The former French Catholic diocese of Comminges existed at least from the sixth century, to the French Revolution. The seat of the bishops was at Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges, now no more than a village, in the modern department of Haute-Garonne in south-west France. The territory of the old diocese now belongs to the archdiocese of Toulouse. The name of Comminges was incorporated into the titulature of the archbishop of Toulouse on 19 January 1935. He is now the archbishop of Toulouse-Saint Bertrand de Comminges-Rieux.

History

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (December 2016)

The earliest Bishop of Comminges known by name is Suavis, who assisted at the Council of Agde in 506, along with thirty-four other bishops. Sidonius Apollinaris, however, writes of the death of a bishop of Comminges in 473.

Among the bishops of Comminges were:

• Bertrand of Comminges (1073–1123), grandson of William III, Count of Toulouse, previously archdeacon of Toulouse, who built the cathedral of Comminges and restored the town
• Bertrand de Goth (1295–99), who became pope under the name of Clement V.
• Bertrand de Cosnac (1352–72), created cardinal by Pope Gregory XI on 30 May 1371.
• Amelius de Lautrec (1384–90), created cardinal on 12 July 1385 by Pope Clement VII of the Avignon Obedience.
• Pierre de Foix (1422–64), cardinal from 1412–1413 to 1464.
• Cardinal Amanieu d'Albret, who was Bishop of Comminges (19 July 1499 – 1514, after 7 November)
• Cardinal Carlo Carafa (6 July 1556 – 4 March 1561), nephew of Pope Paul IV, he was arrested, tried, and executed by strangulation on orders of Pope Pius IV. Carafa was never ordained a priest or consecrated a bishop. He never took possession of his see.
• Urbain de Saint-Gelais, who in 1586, without outside assistance and with the help of a cannon which he caused to be brought from Toulouse, captured the town from the Huguenots.

In the church of St. Bertrand of Comminges (The gothic church is of the 14th century), baptism was administered with peculiar ceremonies: the baptismal water was placed in a silver dove with wings displayed (a symbol of the Holy Spirit), and enclosed in a cupola surmounting the font; at the moment of baptizing the dove was lowered over the head of the child by a pulley, and through its open beak the baptismal water was poured (as though grace from heaven).

Bishops

To 1000

1000–1300

1300–1500

From 1500

See also

• Catholic Church in France
• List of Catholic dioceses in France