Roman Catholic Diocese of Tournai facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Diocese of TournaiDioecesis Tornacensis Diocèse de Tournai (French) Bistum Tournai (German) Bisdom Doornik (Dutch) |
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Aerial view of Tournai Cathedral
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| Location | |
| Country | Belgium |
| Ecclesiastical province | Mechelen-Brussels |
| Metropolitan | Archdiocese of Mechelen-Brussels |
| Coordinates | 50°36′26″N 3°23′18″E / 50.607195°N 3.388198°E |
| Statistics | |
| Area | 3,796 km2 (1,466 sq mi) |
| Population - Total - Catholics |
(as of 2020) 1,344,241 708,400 (52.7%) |
| Information | |
| Denomination | Catholic Church |
| Rite | Roman Rite |
| Established | 6th Century |
| Cathedral | Cathedral of Our Lady in Tournai |
| Current leadership | |
| Pope | Francis |
| Bishop | Guy Harpigny |
| Metropolitan Archbishop | Jozef De Kesel |
| Map | |
 The Diocese of Tournai, coextensive with the province of Hainaut |
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| Website | |
| Website of the Diocese | |
The Diocese of Tournai is a special area within the Catholic Church in Belgium. It's like a region that a bishop is in charge of. This diocese was created in 1146. Before that, it was part of a larger area called the Diocese of Noyon and Tournai.
Today, the Diocese of Tournai is connected to the Archdiocese of Mechelen–Brussels. The main church for the diocese is the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Tournai. This amazing building is recognized as an important historical site in Belgium and a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
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History of the Diocese
Early Beginnings in Tournai
Christianity came to Tournai very early, around the late 200s. A person named St. Piat helped spread the Christian faith there. Some people think he might have been the first bishop, but we don't have clear proof.
Sadly, during that time, Christians were sometimes persecuted. Emperor Maximian started new persecutions, and St. Piat became a martyr, meaning he died for his beliefs.
From Invasions to New Leaders
After St. Piat's time, there were many Barbarian invasions in the area. These lasted for a long time, from the late 200s to the late 400s.
Later, St. Remigius worked with the Frankish kings to organize the Catholic Church in northern Gaul (which is now France and Belgium). Around the year 500, he set up the See of Tournai. He chose Eleutherius to be its first official bishop.
Tournai was an important royal city back then. This helped it become a strong church center quickly. However, when the Merovingian kings moved their court, Tournai lost some of its importance as a capital.
Joining and Separating Sees
For about a century, Tournai had its own bishops. But around 626 or 627, under Bishop St. Achar, the areas of Tournai and Noyon were joined together. This meant one bishop was in charge of both places.
Tournai lost some of its special status during this time. It became more like other nearby dioceses. For 500 years, the same bishop led both Tournai and Noyon. It wasn't until 1146 that Tournai got its own bishop again.
Important Bishops Through Time
Many important bishops have led the Diocese of Tournai. Here are a few:
- St. Eleutherius (early 500s): The first official bishop.
- St. Achar (626–638): During his time, Tournai and Noyon were joined.
- St. Eloi (641–660): A very well-known bishop.
- Walter de Marvis (1219–1251): He founded many schools and hospitals.
- Etienne of Tournai (1192–1203): He was a godfather to a French king.
- Guillaume Fillastre (1460–1473): He was a chancellor of the Golden Fleece, a famous knightly order.
During the time when Spain ruled the area (1521–1667), local people continued to be bishops. But when King Louis XIV of France took Tournai in 1667, French bishops started to lead the diocese. After the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713, German bishops took over.
The Magnificent Tournai Cathedral
The cathedral in Tournai is a very impressive building. It is about 134 meters (439 feet) long and 66 meters (216 feet) wide. It has five tall towers, each about 83 meters (273 feet) high.
The older parts of the cathedral, like the nave and transept, were built in the Romanesque style in the 1100s. The choir, which is the part where the clergy sit, was started in 1242 and finished in 1325 in the Gothic style.
Changes to the Diocese Borders
Originally, the Diocese of Tournai covered a large area. Its borders were generally the same as the ancient Roman city of Tournai. It stretched along the left side of the Schelde River, all the way to the North Sea.
The Schelde River was a natural border between the Dioceses of Tournai and Cambrai. This large diocese was divided into smaller sections called archdeaneries and deaneries.
In 1559, King Philip II of Spain wanted to fight against Protestantism. He worked with Pope Paul IV to create new dioceses. The old Diocese of Tournai was split up, and nearly two-thirds of its land was taken away. New dioceses like diocese of Bruges and diocese of Ghent were formed from its territory.
This situation lasted until the early 1800s. After the French Revolution, the area became the Province of Hainaut in 1815. Its borders then matched the Diocese of Tournai's new shape. The Bishop of Tournai lost many old parishes but gained new ones from other dioceses.
