Diocese of Blois, France

Continent: West Europe

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Blois / Blesen(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Tours

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Websites:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Saint Louis of France (August 25)

Cathedral Dedication Anniversary: July 9

Liturgical Calendar 📅

History

1697.07.01: Established as Diocese of Blois / Blesen(sis) (Latin) (from Diocese of Chartres and became suffragan of Paris)
1801.11.29: Suppressed (to Diocese of Orléans)
1822.10.06: Restored as Diocese of Blois / Blesen(sis) (Latin) (from Diocese of Orléans and became suffragan of Paris)
2002.12.08: Became suffragan of Tours

Present Prelates

Bishop (2024.10.01 – ...):

Bishop Francis Victor Bestion (67)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Blois (Roman Rite)

Bishop Francis Victor Bestion (67)
(2024.10.01 – ...)

Bishop of Blois (France)

Vous puiserez les eaux aux sources vives du salut

Born:	1957.05.08 (Fontans, France)
Ordained Priest:	1990.05.27
Consecrated Bishop:	2014.02.23

Priest of Mende (France) (1990.05.27 – 2013.12.12)

Bishop of Tulle (France) (2013.12.12 – 2024.10.01)

Bishop of Blois (France) (2024.10.01 – ...)

Bishop Jean-Pierre Batut (70)
(2014.11.22 – 2023.06.26)

Titular Bishop of Maillezais
Auxiliary Bishop of Toulouse (France)

Qui accusera ceux que Dieu a choisis

Born:	1954.07.03 (Paris, France)
Ordained Priest:	1984.06.23
Consecrated Bishop:	2009.01.10

Priest of Paris (France) (1984.06.23 – 2008.11.28)

Titular Bishop of Ressiana (2008.11.28 – 2014.11.22)

Auxiliary Bishop of Lyon (France) (2008.11.28 – 2014.11.22)

Bishop of Blois (France) (2014.11.22 – 2023.06.26)

Titular Bishop of Maillezais (2023.06.26 – ...)

Auxiliary Bishop of Toulouse (France) (2023.06.26 – ...)

Bishop Maurice Le Bègue de Germiny (85)
(1997.03.27 – 2014.11.22)

Bishop emeritus of Blois (France)

Born:	1939.11.23 (Saint-Maurice-du-Désert, France)
Ordained Priest:	1974.06.29
Consecrated Bishop:	1997.05.24

Priest of Paris (France) (1974.06.29 – 1997.03.27)

Bishop of Blois (France) (1997.03.27 – 2014.11.22)

Bishop Jean Cuminal
(1990.07.25 – 1996.04.18)

Born:	1923.04.02 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1946.06.29
Consecrated Bishop:	1975.03.08
Died:	1996.04.18 († 73)

Titular Bishop of Curubis (1975.01.02 – 1982.05.06)

Auxiliary Bishop of Besançon (France) (1975.01.02 – 1982.05.06)

Bishop of Saint-Flour (France) (1982.05.06 – 1990.07.25)

Bishop of Blois (France) (1990.07.25 – 1996.04.18)

Bishop Joseph-Marie-Goerges-Michel Goupy
(1961.11.28 – 1990.07.25)

Born:	1914.11.08 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1940.01.06
Consecrated Bishop:	1960.05.03
Died:	1999.04.28 († 84)

Titular Bishop of Apollonis (1960.02.06 – 1961.11.28)

Coadjutor Bishop of Blois (France) (1960.02.06 – 1961.11.28)

Bishop of Blois (France) (1961.11.28 – 1990.07.25)

Bishop Louis-Sylvain Robin
(1945.11.03 – 1961.11.28)

Born:	1897.03.22 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1921.12.21
Consecrated Bishop:	1946.01.18
Died:	1963.12.02 († 66)

Bishop of Blois (France) (1945.11.03 – 1961.11.28)

Titular Bishop of Arneæ (1961.11.28 – 1963.12.02)

Bishop Georges-Marie-Eugène Audollent
(1925.05.15 – 1944.11.09)

Born:	1867.05.18 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1890.09.20
Consecrated Bishop:	1925.07.16
Died:	1944.11.09 († 77)

Bishop of Blois (France) (1925.05.15 – 1944.11.09)

