Binche (18), Boussu (18), Celles (14), Charleroi (18), Châtelet (27), Chièvres (23), Chimay (22), Dour (18), Ellezelles (6), Enghien (12), Fountain-L'Evêque (20), Frasnes-lez-Buissenal (14), Gosselies (20), La Louviere (15), Lens (23), Lessines (12), Leuze (17), Merbes-le-Château (17), Mons (Ste-Elisabeth, 9), Mons (Ste-Waudru, 10), Pâturages (17), Péruvelz (12), Roeulx (16), Seneffe (21), Soignies (11), Templeuve (13), Thuin (16), Tournai (Notre-Dame, 14), Tournai (St-Brice, 13).

Eight diocesan colleges prepare young men for theological studies in a seminary, or for a liberal course in a university.

Herimanni liber de restauratione monasterii Sancti Martini Tornacensis, ed. WAITZ, in Mon. Germ. hist.; Script., XIV (Hanover, 1883); CATULLE, Turnacum civitas metropolis et cathedra episcopalis Nerviorum (Brussels, 1652); CHIFFLET, Anastasis Childerici I, Francorum regis, sive thesaurus sepulchralis Tornaci effossus et commentariis illustratus (Antwerp, 1655); COUSIN, Histoire de Tournay (2 vols., Douai, 1619-20; 2nd ed., with notes, Tournai 1868); LE MAISTRE D'ANSTAING, Recherches sur l'histoire et l'architecture de l'eglise cathedrale de Tournai (2 vols., Tournai, 1842-43); VOS, Les dignites et les fonctions de l'ancien chapitre de Notre-Dame de Tournai (2 vols., Bruges, 1898); WARICHEZ, Les origines de l'Eglise de Tournai (Louvain, 1902); IDEM, Etat beneficial de la Flandre et du Tournaisis au temps de Philippe le Bon (1455) in Analectes pour servir a l'histoire ecclesiastique de la Belgigue, XXXV, XXXVI, XXXVII (Louvain, 1909, 1910, 1911); Bulletins et Memoires de la societe historique et litteraire de Tournai (51 vols. Tournai, 1845-95).

References

  1. Back to citation "Tournai {Doornik} (Latin (or Roman) Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2020-04-09.
  2. Back to citation "L'ensemble de la Cathédrale Notre-Dame à l'exception de l'orgue de choeur (partie instrumentale et buffet)". Patrimoine Wallon (in French). Direction de la Protection - Région Wallone. Retrieved 7 July 2011. - n° 57081-CLT-0002-01 - 5 February 1936
  3. Back to citation "Notre-Dame Cathedral in Tournai". UNESCO. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  4. Back to citation Arnould, Alain (1988). "The Iconographical Sources of a Composite Manuscript from the Library of Raphael de Mercatellis". Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes. 51: 197–209. doi:10.2307/751276. JSTOR 751276. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
  5. Back to citation In a sequence of events complicated by the English capture of Tournai in 1514, the young Guillard, although nominated to the see in 1513, was replaced by Wolsey. An Anglo-French treaty of 1519 resolved the matter. Peter G. Bietenholz, Thomas Brian Deutscher, Contemporaries of Erasmus (2003), pp. 151–2.
  6. Back to citation (in French) fr:Edmond Dumont
  7. Back to citation Roman Catholic Diocese of Tournai, official website
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