Denis Auguste Affre
Vicar General of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Amiens and then of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Luçon (1823–1833) | |
|---|---|
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 16 May 1818 |
| Consecration | 6 August 1840 by Cardinal Hugues-Robert-Jean-Charles de la Tour d’Auvergne-Lauraquais |
| Personal details | |
| Born | September 28, 1793 Saint-Rome-de-Tarn, Aveyron, France |
| Died | June 27, 1848 (aged 54) Paris, France |
| Buried | Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris, France |
| Nationality | French |
| Denomination | Catholic Church |
| Coat of arms |  |
Denis-Auguste Affre (27 September 1793 – 27 June 1848) was a French clergyman who served as
His cause for beatification has commenced and he is therefore titled a Servant of God.[1]
Life
Early life and career
Affre was born at
In 1818, he was
Affre was elevated to the post of
Affre was passionate in his determination to improve the study of theology in order to form clergy needed in the challenges which the Catholic Church faced at the time. He also was insistent on education as a human right. He opened a new seminary in Paris, called the
Death
Affre's episcopate, however, is chiefly remembered owing to its tragic close during the
On 23 June 1848, faced with starvation due to plans by the French government to close the
Accordingly, on 25 June, in spite of the warning of Cavaignac, Affre mounted the barricade at the entrance to the Faubourg Saint-Antoine, bearing a green branch as sign of peace, to address both sides. He had spoken only a few words when an exchange of fire began in which he was struck by a stray bullet.[5] There have been conflicting claims as to whether the fatal bullet was fired by an insurgent or by the government forces.[6][7] He was taken to his palace, where he died on 27 June.[6]
On the next day, the
Affre was buried in the Chapel of Saint-Denis in the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris. His heart was removed and preserved in the chapel of the Carmelite Seminary, which he had founded.
Legacy
The pectoral cross which he was wearing when he was shot—seen in his portrait—is preserved by the Archdiocese of Paris as a relic.[8]
In 1856, the smallest of the four "Benjamines," four new bells made for Notre-Dame, was named Denise David in honor of Affre and Amédée-David de Pastoret. Affre's niece by marriage, Marie Caroline Affre, served as godmother to the bell during the baptism ceremony.
A street in the 18th arrondissement of Paris is named in his honor.[9]
Writings
Affre wrote several articles for a newspaper called La France chrétienne. Additionally he published two books to guide in the practical matters of handling Church property: Un Traité de l'administration temporelle des paroisses (Paris, 1827) and Un Traité de la propriété des biens ecclésiastiques (Paris, 1837). He also wrote a guide to studying the Christian faith, Une Introduction philosophique à l'étude du christianisme (Paris, 5th edition, 1846).
References
- ^ "1848". Hagiography Circle. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
- ^ a b c Grey 1907, p. 180
- ^ a b "Denis-Auguste Affre (1840-1848)". Diocèse de Paris (in French).
- ^ Chisholm 1911, pp. 301–302.
- Encyclopaedia Britannica. Vol. 1 (14 ed.). 1930. p. 282.
- ^ a b Chisholm 1911.
- ^ Fernbach, David (ed.) Marx: The First International and After, p. 230, The Civil War in France
- ^ "Croix pectorale". Diocèse de Paris (in French).
- ^ "Saint-Bernard de la Chapelle". Diocèse de Paris (in French).
Sources
- This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Affre, Denis Auguste". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 1 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 301–302. Endnotes
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Grey, Francis William (1907). "Denis Auguste Affre". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 1. New York: Robert Appleton Company. p. 180. Endnotes:
- Fisquet (1867). La France pontificale (in French). Vol. I. Paris. p. 619.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - D'Avenel (1878). Les évêques et archevêques de Paris (in French). Vol. II. Paris. p. 264.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - The Biographies of De Riancey (in French). Paris. 1848.
- Cruice (in French). Paris. 1850.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - Castan (in French). 1864.
- Fisquet (1867). La France pontificale (in French). Vol. I. Paris. p. 619.
External links
Media related to Denys Affre at Wikimedia Commons