See Karnatic Mission Birth name Pierre Brigot Name Pierre Brigot Successor Nicolas Champenois Appointed September 30, 1776 | Term ended 8 November 1791 Denomination Catholic Died November 8, 1791 Consecration August 24, 1757 | |
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Born September 1, 1713
Sully-sur-Loire, France ( 1713-09-01 ) Buried Cathedral Cemetery, Pondicherry Place of burial Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Pondicherry People also search for Auguste-Simeon Colas | ||
Pierre Brigot (1 September 1713 - 8 November 1791) was a missionary of Paris Foreign Missions Society and was the first Superior of Karnatic Mission headquartered at Pondicherry which later became the Archdiocese of Pondicherry and Cuddalore. He was the Superior from 30 September 1776 until his death. He was formerly the Vicar Apostolic of Siam in Thailand from 8 December 1755. After his death the Karnatic Mission was headed by Bishop Nicolas Champenois.
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Early life
He was born at Sully-sur-Loire in the Diocese of Orleans, France on 1 September 1713. He joined the Paris Foreign Missions Society and was sent to Siam, Thailand in 1741.
In Siam Mission
He worked first in a place called Mergui. In 1749 he apposed the erection of a stone in front of his Church. The stone is claimed to have contained abusive language towards Catholicism and for that reason it was called scandal stone. After two months of fighting, the Governor relented. From 1742 to 1750, he worked as the provicar of the Tenasserim.
He came back to Bangkok on January 22, 1755 and was appointed titula bishop of Thabraca and Coadjutor of Siam. Since his predecessor Jean de Loliere-Puycontat died before consecrating him, Brigot went to Manila to receive his episcopal consecration on August 24, 1757 from Bishop Juan de La Fuente Yepes.
Dunring the Burmese–Siamese War of 1767 Bishop Brigot, his missionaries together with their Christians and seminarians, a Jesuit, Dominicans, another Portuguese priest, and their Christians were taken prisoners. Seeing fellow Christians in misery, he gave them everything he had, he even sold his episcopal ring. During the month of May they were taken to Tavoy and then in November to Rangoon. The Franciscans and Barnabites missionaries in this city, chose him as arbitrator on an issue that divided them, and accepted his decision.
On January 31, 1768, he consecrated Giovanni Maria Percoto as the Titular Bishop of Maxula Prates and the Vicar Apostolic of Ava e Pegu. He left in March of that year to Pondicherry.
In Karnatic Mission
After the Suppression of the Society of Jesus, the Karnatic Mission was given to the Paris Foreign Missions Society. He was appointed as its Superior by Pope Pius VI on September 30, 1776. He devoted himself to the reunion of the Jesuits and MEP missionaries and encouraged them to work together.
By a decree issued on September 7, 1778 he gained 13 jurisdictions, which gave him authority aver all Christians in the territory of the French colony excluding Europeans and Creoles who remained subject to the Capuchins. Later his jurisdiction was extended over the Madurai and the Mysore. He consulted with Rome on some Indian customs and caste, and wisely applied the guidelines he received.
Death
In 1785, he chose Nicolas Champenois as coadjutor and consecrated him as the Titular Bishop of Doliche on November 5, 1786. Because of old age and sickness, he entrusted the administration to his coadjutor. He died in Pondicherry on November 8, 1791.