BOHIER (Boherius), PIERRE. — Benedictine abbot, later bishop of Orvieto, born 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 expert in law, he played a leading role in the General Chapter of the provinces of Narbonne and Auch in implementing the constitution of Benedict XII, Summi Magistri. He composed a commentary on it, subsequently published in Paris (1519): Benedictino, seu Benedicti XII pontifici maximis constituti cum comment. P. B., in 8°.
The friendship and esteem of Urban V drew him away from the cloister. Appointed bishop of Orvieto by that Pope, he was also his vicar in Rome in 1364 and administrator of vacant cardinalatial titles. While he was with the Pope at Avignon, although retaining the see of Orvieto, he was also appointed bishop of Vaison. In 1370 he was at Subiaco, where he was still in 1377 as a visitor commissioned by Gregory XI.
From 1378, after the election of Urban VI, he led a turbulent life. He adhered to Clement VII and was consequently deposed and excommunicated by Urban. Subsequently B. appears anxious to find a solution to the great juridical and dogmatic controversy concerning the papal election and the end of the schism. It is probable that for this reason Charles V of France summoned B., his chaplain and ambassador to the court of Avignon, to the Celestine monastery in Paris, where he composed glosses on the Liber Pontificalis relating to this question.
In 1379 at Rouen he began a more extensive work, addressing the most agitated problem of those years and the following ones: whether or not it was necessary to convoke a universal council for the ending of the schism. Perhaps moved by the results of his conscientious studies, undertaken in 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 immediately reinstated him in his dignities, while Clement VII, for his part, declared him deposed.
Of his life after his 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-awaited construction of the monastery dedicated to St. Jerome near Subiaco. The year of his death is unknown; he certainly died before Urban VI.
In addition to those already mentioned, other writings by him remain. While 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 completed a new Commentary on the Rule of St. Benedict, written at the request of the monks of Subiaco.