Metz (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Philippe Gabriel Marie Augustin Ballot, Bishop
Jean-Christophe André Robert Lagleize, Bishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Erected: 3rd Century
Immediately Subject to the Holy See
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: France
Square Kilometers: 6,216 (2,400 Square Miles)
Conference Region: Est
Official Web Site: http://metz.catholique.fr/
Mailing Address: Évêché, 15 place Sainte-Glossinde, 57019 Metz CEDEX 01, France
Telephone: 3.87.74.54.20
Fax: 3.87.37.00.62

Past and Present Ordinaries

Drogo † ( 826 Appointed - 8 Nov 855 Died)
Advence † ( 858 Appointed - 875 Died)
Robert † ( 883 Appointed - 2 Jan 917 Died)
Thierry † ( 964 Appointed - 7 Sep 984 Died)
Adalbéron d’Oberlothringen † ( 984 Appointed - 14 Dec 1005 Died)
Albéron di Lovanio † ( 1090 Appointed - 1117 Removed)
Theutger † ( 1118 Appointed - 29 Apr 1120 Died)
Thierry de Lorena † ( 1173 Appointed - 1179 Removed)
Bertram † ( 1180 Appointed - 6 Apr 1212 Died)
Konrad von Scharfenberg † (23 Jan 1213 Appointed - 24 Mar 1224 Died)
Jean de Aspromonte † (17 Nov 1224 Appointed - 10 Dec 1238 Died)
Jacques de Lorraine † (Jan 1239 Appointed - 24 Oct 1260 Died)
Philippe de Florenges † ( 1261 Appointed - 1264 Resigned)
Guillaume di Traisnel † (12 Feb 1264 Appointed - 4 Jan 1269 Died)
Laurent di Leistenberg † ( 1270 Appointed - 1279 Died)
Jean delle Fiandre † (7 Oct 1279 Appointed - 9 Jun 1282 Appointed, Bishop of Liège)
Bouchard di Avesnes-Hennegau † (9 Jun 1282 Appointed - 29 Nov 1296 Died)
Gérard de Rehlingen † (24 Apr 1297 Appointed - 30 Jun 1302 Died)
Renaud de Barre † (19 Sep 1302 Appointed - 4 May 1316 Died)
Henri de La Tour-du-Pin † (4 May 1319 Appointed - 24 Nov 1324 Resigned)
Louis de Poitiers † (26 Aug 1325 Appointed - 17 Aug 1327 Died)
Aymar Adhémar de Monteil de La Garde † (21 Aug 1327 Appointed - 12 May 1361 Died)
Jean de Vienne † (15 Nov 1361 Appointed - 13 Aug 1365 Appointed, Archbishop (Personal Title) of Basel)
Dietrich Bayer von Boppard † (13 Aug 1365 Appointed - 18 Jan 1384 Died)
Bl. Pierre de Luxembourg † (10 Feb 1384 Appointed - 2 Jul 1387 Died)
Raoul de Coucy † (13 Aug 1387 Appointed - 20 Mar 1415 Appointed, Bishop of Noyon)
Conrad Bayer di Boppard † (20 Mar 1415 Appointed - 20 Apr 1459 Died)
Georg von Baden † (2 Jul 1459 Appointed - 11 Oct 1484 Died)
Henri de Lorraine-Vaudémont † (16 May 1485 Appointed - 16 Jul 1501 Resigned)
Jean de Lorraine † (26 Jul 1501 Appointed - 10 May 1550 Died)
Charles de Guise de Lorraine † (18 May 1550 Succeeded - 22 Apr 1551 Resigned)
Robert de Lénoncourt † (22 Apr 1551 Appointed - 16 Dec 1555 Resigned)
François de Beaucaire de Péguillon † (16 Dec 1555 Appointed - 1568 Resigned)
Louis de Guise de Lorraine † (5 Oct 1568 Appointed - 29 Mar 1578 Died)
Charles de Lorraine-Vaudémont (III) † (18 Jul 1578 Appointed - 24 Nov 1607 Died)
Anne d’Escars de Givry (de Pérusse), O.S.B. † (10 Sep 1608 Confirmed - 19 Apr 1612 Died)
Gaston Henri de Bourbon † ( 1612 Appointed - 1652 Resigned)
Georges d’Aubusson de la Feuillade † (3 Jun 1669 Confirmed - 12 May 1697 Died)
Henri-Charles du Camboust de Coislin † (11 Nov 1697 Confirmed - 28 Nov 1732 Died)
Claude de Rouvroy de Saint-Simon † (15 Feb 1734 Confirmed - 28 Feb 1760 Died)
Louis-Joseph de Montmorency-Laval † (6 Apr 1761 Confirmed - 17 Jun 1808 Died)
Pierre-François Bienaymé † (4 May 1802 Confirmed - 9 Feb 1806 Died)
Gaspard-Jean-André Jauffret † (26 Aug 1806 Confirmed - 12 May 1823 Died)
Jacques-François Besson † (24 Nov 1823 Confirmed - 23 Jul 1842 Died)
Paul-Georges-Marie Dupont des Loges † (27 Jan 1843 Confirmed - 18 Aug 1886 Died)
François-Louis (Franz Ludwig) Fleck † (18 Aug 1886 Succeeded - 28 Oct 1899 Died)
Karl Heinrich Johannes Willibrord Benzler, O.S.B. † (21 Sep 1901 Confirmed - 10 Jul 1919 Resigned)
Jean-Baptiste Pelt † (1 Aug 1919 Confirmed - 10 Sep 1937 Died)
Joseph-Jean Heintz † (4 Mar 1938 Confirmed - 30 Nov 1958 Died)
Paul Joseph Schmitt † (30 Nov 1958 Succeeded - 1987 Retired)
Pierre René Ferdinand Raffin, O.P. † (4 Aug 1987 Appointed - 27 Sep 2013 Retired)
Jean-Christophe André Robert Lagleize (27 Sep 2013 Appointed - 13 Aug 2021 Resigned)
Philippe Gabriel Marie Augustin Ballot (23 Jul 2022 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
3rd Century	Erected		Diocese of Metz (erected)
29 November 1801	Territory Added	Archdiocese of Reims (suppressed)	Diocese of Meaux Diocese of Metz
6 October 1822	Territory Lost	Diocese of Meaux Diocese of Metz	Archdiocese of Reims

