Diocese of Meaux
diocese of the Catholic Church in France
The Diocese of Meaux (Latin: Dioecesis Meldensis; French: Diocèse de Meaux) is a Latin diocese of the Catholic Church in France. The diocese comprises the entire department of Seine-et-Marne. It was suffragan of the Archdiocese of Sens until 1622, and subsequently of Archdiocese of Paris.
History
Creation
The present Diocese of Meaux is made up of the greater part of the former Diocese of Meaux, a large part of the former Diocese of Sens, a part of the former Diocese of Paris, and a few parishes of the former Dioceses of Troyes, Soissons and Senlis. Hildegar, who lived in the ninth century, says in his "Life of St. Faro" (Burgundofaro), that this bishop was the twentieth since Denis of Paris.
According to the tradition accepted by Hildegaire, Denis was the first bishop of Meaux, and was succeeded by his disciple Saintin, who in turn was succeeded by Antoninus; Rigomer occupied the See of Meaux at the close of the fifth century. This episcopal list, however, is without credibility. In 876 or 877, Hincmar showed Charles the Bald a document which he claimed had been transcribed from a very old copy and according to which Antoninus and Saintin, disciples of Denis, had brought to Pope Anacletus (c. 79–91) the account of the martyrdom of Denis, and on their return to Gaul had successively occupied the See of Meaux.
Begin with the source’s own compact description: “Diocese of Meaux” is diocese of the Catholic Church in France. The dossier treats that line as a proposition to test through Diocese, Meaux and diocese, not as a finished interpretation.
Why this record matters
The phrase “diocese of the Catholic Church in France” supplies a clear boundary for inquiry. It also exposes the unanswered questions: who defined that boundary, when it became stable and which sources sit outside it.
Place names and jurisdictional language are key evidence: both can reveal earlier catalogue descriptions and overlooked record series. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 8, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q872217. VIAF identifies the subject as 154324661. The Library of Congress control number is nr2005009589. 2 of 3 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1622.
A single description cannot reconcile every naming convention, rebuilding phase or administrative transfer associated with a place. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Diocese of Meaux”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Diocese of Meaux primary sources, Diocese of Meaux archive and Diocese research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Diocese of Meaux”?
- What physical evidence or contemporary plan supports the description?
- Which authority defined the place, boundary or structure at the relevant date?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Diocese of Meaux” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.