BOHIER (Boherius), Pierre. - Benedictine abbot, later bishop of Orvieto, b. at La Retorte (diocese of Carcassonne). In 1335 he was at the Benedictine abbey of St-Chinian, of which he became abbot in 1350.
A profound connoisseur of law, he had a pre-eminent role in the General Chapter of the provinces of Narbonne and Auch for the implementation of the constitution of Benedict XII Summi Magistri. On this he composed a commentary, later published in Paris (1519): Benedictino, seu Benedicti XII pontifici maximis constituti cum comment. P. B., in 8vo.
The friendship and esteem of Urban V drew him from the cloister. Appointed by that Pope bishop of Orvieto, he was also his vicar in Rome in 1364 and administrator of the vacant cardinalitial titles. While he was with the Pope at Avignon, though retaining the see of Orvieto, he was also appointed bishop of Vaison. In 1370 he was at Subiaco, where he still was in 1377 as visitor by commission of Gregory XI.
From 1378, after the election of Urban VI, he had a turbulent life. He adhered to Clement VII, and was therefore deposed and excommunicated by Urban. Subsequently B. appears anxious to find a solution to the great juridical and dogmatic controversy regarding the papal election and the ending of the schism. It is probable that for this reason Charles V of France called B., his chaplain and ambassador at the court of Avignon, to the Celestine monastery of Paris, where he composed glosses on the Liber Pontificalis relating to that question.
In 1379 at Rouen he began a larger work, addressing the problem most agitated in those years and in later ones: the necessity or otherwise of convoking a universal council for the end of the schism. Prompted perhaps by the results of his conscientious studies undertaken with the treatise Quidam tractatus compositus per dominum episcopum urbesetianum, monachum tempore huius schismatis in Rothomago existentem, videlicet a. D. 1379, B. abandoned the cause of the antipope and submitted to the legitimate Urban VI, who at once reinstated him in his dignities, while Clement VII for his part declared him deposed.
Of his life after the reconciliation with Rome we know only that on 2 July 1387 he obtained from the Pope a plenary indulgence for those contributing to the long-desired construction of the monastery dedicated to St. Jerome near Subiaco. The year of his death is unknown; he certainly died before Urban VI.
Besides those already mentioned, other writings of his remain. Still abbot of St-Chinian he composed: a Commentary on the Rule of St. Benedict; Speculum monachorum or De professione monachorum; De signo locutionum; a Commentary on the bull of Benedict XII Bonus Pastor. In 1373 he finished a new Commentary on the Rule of St. Benedict, written at the wish of the monks of Subiaco.