Map of the diocese of Lausanne, Geneva and Fribourg within Switzerland

The Diocese of Lausanne, Geneva and Fribourg (Latin Dioecesis Lausannensis, Genevensis et Friburgensis) is the name of a Roman Catholic diocese in Switzerland, immediately subject to the Holy See, comprising the Cantons of Fribourg, Geneva, Vaud and Neuchâtel, with the exception of certain parishes of the right bank of the Rhône belonging to the Diocese of Sion (Sitten). In many rites of the Roman Catholic Church and in Anglican churches, a diocese is an administrative territorial unit administered by a Bishop. Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome, commonly known as the Pope, and is the preeminent Episcopal see of the Roman Catholic The Canton of Fribourg is a canton of Switzerland. It is located in the west of the country The Canton of Geneva is the westernmost canton or state of Switzerland, surrounded on almost all sides by France and centered around the city of Geneva The Canton of Vaud ( French pronunciation) is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland and is located in Romandy, the southwestern part of the Neuchâtel (Canton de Neuchâtel Kanton Neuenburg is a canton of western Switzerland. The Rhone, or the Rhône is one of the major Rivers of Europe, running through Switzerland and France. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Sion (Bistum Sitten Dioecesis Sedunensis Évêché de Sion in the Swiss canton of Valais, is the oldest bishopric in Switzerland It was created by the merger in 1821 of the Bishopric of Lausanne and the Bishopric of Geneva, both former prince-bishoprics. Year 1821 ( MDCCCXXI) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common year A Prince-Bishop is a Bishop who is a territorial Prince of the Church on account of one or more Secular principalities usually pre-existent titles of nobility Until 1924, it was called the Diocese of Lausanne and Geneva. Year 1924 ( MCMXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The diocese is seated at Fribourg; it has 680,000 Catholics, constituting 51% of the population of its district (as of 2004). Fribourg ( French) (Freiburg or de Freiburg im [[Üechtland]], often Fribourg) is the capital of the Swiss canton of The current bishop is Bernard Genoud.

Lausanne

The origin of the See of Lausanne can be traced to the ancient See of Windisch (Vindonissa). Windisch is a municipality in the district of Brugg in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland. Bubulcus, the first Bishop of Windisch, appeared at the imperial Synod of Epao in Burgundy in 517 (Friedrich Maassen, "Concilia ævi merov. Friedrich Bernard Christian Maassen ( September 24, 1823 &ndash April 9, 1900) was a German Jurist, Professor " in "Mon. Germ. Hist.: Leg.", III, I, Hanover, 1893, 15-30). The Monumenta Germaniae Historica (frequently abbreviated MGH in bibliographies and lists of sources is a comprehensive series of carefully edited and published sources The second and last known Bishop of Windisch was Gramatius (Grammatius), who signed the decrees of the Synods of Clermont in 535 (Maassen, 1. c. , pp. 65-71), of Orléans, 541 (Maassen, 1. c. , 86-99), and that of Orléans in 549 (Maassen 1. c. , 99-112). It was generally believed that shortly after this the see was transferred from Windisch to Konstanz, until investigations, particularly by Marius Besson, made it probable that, between 549 and 585, the see was divided and the real seat of the bishops of Windisch transferred to Avenches (Aventicum), while the eastern part of the diocese was united with the Diocese of Konstanz. Konstanz (in English formerly known as Constance) is a university town of around 80000 inhabitants at the western end of Lake Constance Avenches is a Swiss municipality in the canton of Vaud, located in the district of Avenches, of which it is the capital The Bishopric of Constance was a Diocese of the Roman Catholic Church that existed from about 585 until 1821

According to the Synod of Mâcon, 585 (Maassen, 1. c. , 163-73), St. Marius seems to have been the first resident Bishop of Avenches. The Chartularium of Lausanne (ed. G. Waitz in "Monum. German.: Scriptores", XXIV, Hanover, 1879, 794; also in "Mémoires et documents pull, par la Société de la Suisse Romande", VI, Lausanne, 1851, 29) affirms that St. The Monumenta Germaniae Historica (frequently abbreviated MGH in bibliographies and lists of sources is a comprehensive series of carefully edited and published sources Marius was born in the Burgundian Diocese of Autun about 530, was consecrated Bishop of Avenches in May, 574, and died 31 December 594. Events 406 – Vandals, Alans and Suebians cross the Rhine, beginning an invasion of Gallia. Events By Topic Politics and Wars Byzantine Emperor Maurice disposes of Priscos and installs his own brother Peter (For his epitaph in verse, formerly in the church of St. Thyrsius at Lausanne, see "Mon. Germ.: Script.", XXIV, 795. The Monumenta Germaniae Historica (frequently abbreviated MGH in bibliographies and lists of sources is a comprehensive series of carefully edited and published sources ) To him we owe a valuable addition (455-581) to the Chronicle of St. Prosper of Aquitaine (Patrologia Latina. Saint Prosper of Aquitaine (c 390 – c 455 a Christian writer and disciple of Saint Augustine of Hippo, was the first continuator of Jerome 's Universal The Patrologia Latina is an enormous collection of the writings of the Church Fathers and other ecclesiastical writers published by Jacques-Paul Migne between LXXII, 793-802; also in "Mon. Germ.: Auctores Antiquissimi", XI, Berlin, 1894,232-39). The Monumenta Germaniae Historica (frequently abbreviated MGH in bibliographies and lists of sources is a comprehensive series of carefully edited and published sources The episcipal see of Avenches may have been transferred to Lausanne by Marius, or possibly not before 610.

