FILLION, Louis-Claude. - Exegete, born at St-Bonnet-de-Joux (Saône-et-Loire, France) on 25 June 1843, died at Issy on 12 December 1927. He studied at the Seminary of Autun under F. Vigouroux (q.v.). After his ordination to the priesthood (1867), he joined the Sulpicians. From 1871 he taught for three years at the major seminary of Reims, then at that of Lyons. From 28 July 1893 he taught biblical exegesis at the Catholic Institute of Paris; from January 1903 he was a consultor of the Pontifical Biblical Commission. In October 1906 he left his chair and retired to the Seminary of Issy, where he devoted himself to biblical publications.
From 1878 he collaborated on the Ste Bible of Létellier; in 1886 he began the publication of his major work: La Ste Bible selon la Vulgate avec traduction française et commentaire (8 vols., Paris 1903–1904). Among his other numerous works published in Paris, the most extensive are: Les miracles de N. S. Jésus-Christ (2 vols., 1909–10); Vie de N. S. Jésus-Christ (3 vols., 1909–10); Jésus-Christ (3 vols., 1909–10). He also composed several books on geography, archaeology, natural sciences, and various apologetic writings, as well as biographies of St Peter and St John. He collaborated on the Dictionnaire de la Bible and various journals. Always faithful to the strictest orthodoxy, in his later works F. does not appear abreast of the rapid advances in biblical science.