Denomination Roman Catholic | Area 6,986 km² Bishop Jean-Philipe Nault Metropolitan archbishop Georges Pontier | |
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Population- Total- Catholics (as of 2013)163,500112,800 (69%) Established United: 15 February 1916 Emeritus Bishops Edmond-Marie-Henri Abelé Bishop Emeritus (1980-1987)François-Xavier Loizeau Bishop Emeritus (1997-2014) Patron saints Saint Domnin, Saint Vincent of Digne | ||
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Digne (Latin: Dioecesis Diniensis; French: Diocèse de Digne) is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic church in France. Erected in the 4th century as the Diocese of Digne, the diocese is now known as the Diocese of Digne (–Riez–Sisteron) (Latin: Dioecesis Diniensis (–Reiensis–Sistariensis); French: Diocèse de Digne (–Riez–Sisteron)), since 1922. The diocese comprises the entire department of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, in the Region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. The diocese used to be a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Aix-en-Provence and Arles until 2002, but is now a suffragan of Marseille. The bishops are seated at Digne-les-Bains, in Digne Cathedral.
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Extent
By the Concordat of 1801, this diocese was made to include the two departments of the Hautes-Alpes and the Basses-Alpes, in addition to the former Diocese of Digne, the Archdiocese of Embrun, the dioceses of Gap, Sisteron and Senez, a very considerable part of the dioceses of Glandèves and Riez, and fourteen parishes in the Archdiocese of Aix-en-Provence and Arles and the Diocese of Apt. In 1822 Gap was made an episcopal see and, thus divested of the department of the Hautes Alpes, the present Diocese of Digne covers the territory formerly included in the Dioceses of Digne, Senez, Glandèves, Riez and Sisteron.
History
The former diocese of Digne was evangelized by Saints Domninus and Vincentius who came from North Africa in the second half of the fourth century with Saint Marcellinus, the Apostle of Embrun. It is not certain that they were bishops. The first historically known bishop was Pentadius who attended the Council of Agde in 506.