Lausanne was originally a suffragan of the archbishopric of Lyon (certainly about the seventh century), later of Besançon, from which it was detached by the French Napoleonic Concordat of 1801. A suffragan bishop is a Bishop subordinate to a Metropolitan bishop or Diocesan bishop. Besançon (bəzɑ̃ˈsɔ̃ in French and Arpitan; German: Bisanz) is the capital and principal city of the Franche-Comté The Concordat of 1801 is a reflection of an agreement between Napoleon Bonaparte and Pope Pius VII that reaffirmed the Roman Catholic Church as the majority In medieval times the diocese extended from the Aar, near Soleure, to the northern end of the Valley of St. The Aar ( German Aare) a tributary of the Rhine, is the longest River that both rises and ends entirely within Switzerland. Imier, thence along the Doubs and the ridge of the Jura to where the Aubonne flows into the Lake of Geneva, and thence along the north of the lake to Villeneuve whence the boundary-line followed the watershed between Rhône and Aar to the Grimsel, and down the Aar to Attiswil. The Rhone, or the Rhône is one of the major Rivers of Europe, running through Switzerland and France. Grimsel Pass (German Grimselpass) (el 2165 m is a Swiss high Mountain pass between the valley of the Rhone River in the canton Thus the diocese included the town of Soleure and part of its territory that part of the Canton of Berne which lay on the left bank of the River Aar, also Biel, the Valley of St. The city of Solothurn ( German:, Soleure Soletta is the Capital of the Canton of Solothurn in Switzerland. The Swiss Canton of Berne is Bilingual (Kanton Bern Canton de Berne and has a population of about 958000 Imier, Jougne and Les Longevilles in the Franche-Comté, the countships of Neuchâtel and Valangin, the greater part of the Canton of Vaud, the Canton of Fribourg, the countship of Gruyère and most of the Bernese Oberland. Franche-Comté ( Franc-Comtois: Fràntche-Comté; Franco-Provençal: Franche-Comtât) the former "Free County" of Burgundy Valangin is a municipality in the district of Val-de-Ruz in the canton of Neuchâtel in Switzerland. Gruyère (Groo-Yair is a hard yellow Cheese made from cow's Milk, named after the town of Gruyères in Switzerland, and made The Bernese Oberland (Bernese highlands is the higher part of the Canton of Bern, Switzerland, in the south of the canton The area around Lake Thun and The present Diocese of Lausanne includes the Cantons of Fribourg, Vaud and Neuchâtel.

Of the bishops who in the seventh century succeeded St. Marius almost nothing is known. Between 594 and 800 only three bishops are known: Arricus, present at the Council of Chalon-sur-Saône (Maassen, 1. Not to be confused with Châlons-en-Champagne, formerly known as Châlons-sur-Marne c. , 208-14), Protasius, elected about 651, and Chilmegisilus, about 670. From the time of Charlemagne until the end of the ninth century the following bishops of Lausanne are mentioned: Udalricus (Ulrich), a contemporary of Charlemagne; Fredarius (about 814); David (827-50), slain in combat with one of the lords of Degerfelden; Hartmann (851-78); Hieronymus (879-92). Charlemagne (ˈʃɑrlɨmeɪn Carolus Magnus or Karolus Magnus meaning Charles the Great) (747 – 28 January 814 was King of the Franks from 768 to his

