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Digne-les-Bains or simply and historically Digne is a commune of France, préfecture (capital) of the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence département. Population (1999): 16,064.
History
Dignes les Bains dates back to the neolithic era and became a frequent commercial stop during the Roman era. Since then, the commune has been noted for being a primary center of the lavender trade.
Ecclesiastical history
Digne diocese, comprising the entire Alpes-de-Haute-Provence département, is a suffragan of the Archbishopric of Aix. By the Concordat of 1801, this diocese was made to include the two departments of the Hautes-Alpes and Basses Alpes, in addition to the former Diocese of Digne, the Archdiocese of Embrun, the dioceses of Gap, Sisteron and Senez, a very considerable part of the dioceses of Glandèves and Riez, and fourteen parishes in the Archdiocese of Aix and the Diocese of Apt. In 1822 Gap was made an episcopal see and, thus divested of the department of the Hautes Alpes, the present Diocese of Digne covers the territory formerly included in the Dioceses of Digne, Senez, Glandèves, Riez, and Sisteron.
The former diocese of Digne was evangelized by Sts. Domninus and Vincentius who came from Africa in the second half of the fourth century with St. Marcellinus, the Apostle of Embrun. It is not certain that they were bishops. The first historically known bishop was Pentadius who attended the Council of Agde in 506. Among the incumbents of the see of Digne may be mentioned: Elzéar de Villeneuve (1334-41), author of a celebrated form of oath to be taken by Jews; Pierre III de Verceil (1432-39), who represented the clergy and the Count of Provence at the Council of Basle; Guillaume V d'Estouteville (1439-55), closely connected with the history of the Pragmatic Sanction and later Archbishop of Rouen; Antoine III Hérouet (1552-68), poet and translator of Plato; Forbin Janson (1664-68), afterwards a cardinal and ambassador to Poland; Miollis (1805-38), whose kindness was proverbial, and who was the original of "Mgr. Myriel" in Victor Hugo's "Les Misérables", and Sibour (1839-48), who died Archbishop of Paris.
Miscellaneous
Victor Hugo's novel Les Misérables begins in Digne.
Twin Towns
- Bad Mergentheim, Germany
- Borgomanero, Italy
See also
Sources and external links
- City council website (in French)
- Tourist office website (in French)
- Street map of Digne-les-Bains
- Picture of Digne Cathedral
Communes of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence | Préfectures | Spa towns
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"Digne-les-Bains"