VIGOUROUX, FULCRAN-GRÉGOIRE. — Sulpician, biblical scholar, born at Nant (diocese of Rodez) on 13 February 1837, died in Rome on 21 February 1915.
In 1861 he taught at the Seminary of Autun; in 1864 he transferred to that of Vichy, to occupy the chair of exegesis; in 1890 he was called to the Catholic Institute of Paris. At the same time, he made journeys to the East with E. Le Camus. In 1903 he was appointed secretary of the Biblical Commission.
V. was an exceptionally prolific writer. He undertook the far from easy task of defending the Bible against the prevailing rationalism. By virtue of his undisputed authority, he became the leader of conservative MAIGNAN, EMMANUEL (v.). His most noteworthy works are: La Bible et les découvertes modernes en Égypte et en Assyrie (2 vols., Paris 1877; 6th ed., 4 vols., there 1896); Manuel biblique ou cours d'Écriture Sainte à l'usage des séminaires. Ancien Testament (2 vols., there 1879–80), HABACUC (v.), translated into various languages, including Italian (Sampierdarena 1894); revised by Brassac with an excessively innovative approach, the Manuel was condemned in its 14th ed., and the condemnation was explained in a lengthy letter (22 December 1923) from Cardinal Merry del Val to the superior of S. Sulpice (Enchiridion Biblicum, Rome 1927, nos. 510–17); Mélanges bibliques. La cosmogonie mosaïque d'après les Pères de l'Église suivie d'études diverses à l'Ancien et au Nouveau Testament (Paris 1882); La Ste Bible selon la Vulgate, traduite en français (version by Glaire, introduction and commentary by V., 4 vols., there 1888–91); Le Nouv. Test. et les découvertes archéologiques modernes (there 1890); La Ste Bible polyglotte (Hebrew, Septuagint, Vulgate, French translation: 8 vols., there 1900–1900). More than for these and other works, V. is remembered for the Dictionnaire de la Bible (5 vols., Paris 1895–1912), which he conceived and directed and to which he contributed numerous articles. The work, despite its imperfections, is a rich and convenient biblical repertory; in many parts it is brought up to date by the Supplément (1925 ff.), directed by L. Pirot (v.) and, from 1940, by A. Robert (5 vols. through 1953).
ion, Mons. V., in Revue du clergé français, 81 (1915), pp. 513–531. Angelo Penna