The most distinguished subsequent bishops are: Heinrich von Lenzburg (d. 1019), who rebuilt the cathedral in 1000; Hugo (1019-37), a son of Rudolf III of Burgundy, in 1037 proclaimed the "Peace of God"; Burkart von Oltingen (1057-89), one of the most devoted adherents of Emperor Henry IV, with whom he was banished, and made the pilgrimage to Canossa; Guido von Merlen (1130-44), a correspondent of St. Bernard; St. Rudolf III of Burgundy (called Rudolf der Faule in German and Rodolphe le Fainéant meaning sluggard or do-nothing or - le Pieux the Pious in French Henry IV ( November 11, 1050 &ndash August 7, 1106) was King of Germany from 1056 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1084 until The Walk to Canossa (sometimes called the Way to Canossa; German, Gang nach Canossa; Italian, l'umiliazione di Canossa) refers to St Bernard, St Bernard or Saint Bernard may be People Saint Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153 Saint Bernard Amadeus of Hauterive, a Cistercian (1144-59), who wrote homilies in honour of the Blessed Virgin (P. L. , CLXXXVIII, 1277-1348); Boniface of Brussels, much venerated (1230/1-39), formerly a master in the Sorbonne University of Paris and head of the cathedral school at Cologne, resigned because of physical ill-treatment, afterwards auxiliary bishop in Brabant (see Ratzinger in "Stimmen aus Maria-Laach", L, 1896, 10-23, 139-57); the Benedictine Louis de la Palud (1432-40), who took part in the Councils of Konstanz (1414), Pavia-Siena (1423) and Basle (1431--) and at the last-named was chosen, in January, 1432, Bishop of Lausanne, against Jean de Prangins, the chapter's choice; Palud was later vice-chamberlain of the conclave whence Amadeus VIII of Savoy emerged as the antipope Felix V, by whom he was made a cardinal; George of Saluzzo, who published synodical constitutions for the reform of the clergy; Cardinal Giuliano della Rovere (1472-76), who in 1503 ascended the papal throne as Julius II. Saint Boniface (1183 in Brussels &ndash 19 February1260 in the abbey of La Cambre, Brussels) was Bishop of Lausanne from c The historic University of Paris (Université de Paris first appeared in the second half of the 13th century The first cathedral schools originated in the Early Middle Ages. Benedictine refers to the Spirituality and Consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in A papal conclave is a meeting of the College of Cardinals to elect the Pope (or Bishop of Rome) who is considered by Catholics to be the Successor Amadeus VIII ( September 4, 1383 &ndash January 7, 1451) was the son of Amadeus VII Count of Savoy and Bonne of Berry. An antipope ( Latin: antipapa) is a person who makes a widely accepted claim to be the lawful Pope, in opposition to the pope recognised by the Roman Pope Julius II (5 December 1443 &ndash 21 February 1513 born Giuliano Della Rovere, was Pope from 1503 to 1513

Meanwhile the prince-bishops of Lausanne, who had been Counts of Vaud since the time of Rudolf III of Burgundy (1011), and until 1218 subject only to imperial authority, were in 1270 granted the status of prince of the Holy Roman Empire, but their temporal power only extended over a small part of the diocese, namely over the city and district of Lausanne, as well as a few towns and villages in the Cantons of Vaud and Fribourg; on the other hand, the bishops possessed many feoffees among the most distinguished of the patrician families of Western Switzerland. A Prince-Bishop is a Bishop who is a territorial Prince of the Church on account of one or more Secular principalities usually pre-existent titles of nobility A count is a Nobleman in European countries The word count comes from French comte, itself from Latin The Canton of Vaud ( French pronunciation) is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland and is located in Romandy, the southwestern part of the The Holy Roman Empire comprised a number of political entities which were deemed to be sovereign after the Treaty of Westphalia ( 1648)

The guardians of the ecclesiastical property (advocati, avoués) of the see were originally the counts of Genevois, then the lords of Gerenstein, the dukes of Zähringen, the counts of Kyburg, lastly the counts (later dukes) of Savoy. Genevois is the name used in Geneva used for the dialect of Arpitan used in the canton of Geneva Zähringen is the name of an old and influential German noble family taken from the castle and village of that name For the two French départements of the region of Savoy see Savoie and Haute-Savoie Savoy ( French These guardians, whose only duty originally was the protection of the diocese, enlarged their jurisdiction at the expense of the diocesan rights and even filled the episcopal see with members of their families. Wearisome quarrels resulted, during which the city of Lausanne, with the aid of Berne and Fribourg, acquired new rights, and gradually freed itself from episcopal suzerainty. When Bishop Sebastian de Montfaucon (1517-60) took sides with the Duke of Savoy in a battle against Berne, the Bernese used this as a pretext to seize the city of Lausanne.

