DIGNE, diocese of. – City and capital of the Basses-Alpes department in France; it is a suffragan see of Aix. It comprises almost the whole of the former dioceses of Sisteron, Riez, Senez, and Glandèves, substantial portions of the suppressed dioceses of Embrun and Apt, and also of Gap and Aix. By decree of the Holy Consistorial Congregation of 15 February 1916, the bishop of D. was granted the united titles of Riez and Sisteron.
The diocese extends over 7,000 sq. km., with a population of 87,893 inhabitants. It is divided into 2 archdeaconries, subdivided into 6 archpriestships, which comprise 34 deaneries with 346 parishes. There are 160 secular priests and some religious in the diocese. Catholics number 75,000.
It is the ancient capital of the Bodiuntii; the city suffered greatly from the plague of 1620.
The foundation of the church of D. is attributed to ss. Domino and Vincent, although it cannot be demonstrated that they were bishops, any more than can the following: Pentadius at the beginning of the 6th century, Hilary in the middle of the same century, Heraclius, signatory of the Councils held in Paris in 573 and at Mâcon in 581 and 585, down to Bledricus at the end of the 9th century.
The present Cathedral, dedicated to St Jerome, is a 15th-century church, rebuilt in the 19th century.
The former cathedral of D., Notre-Dame-du-Bourg, from the 13th century, with paintings from the 15th–16th centuries, is now the cemetery church. In 1862, beneath its high altar, the ancient altar was discovered, consisting of a marble block 1 m high, 0.88 m wide, and 0.60 m deep; at the four corners it had a small column adorned with acanthus leaves (now destroyed), and on the front the monogrammatic cross (G. Rohault de Fleury, La Messe, I, Paris 1888, p. 153, pl. 41).