Bishop Alfred-Jules Mélisson (later Archbishop)
(1907.10.10 – 1925.02.09)

Born:	1842.09.21 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1865.04.15
Consecrated Bishop:	1907.11.30
Died:	1927.06.06 († 84)

Bishop of Blois (France) (1907.10.10 – 1925.02.09)

Titular Bishop of Irenopolis (1925.02.09 – 1925.07.11)

Titular Archbishop of Viminacium (1925.07.11 – 1927.06.06)

Bishop Charles-Honoré Laborde
(1877.06.25 – 1907.05.18)

Born:	1826.11.01 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1850.12.21
Consecrated Bishop:	1877.08.24
Died:	1907.05.18 († 80)

Bishop of Blois (France) ([1877.06.09] 1877.06.25 – 1907.05.18)

Bishop Louis-Théophile Palluc du Parc
(1851.02.17 – 1877.01.13)

Born:	1804.09.03 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1827.12.22
Consecrated Bishop:	1851.05.01
Died:	1877.03.31 († 72)

Bishop of Blois (France) ([1850.12.15] 1851.02.17 – 1877.01.13)

Bishop Marie-Auguste Fabre-des-Essarts
(1844.06.17 – 1850.10.20)

Born:	1795.08.29 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1818.03.07
Consecrated Bishop:	1844.07.25
Died:	1850.10.20 († 55)

Bishop of Blois (France) ([1844.04.21] 1844.06.17 – 1850.10.20)

Bishop Philippe-François Sausin
(1823.05.16 – 1844.03.05)

Born:	1756.02.11 (France)
Consecrated Bishop:	1823.07.20
Died:	1844.03.05 († 88)

Bishop of Blois (France) ([1823.01.13] 1823.05.16 – 1844.03.05)

Bishop Alexandre-François de Lauzières de Thémines
(1776.09.16 – 1801)

Born:	1742.01.13
Consecrated Bishop:	1776.10.06
Died:	1829.11.02 († 87)

Bishop of Blois (France) (1776.09.16 – 1801)

Bishop Charles-Gilbert de May de Termont
(1753.12.10 – 1776.07.22)

Born:	1712 (France)
Consecrated Bishop:	1753.12.30
Died:	1776.07.22 († 63)

Bishop of Blois (France) ([1753.08.15] 1753.12.10 – 1776.07.22)

Archbishop François de Crussol d’Uzès
(1734.11.17 – 1753.09.26)

Born:	1702.01.24 (France)
Consecrated Bishop:	1735.01.09
Died:	1758.05.30 († 56)

Bishop of Blois (France) ([1734.06.27] 1734.11.17 – 1753.09.26)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Toulouse (France) ([1753.08.15] 1753.09.26 – 1758.05.30)

Bishop Jean-Paul-François Le Févre de Caumartin
(1719.08.27 – 1733.08.30)

Born:	1668.12.16 (France)
Consecrated Bishop:	1718.07.17
Died:	1733.08.30 († 64)

Bishop of Vannes (France) (1717 – 1719.08.27)

Bishop of Blois (France) (1719.08.27 – 1733.08.30)

Bishop David-Nicolas Bertier
(1697.03.22 – 1719.08.20)

Consecrated Bishop:	1697.09.15
Died:	1719.08.20

Bishop of Blois (France) (1697.03.22 – 1719.08.20)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Joseph-Marie-Goerges-Michel Goupy (1960.02.06 – 1961.11.28)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Maurice-Paul-Jules Rousseau (1943.06.22 – 1945.11.03)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Cathédrale Saint-Louis, Blois, Loir-et-Cher, Centre-Val de Loire
Minor Basilica: Basilique Notre-Dame de la Trinité, Blois, Loir-et-Cher, Centre-Val de Loire
Jubilee Churches in the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy (2016)

Tours (↙), Le Mans (←), Chartres (↑), Orléans (↗), Bourges (↘)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 6,422 km²

Population: 188,000 Catholics (54.5% of 344,680 total)

Pastoral Centres: 293 parishes

Personnel: 68 priests (48 diocesan, 20 religious), 18 deacons, 102 religious (27 brothers, 75 sisters)