On 31 March 1536, Hans Franz Nägeli entered Lausanne as conqueror, abolished Catholicism, and began a religious revolution. Events 307 - After divorcing his wife Minervina, Constantine marries Fausta, the daughter of the retired Roman Emperor The bishop was obliged to flee, the ecclesiastical treasure was taken to Berne, the cathedral chapter was dissolved (and never re-established), while the cathedral was given over to the Swiss Reformed Church. The Reformed branch of Protestantism in Switzerland was started in Zurich by Huldrych Zwingli and spread within a few years to Basel ( Johannes Oecolampadius) Berne Bishop Sebastian died an exile in 1560, and his three successors were likewise exiles. It was only in 1610, under Bishop Johann VII of Watteville, that the see was provisionally re-established at Fribourg, where it has since remained. Fribourg ( French) (Freiburg or de Freiburg im [[Üechtland]], often Fribourg) is the capital of the Swiss canton of

The cantons of Vaud, Neuchâtel and Berne were entirely lost by the See of Lausanne to the Reformation. By the French revolutionary Constitution Civile du Clergé (1790) the Parishes of the French Jura fell to the Diocese of Belley, and this was confirmed by the Concordat of 1801. The French Revolution (1789–1799 was a period of political and social upheaval in the History of France, during which the French governmental structure previously an The Civil Constitution of the Clergy ( "Constitution civile du clergé") was a law passed on July 12, 1790 during the French Revolution Jura is a department in the east of France named after the Jura mountains (not to be confused with the Swiss canton of Jura A concordat usually refers to an agreement between the Apostolic See and a Government of a certain country on religious matters although it is also used In 1814 the parishes of Soleure, in 1828 those of the Bernese Jura, and in 1864 also that district of Berne on the left bank of the Aar were attached to the bishopric of Basle. Bernese Jura (Jura Bernois is the name for the French-speaking area of the Swiss Canton of Bern. Bishopric of Basel may refer to either the Roman Catholic Diocese in Switzerland (German Bistum Basel, Latin Dioecesis Basileensis In compensation, Pius VII assigned, in a papal brief of 20 September 1819, the city of Geneva and twenty parishes belonging to the old Diocese of Geneva (which in 1815 had become Swiss) to the See of Lausanne. Pope Pius VII, OSB (August 14 1740&mdashAugust 20 1823 born Count Barnaba Niccolò Maria Luigi Chiaramonti, was Pope from March 14 1800 to August The Papal Brief is a formal document emanating from the Pope, in a somewhat simpler and more modern form than a Papal Bull. Events 451 - The Battle of Chalons takes place in North Eastern France. Year 1819 ( MDCCCXIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar in the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common year The bishop (in 1815 Petrus Tohias Yenni) retained his residence at Fribourg, and since 1821 has borne the title and arms of the Bishops of Lausanne and Geneva. His vicar general resides at Geneva, and is always parish priest of that city. A vicar general (often abbreviated VG) is the principal deputy of the bishop of a diocese for the exercise of administrative authority Geneva (Genève is the second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and is the most populous city of Romandy (the French -speaking

Geneva

Geneva (Genava of Geneva, also Janua and Genua), capital of the Swiss canton of the same name situated where the Rhône issues from the Lake of Geneva (Lacus Lemanus), first appears in history as a border town, fortified against the Celto-Germanic Helvetii, which the Romans took in 120 B. Geneva (Genève is the second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and is the most populous city of Romandy (the French -speaking Lake Geneva or Lake Léman (Lac Léman Léman Lac de Genève is the second largest freshwater Lake in Central Europe in terms of surface area (after The Helvetii were a Celtic tribe and the main occupants of the Swiss plateau in the 1st century BC C. In A. D. 443 it was taken by Burgundy, and with the latter fell to the Franks in 534. In 888 the town was part of the new Kingdom of Burgundy, and with it was taken over in 1033 by the German Emperor. Burgundy is a region of Western Europe which has existed as a political entity in a number of forms with very different boundaries According to legendary accounts found in the works of Gregorio Leti ("Historia Genevrena", Amsterdam, 1686) and Besson ("Memoires pour l'histoire ecclésiastique des diocèses de Genève, Tantaise, Aoste et Maurienne", Nancy, 1739; new ed. Moutiers, 1871), Geneva was Christianised by Dionysius Areopagita and Paracodus, two of the seventy-two disciples, in the time of Domitian; Dionysius went thence to Paris and Paracodus became the first Bishop of Geneva but the legend is fictitious, as is that which makes St. Titus Flavius Domitianus (24 October 51 &ndash 18 September 96 commonly known as Domitian, was a Roman Emperor who reigned from 14 September 81 until his death Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city Lazarus the first Bishop of Geneva, an error arising out of the similarity between the Latin names Genara (Geneva) and Genua (Genoa, in northern Italy). Genua is a fictional city from Terry Pratchett 's Discworld novels The so-called "Catalogue de St. Pierre", which gives St. Diogenus (Diogenes) as the first Bishop of Geneva, is untrustworthy.