Bishops of Tournai
Bishops Until 1146 (Joint with Noyon)
- 540 : St. Eleutherius of Tournai
- c. 549 and 552 : Agrecius
- 545 : Medardus
- c. 626–c. 638 : Acarius
- 641–660 : Eligius
- c. 661–c. 686 : Mummolenus
- Gondoin
- c. 700 : Antgaire
- c. 715 : Chrasmar
- c. 721 : Garoul
- c. 723 : Framenger
- c. 730 : Hunuan
- c. 740 : Gui et Eunuce
- c. 748 : Elisée
- c. 756/765 : Adelfred
- ? : Didon
- 769–c. 782 : Giselbert
- c. 798/799 : Pleon
- c. 815 : Wendelmarus
- c. 830/838 : Ronegaire
- c. 830/838 : Fichard
- 840–860 : Immon
- 860–879 : Rainelme
- 880–902 : Heidilon
- 909 : Rambert
- 915–932 : Airard
- †936 : Walbert
- 937–950 : Transmar
- 950–954 : Rudolf
- 954–955 : Fulcher
- 955–977 : Hadulphe
- 977–988 : Liudolf of Vermandois
- 989–997 : Radbod I
- 1000–1030 : Hardouin
- 1030–1044 : Hugo
- 1044–1068 : Balduin
- 1068–1098 : Radbod II
- 1099–1112 : Baldric of Noyon
- 1114–1123 : Lambert
- 1123–1146 : Simon of Vermandois
Bishops from 1146 to 1500
- 1146–1149 : Anselm
- 1149–1166 : Gerard
- 1166–1171 : Walter
- 1173–1190 : Everard
- 1193–1203 : Stephen of Tournai
- 1203–1218 : Gossuin
- 1219–1251 : Walter of Marvis
- 1252–1261 : Walter of Croix
- 1261–1266 : Johann I. Buchiau
- 1267–1274 : John of Enghien
- 1275–1282 : Philipp Mus
- 1283–1291 : Michael von Warenghien
- 1292–1300 : Johann III. von Vassogne
- 1301–1324 : Guy of Boulogne
- 1324–1326 : Elie de Ventadour
- 1326–1333 : Guillaume de Ventadour
- 1333 : Theobald of Saussoire
- 1334–1342 : André Ghini
- 1342–1349 : Jean IV. des Prés
- 1349–1350 : Pierre de Forest
- 1351–1377 : Pierre d'Arbois
- 1379–1388 : Pierre d'Auxy
- 1380–1384 : Jean de West
- 1388–1410 : Louis de la Trémouille
- 1410–1433 : Jean de Thoisy
- 1433–1437 : Jean d'Harcourt
- 1437–1460 : Jean Chevrot
- 1460–1473 : Guillaume Fillastre
- 1474–1483 : Ferry de Clugny
- 1483–1505 : Schism (a period of division)
Bishops from 1500 to 1800
- 1505–1513 : Charles de Hautbois
- 1514–1518 : Thomas Wolsey
- 1519–1524 : Louis Guillard
- 1524–1564 : Charles de Croÿ
- 1564–1574 : Gilbert d'Oignies
- 1574–1580 : Pierre Pintaflour
- 1583–1586 : Maximilien Morillon
- 1586–1592 : Jean Vendeville
- 1592–1597 : Vacant
- 1597–1614 : Michel D'Esne
- 1614–1644 : Maximilien Villain
- 1644–1660 : François Villain
- 1660–1689 : Gilbert de Choiseul
- 1689–1705 : François de Caillebot de La Salle
- 1705–1707 : Louis-Marcel de Coëtlogon-Méjusseaume
- 1707–1713 : René de Beauveau
- 1713–1731 : Johann Ernst von Löwenstein-Wertheim
- 1731–1770 : Franz Ernst von Salm-Reifferscheid
- 1770–1776 : Vacant
- 1776–1793 : Wilhelm Florentin von Salm-Salm
- 1793–1802 : Vacant
Bishops from 1800 to Today
- 1802–1819 : François-Joseph Hirn
- 1819–1829 : Vacant
- 1829–1834 : Jean Joseph Delplancq
- 1835–1872 : Gaspard-Joseph Labis
- 1873–1880 : Edmond Dumont
- 1881–1897 : Isidore-Joseph du Rousseaux
- 1897–1915 : Carolus Gustavus Walravens
- 1915–1924 : Amédée Crooy
- 1924–1939 : Gaston-Antoine Rasneur
- 1940–1945 : Luigi Delmotte
- 1945–1948 : Etienne Carton de Wiart
- 1948–1977 : Charles-Marie Himmer
- 1977–2002 : Jean Huard
- 2003–present : Guy Harpigny
Images for kids
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Tournai Cathedral
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Rear view of Tournai Cathedral
