Digne, Diocese of

DIGNE, Diocese of. - City and capital of the department of Basses-Alpes in France; it is a suffragan of Aix. It comprises almost entirely the ancient dioceses of Sisteron, Riez, Senez and Glandèves, notable portions of the suppressed dioceses of Embrun and Apt and also of Gap and Aix. By decree of the S. Congregazione Concistoriale of 15 Feb. 1916 the bishop of D. has united the titles of Riez and Sisteron.

The diocese extends over 7000 sq km, with a population of 87,893 inhabitants. It is divided into 2 archdeaconries, divided into 6 archpriestures which comprise 34 deaneries with 346 parishes. In the diocese there are 160 secular priests and some regulars. Catholics number 75,000.

It is the ancient capital of the Bodiuntii; the city was sorely tried by the plague of 1620.

The foundation of the church of D. is owed to Sts. Domino and Vincent, who however cannot be shown to have been bishops, as can the following: Pentadius at the beginning of the 6th century, Hilary of the middle of the same century, Heraclius, signatory of the Councils of 573 at Paris and in 581 and 585 at Mâcon, down to Bledricus at the end of the 9th century.

The present Cathedral, dedicated to St. Jerome, is a church of the 15th century, rebuilt in the 19th.

The ancient cathedral of D., Notre-Dame-du-Bourg, of the 13th century, with paintings of the 15th-16th centuries, is today the cemetery church. In 1862 beneath its high altar was found the ancient altar composed of a marble block 1 m in height by 0.88 in width, 0.60 deep; at the four corners it had a small column provided with acanthus leaves (but it is destroyed), on the front the monogrammatic cross (G. Rohault de Fleury, La Messe, I, Paris 1888, p. 153, pl. 41).