A letter of St. Eucherius to Salvius makes it almost certain that St. Saint Eucherius, Bishop of Lyon, (born say 380 &ndash died ca 449 was a high-born and high-ranking ecclesiastic in the Christian Church of Gaul. Isaac (c. 400) was the first bishop. In 440 St. Salonius appears as Bishop of Geneva; he was a son of St. Saint Salonius was a Confessor and Bishop of the 5th century He was born about 400 a son of St Eucherius, to whom the latter dedicated his Instructiones'; he took part in the Councils of Orange (441), Vaison (442) and Arles (about 455), and is supposed to be the author of two small commentaries, In parabolas Salomonis and on Ecclesisastis (published in P. The Councils of Orange (or the Synods of Orange) comprised two Synods held at Orange France. Vaison-la-Romaine (Latin Vasio Vocontiorum) is a small town and former bishopric in Provence. The former French Catholic Archbishopric of Arles had its episcopal see in the city of Arles, in southern France. L. , LII, 967 sqq. , 993 sqq. as works of an otherwise unknown bishop, Salonius of Vienne). Little is known about the following Bishops Theoplastus (about 475), to whom St. Sidonius Apollinaris addressed a letter; Dormitianus (before 500), under whom the Burgundian Princess Sedeleuba, a sister of Queen Clotilde, had the remains of the martyr and St. For the Franco-Irish saint see Sidonius of Saint-Saëns. Gaius Sollius (Modestus Apollinaris Sidonius or Saint Sidonius Apollinaris Saint Clotilde (475 – 545 also known as Clotilda or simply Clotild, was the daughter of Chilperic II of Burgundy and Caretena and wife of the Frankish Victor of Soleure transferred to Geneva, where she built a basilica in his honour; St. Maximus (about 512-41), a friend of Avitus, Archbishop of Vienne and Cyprian of Toulon, with whom he was in correspondence (Wawra in "Tubinger Theolog. The Latin word basilica (derived from Greek, Basiliké Stoà, Royal Stoa) was originally used to describe a Roman Saint Maximus the Confessor (also known as Maximus the Theologian and Maximus de Constantinople) (c Alcimus Ecdicius Avitus Saint Avitus was Bishop of Vienne in Gaul (c Saint Cyprian of Toulon ( Cyprianus Tolonensis) ( 476 - October 3, 546) was Bishop of Toulon during the 6th century Quartalschrift", LXXXV, 1905, 576-594). Bishop Pappulus sent the priest Thoribiusas his substitute to the Synod of Orléans (541). Bishop Salonius II is only known from the signatures of the Synods of Lyons (570) and Paris (573) and Bishop Cariatto, installed by King Guntram in 584, was present at the two Synods of Valence and Macon in 585. Saint Guntram (c 532 – 592 (also called Gontram, Gontran, Gunthram, or Gunthchramn) was the king of Burgundy from 561 to 592

From the beginning the bishopric of Geneva was a suffragan of the archbishopric of Vienne. The Archbishopric of Vienne, named after its episcopal see Vienne in the Isère département of southern France was a metropolitan Roman Catholic archdiocese The bishops of Geneva had the status of prince of the Holy Roman Empire since 1154, but had to maintain a long struggle for their independence against the guardians (advocati) of the see, the counts of Geneva and later the counts of Savoy. The Holy Roman Empire comprised a number of political entities which were deemed to be sovereign after the Treaty of Westphalia ( 1648) In 1290 the latter obtained the right of installing the vice-dominus of the diocese, the title of Vidame of Geneva was granted to the family of count François de Candie of Chambery-Le-Vieux a Chatellaine of the Savoy, this official exercised minor jurisdiction in the town in the bishop's. Vidame, a French corruption of the official Latin term vicedominus ('vice-lord' was a Feudal title in France. François de Candie 1st Vice-Count of Geneva (c 1314 &ndash 26 December, 1360; in Italian Conte Franco de Candia) was a nobleman and military commander Chambéry (Ciamberì or Sciamberì) is the capital of the department of Savoie, France. In 1387 Bishop Adhémar Fabry granted the town its great charter, the basis of its communal self-government, which every bishop on his accession was expected to confirm. When the line of the counts of Geneva became extinct in 1394, and the House of Savoy came into possession of their territory, assuming after 1416 the title of Duke, the new dynasty sought by every means to bring the city of Geneva under their power, particularly by elevating members of their own family to the episcopal see. The city protected itself by union with the Swiss Federation (Eidgenossenschaft), uniting itself in 1526 with Berne and Fribourg. Eidgenossenschaft is a German word meaning Confederation. The term literally translates as " Oath fellowship"

