LE MANS, Diocese of. - City and diocese in the department of Sarthe in France.
Over an area of 6,244 sq km it has a population of 412,214 inhabitants, of whom 375,391 are Catholics. It has 401 parishes served by 485 diocesan priests and 120 regulars, a major and a minor seminary; it has 6 male religious communities and 33 female ones (Ann. Pont., 1951, p. 243). It is a suffragan of Tours.
It is the ancient Vindunum, capital of the Cenomanes, and therefore a Roman city. In the 9th century an episcopal book was compiled in the curia of Le M. from St. Julian down to Aldric (832-57), under the title Actus pontificum Cenomannis in urbe degentium. There are also six episcopal catalogues: the first and third down to Bishop Gervasius (1036-55); the second and sixth down to Guido (1135); the fourth down to Maurice (1216-31); the fifth down to William (1145-1187). The most venerated saint in the Merovingian age was St. Vitrius, bishop of Le M. (d. 490): a basilica was erected in his honour, mentioned in the 7th century, adjacent to which was the one dedicated to Bishop St. Julian. An imperial document of the year 832 mentions the two dependent monasteries (A. Poncelet, in Analecta Bollandiana, 22 [1903], p. 156). In the time of Bishop Aldric the bodies of the bishops Victor, Julian, Turibius, Pavatius and Liborius were translated into the cathedral. Legend holds that the primitive cathedral was built on the site of the dwelling of the Roman defensor, then enlarged and transformed by the bishops Victor and Innocent (533-59), who dedicated it to Sts. Gervasius and Protasius, placing their relics beneath a new altar. Destroyed at the end of the 8th century, it was rebuilt by Bishop Francon and St. Aldric, but was destroyed by fire at the hands of the invading Normans.
Rebuilt again by Bishop Mainard (951-70), it suffered further damage. New foundations were begun by Bishop Vulgrin in 1060, then continued by Bishop Arnold and Hoel, who consecrated it on 17 October 1093, transferring to it the relics of St. Julian; in 1110 the central nave was rebuilt by Bishop Hildebert, under the direction of the monk John of the abbey of the Most Holy Trinity of Vendôme. Devastated twice by fire, its repairs were begun by Bishop William de Passavant (1145-87). A new choir was erected by Bishop Amelin (1217-54). The transept was taken up again at the end of the 14th century, but was finished only in 1430. Cardinal Philip of Luxembourg, bishop of Le M. from 1477 to 1507 and from 1509 to 1519, had a sumptuous Lectorium erected, decorated with many statues and bas-reliefs, destroyed by the Huguenots in 1562. Of great importance are the stained-glass windows; the oldest with scenes from the life of Jesus Christ and of the patron saints of the cathedral (12th century), then allegorical scenes with portraits of donors and benefactors (13th century) such as Cardinal Fillastre, René I and Louis of Anjou, King René and Mary of Blois, and still other scenes from the New Testament (15th century; cf. E. Hucher, Calques des vitraux peints de la cathédrale du M., Le Mans 1864). The choir stalls with carvings representing scenes from the life of Jesus Christ and allegories were mutilated in 1768 and in 1830; removed in 1855, they are now in the interior of the Sacristy. Noteworthy too is a large shrine for the public breviary. Among the monumental tombs in the interior of the cathedral are remembered the tomb of Queen Berengaria (13th century), brought there in 1821 from the ancient abbey of Epau; the tomb of Charles of Anjou, count of Maine (1472), attributed to F. Laurana, and that of William of Bellay (1557). Externally there were originally two imposing towers, of which William the Conqueror had asked Bishop Hildebert the demolition because they overlooked the castle; the northern one no longer exists today.
The porch was erected in 1158; on the tympanum of the southern portal Jesus Christ is represented among the symbols of the Evangelists and censer-bearing angels, in the vault scenes from the New Testament, on the two sides of the portal are the twelve Apostles. Other notable churches are: Notre-Dame de la Couture (Cultura Dei), an ancient Benedictine abbey founded by Bishop St. Bertrand (6th century), sacked by the Normans, rebuilt several times, in the 10th century by Abbot Gausbert; the choir, containing five chapels, was modified in the 15th century. Beneath the choir is a crypt where St. Bertrand was laid. The Saint's characteristic shroud is preserved in the sacristy. Externally the portal contains the scene of the Last Judgment and the statues of the Apostles. The adjoining abbey building is today used partly for the prefecture, partly as a museum (there the tomb slab of Geoffrey Plantagenet is preserved) and as a library, rich in 500 manuscripts and more than 50,000 printed works (A. Ledru, Eglise de Notre-Dame de la Couture, Le Mans 1924). Another abbey was that of Sts. Vincent and Lawrence founded by St. Donnolus (559-81) who was buried there; it too was destroyed by the Normans and re-established in the 11th century (R. Triger, L'abbaye de St Vincent du M., sa reconstruction au XVIIe et XVIIIe siècles, in Revue historique du Maine, 4 [1924], pp. 173-220). St-Julien, today Notre-Dame du Pré, erected in 586, is an ancient abbey of Benedictine nuns, restored in the 18th and 19th centuries. A bas-relief of the 14th century represents the translation of the relics of St. Julian. St Pierre de la Cour (10th-13th century) was the ancient chapel of the castle, today used as a vocational school.
From Le M. came Father J. Bonvet (1665-1752), missionary in Siam and China, and the Benedictine dom Guéranger (v.).
Bibliography7 works
St Julien du M., ses évêques, son architecture, son mobilier, Mamers 1900; G. Fleury, La cathédrale du M., Parigi 1925; Guide de la France chrétienne et missionnaire, Parigi 1949, pp. 358, 595-99; Cottineau, II, coll. 1726-31.
Enrico Jovi