François Verjus

François Verjus (* 1633 ; † December 17, 1710 in Grasse ) was a French bishop .

Life

François Verjus came from a noble family in Île-de-France . His brothers were the diplomat Louis Verjus de Crécy (1629-1709), Count of Crécy, and Antoine Verjus (1632-1706), a well-known Jesuit. François Verjus embarked on an ecclesiastical career, became a priest and member of the Congregation of the Oratorians and received the Barbeaux Abbey in the Diocese of Sens in Kommende .

By decree of May 31, 1684, King Louis XIV appointed him Bishop of Grasse , but transferred him to Glandèves (November 13, 1685) before his consecration and, at his request, back to Grasse on April 18, 1686. It was not until the consistory of March 10, 1692, after the differences between King Ludwig and St. Chair (→ Gallicanism ), Verjus finally received papal confirmation and was consecrated on December 7, 1692 in the Dominican church in Paris, rue de Charonne. The ceremony was presided over by the Bishop of Boulogne, Claude Le Tonnelier de Breteuil . On December 23, Bishop Verjus took the oath of allegiance to the king.

During his episcopate, the income of the Provosty of Grasse, held by his later successor as Bishop of Glandéves, Charles de Villeneuve , was reunited with the episcopal canteen, as were the privileges associated with dignity with those of the sacristan. However, this legal act, confirmed by a bull, called Innocent XII. of July 30, 1692, the resistance of the Chapter; the ensuing legal dispute, up to and including the royal council of state (conseil du roi), only came to an end under Verjus' successor Mesgrigny .

In 1695 Mgr. Verjus hosted the Duke of Vendôme in his bishop's palace , who was on his way to Italy. In 1702 he issued new synodal orders and in 1706 forbade, under the penalty of excommunication, the dances and games called jouvines , which were held every Monday of Lent in Saint-Hilaire . In 1707 the diocese of Grasse was occupied by the troops of the Duke of Savoy , who had his headquarters in Biot during the War of the Spanish Succession . Towns like Saint-Laurent were sacked by the occupiers, priests who had led the resistance of the population were mistreated and their churches looted.

François Verjus died on December 17th, 1710 in Grasse and was buried in the bishop's crypt.

literature

• Honoré Fisquet : La France pontificale (" Gallia Christiana ") . Paris, Repos, 1864-1871.
• Jean, Armand: Les Évêques et les archevêques de France depuis 1682 jusqu'à 1801. Paris [et al.]: Picard [et al.], 1891.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ According to catholic-hierarchy.org . The printed reference books do not give a date of birth.