The Reformation caused major transformations in the religious and political life of Geneva: while Berne favoured the introduction of the new teaching and demanded liberty of preaching for the Reformers Guillaume Farel and Antoine Froment, Catholic Fribourg renounced in 1531 its allegiance with Geneva. The Protestant Reformation was a reform movement in Europe that began in 1517 though its roots lie further back in time William ( Guillaume) Farel (1489 &ndash 13 September 1565) was a French evangelist, and a founder of the Reformed Church Antoine Froment (1508-1581 was a Protestant reformer in Geneva. Calvin went to Geneva in 1536, and, following a period of exile, returned in 1541 to spend the rest of his life there. The city became a stronghold of Calvinism, and became nicknamed the 'Protestant Rome' for its dominant influence in the Calvinist movement. Calvinism (sometimes called the Reformed tradition, the Reformed faith, or Reformed theology) is a theological system and an approach to the As early as 1532 the bishop had been obliged to leave his residence, never to return; in 1536 he fixed his see at Gex, in 1535 at Annecy. GEX is a German Stock market index. It contains owner-dominated companies which have been listed on the German stock exchange for no more than ten years Annecy ( Èneci / Ènneci in Arpitan language is a city in the Rhône-Alpes region in southeastern The Apostolic zeal and devotion of St. Francis de Sales, who was Bishop of Geneva from 1602 to 1621, restored to Catholicism a large part of the diocese. This article is about the Roman Catholic saint For churches named after him see Saint Francis de Sales church.

Formerly the Diocese of Geneva extended well into Savoy, as far as Mont Cenis and the Great St. Bernard. Nyon, also often erroneously considered a separate diocese, belonged to Geneva. Nyon is a municipality in the district of Nyon in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland. Under Charlemagne Tarantaise was detached from Geneva and became a separate diocese. Before the Reformation the bishops of Geneva ruled over 8 chapters, 423 parishes, 9 abbeys and 68 priories.

In 1802 the diocese was united with that of Chambéry. Chambéry (Ciamberì or Sciamberì) is the capital of the department of Savoie, France. At the Congress of Vienna (1814-15) the territory of Geneva was extended to cover 15 Savoyard and 6 French parishes, with more than 16,000 Catholics; at the same time it was admitted to the Swiss Confederation. The Congress of Vienna was a conference of ambassadors of the major powers of Europe, chaired by the Austrian statesman Clemens Wenzel von Metternich Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation The Congress expressly provided -- and the same proviso was included in the Treaty of Turin (16 March 1816) -- that in these territories transferred to Geneva the Catholic religion was to be protected, and that no changes were to he made in existing conditions without agreement with the Holy See. Events 597 BC - Babylonians capture Jerusalem, replace Jehoiachin with Zedekiah as king Year 1816 ( MDCCCXVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year Pius VII in 1819 united the city of Geneva and 20 parishes with the Diocese of Lausanne, while the rest of the ancient Diocese of Geneva (outside of Switzerland) was reconstituted, in 1822, as the French Diocese of Annecy. Pope Pius VII, OSB (August 14 1740&mdashAugust 20 1823 born Count Barnaba Niccolò Maria Luigi Chiaramonti, was Pope from March 14 1800 to August The Great Council of Geneva (cantonal council) afterwards ignored the responsibilities thus undertaken; in imitation of Napoleon's "Organic Articles", it insisted upon the Placet, or previous approval of publication, for all papal documents. Placet is a fictional Planet that appeared in the Science Fiction story Placet is a Crazy Place by Fredric Brown. Catholic indignation ran high at the civil measures taken against Marilley, the parish priest of Geneva and later bishop of the see. Still greater indignation was aroused among the Catholics by the injustice created by the Kulturkampf, which obliged them to contribute to the budget of the Protestant Church and to that of the Old Catholic Church, while for their own religious needs they did not receive the smallest pecuniary aid from the public treasury. The German term (literally "culture struggle" refers to German policies in relation to Secularity and the influence of the Roman Catholic Church, enacted The Old Catholic Church is a Christian denomination originating with churches (many of them German -speaking that split from the Roman Catholic Church in On 30 June 1907, most of the Catholics of Geneva voted for the separation of Church and State. Events 350 - Roman usurper Nepotianus, of the Constantinian dynasty, is defeated and killed by troops of the Usurper Year 1907 ( MCMVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year By this act of separation they were assured at least a negative equality with the Protestants and Old Catholics. Since then the Canton of Geneva has given aid to no creed out of either the state or the municipal revenues. The Protestants have been favoured, for to them a lump compensation of 800,000 Swiss francs (about $160,000 then) was paid at the outset, whereas the Catholics, in spite of the international agreements assuring financial support to their religion -- either from the public funds or from other sources -- received nothing.

Lausanne and Geneva

Bishop Yenni's (died 8 December 1845) successor was Etienne Marilley. Events 1609 - Biblioteca Ambrosiana opens its reading room the second public library of Europe. Year 1845 ( MDCCCXLV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Deposed in 1848 by the Cantons of Berne, Geneva, Vaud and Neuchâtel, owing to serious differences with the Radical regime at Fribourg, he was kept a prisoner for fifty days in the Château de Chillon, on the Lake of Geneva, and then spent eight years in exile at Divonne (France); he was allowed to return to his diocese 19 December 1856. The Chillon Castle (Château de Chillon is located on the shore of Lake Geneva near Montreux, Switzerland. Events 324 - Licinius abdicates his position as Roman Emperor. Year 1856 ( MDCCCLVI) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year

In 1864 Pius IX appointed the vicar-general of Geneva, Gaspard Mermillod, auxiliary bishop, and in 1873 Vicar Apostolic, of Geneva, thus detaching the Genevan territory from the diocese and making it a (missionary) vicariate. Blessed Pope Pius IX (May 13 1792 &ndash February 7 1878 born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, was Pope from June 16 1846 until 1878 A vicar general (often abbreviated VG) is the principal deputy of the bishop of a diocese for the exercise of administrative authority Gaspard Mermillod (born at Carouge, Switzerland 22 September[[ 824]] died in Rome 23 February[[ 892]] was a Swiss Bishop of Lausanne and See also Bishop (Catholic Church An auxiliary bishop, in the Roman Catholic Church, is an additional bishop assigned to a Diocese because As this new Apostolic vicariate was however not recognized by either the State Council of Geneva or the Swiss Federal Council, Mermillod was banished from Switzerland by a decree of 17 February, 1873. When the Holy See condemned this measure, the Government answered on 12 December 1873, by expelling the papal nuncio. Events 627 - Battle of Nineveh: A Byzantine army under Emperor Heraclius defeats Emperor Khosrau II 's Persian Year 1873 ( MDCCCLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Nuncio is an ecclesiastical Diplomatic title, derived from the ancient Latin word Nuntius, meaning "envoy After Bishop Marilley had resigned his diocese in 1879, Monsignor Cossandey, provost of the theological seminary at Fribourg, was elected Bishop of Lausanne and Geneva, and after his death, Mermillod. Thus the Apostolic Vicariate of Geneva was given up, the conflict with the Government ended, and the decree of expulsion against Mermillod was revoked. When in 1890 Leo XIII made Mermillod a cardinal, Mermillod removed to Rome. Year 1890 ( MDCCCXC) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Pope Leo XIII ( March 2, 1810 – July 20, 1903) born Count Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci, was the 256th Pope The Holy See then appointed as bishop Monsignor Joseph Deruaz, who was consecrated at Rome by his predecessor on 19 March 1890. Events 1279 - A Mongolian victory in the Battle of Yamen ends the Song Dynasty in China. Year 1890 ( MDCCCXC) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Mgr Deruaz was born on 13 May 1826, at Choulex in the Canton of Geneva; he studied theology at Fribourg and was vicar at Grand-Saconnex near Geneva, and then curé at Rolle, in the Canton of Vaud, and at Lausanne. Events 1497 - Pope Alexander VI excommunicates Girolamo Savonarola. For the game see 1826 (board game. Year 1826 ( MDCCCXXVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display Choulex is a municipality of the Canton of Geneva, Switzerland. Grand-Saconnex is a municipality of the Canton of Geneva, Switzerland. Rolle is a municipality in the Canton of Vaud in Switzerland. He was present at the First Vatican Council with Bishop Marilley. The First Vatican Council was summoned by Pope Pius IX by the bull Pastor Aeternus of June 29, 1868. As bishop he worked in the spirit of conciliation, and was successful in remedying the ills of the Kulturkampf in the Canton of Geneva. The German term (literally "culture struggle" refers to German policies in relation to Secularity and the influence of the Roman Catholic Church, enacted

Statistics

According to Büchi (see bibliography) and the Dictionnaire géographique de la Suisse (Neuchâtel, 1905), III, 49 sqq. , the diocese numbered approximately 434,049 Protestants and 232,056 Catholics; consequently, the latter formed somewhat more than one-third of the whole population of the bishopric. The Catholics inhabit principally the Canton of Fribourg (excepting the Lake District) and the country parishes transferred to Geneva in 1515, four communes in the Canton of Neuchâtel, and ten in the Canton of Vaud. The Catholic population in the Cantons of Fribourg and Geneva consisted principally of farmers, in both of the other cantons it is also recruited from the labouring classes. The Catholics were distributed among 193 parishes, of which 162 allotted to Lausanne, 31 to Geneva. The number of secular priests was 390, those belonging to orders 70.

The religious orders and congregations are almost entirely in the Canton of Fribourg. The Capuchins have monasteries at Fribourg and Bulle, and hospices at Romont and Landeron; since 1861, the Carthusians had their old convent of Val-Sainte, suppressed in the eighteenth century. The Order of Friars Minor Capuchin ( OFM Cap; in England and Ireland, O The Carthusian Order, also called the Order of St Bruno, is a Roman Catholic religious order of enclosed monastics. The Franciscans conduct the German classes in the Fribourg Gymnasium. The term Franciscan is commonly used to refer to members of Catholic The Marists and the Congregation of the Divine Saviour (Societas Divini Salvatoris) have establishments at Fribourg. The Society of Mary (Marists, a Roman Catholic Marian Society, is a religious congregation or order, founded by (later Father Jean-Claude Colin and The female congregations represented in the diocese were: Cistercians at Maigrauge, near Fribourg, and Fille-Dieu near Romont; Dominicans at Estavayer; Sisters of Charity (Hospital Sisters) at Fribourg, Estavayer and Neuchâtel, (Theodosia's of the Holy Cross) at Fribourg, Ueberstorf, St. Many religious communities have the term Sisters of Charity as part of their name Wolfgang and Neuchâtel, (of St. Vincent de Paul) at Fribourg, Chatel-St-Denis, Billens, and Tafers; Capucines at Montorge, near Fribourg. The Order of Friars Minor Capuchin ( OFM Cap; in England and Ireland, O The Visitandines and the Ursulines conduct each a girls' school at Fribourg; the Teaching Sisters of the Holy Cross, of Menzingen and Ingenbohl, conduct several schools for girls (among them the Academy of the Holy Cross at Fribourg attached to the university); they are also employed as teachers in many of the village schools. The Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary or the Visitation Order is a Roman Catholic Religious order for women. The Ursulines are a Roman Catholic Religious order founded at Brescia, Italy by Saint Angela de Merici in November 1535 primarily The Filles de L'Oeuvre de St. Paul (not properly religious) had among other works a Catholic bookstore at Fribourg and a well-arranged printing house.

Among the more important educational establishments of diocese, besides those already mentioned, are: the University of Fribourg ; the theological seminary of St. Charles at Fribourg, with seven ecclesiastical professors; the cantonal school of St. Michel, also at Fribourg, which comprises a German and French gymnasium, a Realschule (corresponding somewhat to the English first-grade schools) and commercial school, as well as a lyceum, the rector of which was a clergyman. The Realschule is a type of Secondary school in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. This school had in 1910 about 800 pupils, with 40 ecclesiastical and as many lay professors. Three other cantonal universities existed in the diocese: Geneva (founded by Calvin in 1559, and in 1873 raised to the rank of a university with five faculties); Neuchâtel (1866, academy; 1909, university); Lausanne (1537, academy; university since 1890, with five faculties). John Calvin (or Jean Calvin) (10 July 1509 – 27 May 1564 was a French Protestant theologian during the Protestant Reformation and Geneva and Lausanne both have cantonal Protestant theological faculties, Neuchâtel a "Faculté de théologie de l'église indépendante de l'état".

For the government of the diocese there were, besides the bishop, two vicars-general, one living at Geneva, the other at Fribourg. There were, moreover, a provicarius generalis, who is also chancellor of the diocese, and a secretary. The cathedral chapter of Lausanne (with 32 canons was suppressed at the time of the Reformation, and has never been re-established, in consequence of which the choice of a bishop rests with the Holy See. Chapter ( Latin capitulum) designates certain corporate ecclesiastical bodies in the Roman Catholic, Anglican and Nordic Lutheran The Protestant Reformation was a reform movement in Europe that began in 1517 though its roots lie further back in time In 1512 Julius II established a collegiate chapter in the church of St. Pope Julius II (5 December 1443 &ndash 21 February 1513 born Giuliano Della Rovere, was Pope from 1503 to 1513 Nicholas at Fribourg, which is immediately subject to the Holy See, with a provost appointed by the Great Council, also a dean, a cantor and ten prebendaries. A provost is a senior official in a number of Christian churches A dean, in a church context is a Cleric holding certain positions of authority within a religious hierarchy A cantor or chanter (Gk ψάλτης is the chief singer (and ofttimes instructor employed in a church with responsibilities for the ecclesiastical Choir A prebendary is a post connected to an Anglican or Catholic Cathedral or Collegiate church and is a type of canon. This collegiate church took the place of the diocesan cathedral, lacking since the cathedral of St. Pierre at Geneva and that of Notre-Dame at Lausanne were given over to Protestantism at the time of the Reformation.

See: List of Roman Catholic dioceses in Switzerland

Sources and references

• "Lausanne and Geneva". The Roman Catholic Church in Switzerland, unlike elsewhere does not consist of a distinct ecclesiastical province Catholic Encyclopedia. The Catholic Encyclopedia, also referred to today as the Old Catholic Encyclopedia, is an English-language Encyclopedia published by The Encyclopedia (1913). New York: Robert Appleton Company.  
• At catholic-hierarchy.org