Year Catholics Total Population Percent Catholic Diocesan Priests Religious Priests Total Priests Catholics Per Priest Permanent Deacons Male Religious Female Religious Parishes Source

1950 660,000 705,000 93.6% 860 196 1,056 625 196 2,996 660 ap1951

1970 860,000 994,081 86.5% 777 195 972 884 341 2,144 770 ap1971

1980 912,000 1,019,000 89.5% 655 149 804 1,134 3 273 1,614 683 ap1981

1990 826,000 1,027,000 80.4% 497 119 616 1,340 18 205 1,292 686 ap1991

1999 848,000 1,047,000 81.0% 424 83 507 1,672 43 156 950 649 ap2000

2000 853,000 1,053,000 81.0% 418 86 504 1,692 45 152 920 649 ap2001

2001 829,000 1,023,447 81.0% 418 81 499 1,661 49 146 891 659 ap2002

2002 829,000 1,023,447 81.0% 390 76 466 1,778 48 140 849 649 ap2003

2003 829,000 1,023,447 81.0% 395 72 467 1,775 49 131 826 649 ap2004

2004 829,000 1,023,447 81.0% 381 62 443 1,871 49 116 758 649 ap2005

2013 813,000 1,045,066 77.8% 325 38 363 2,239 54 109 556 649 ap2014

2016 813,560 1,046,873 77.7% 273 38 311 2,615 54 84 512 649 ap2017

2019 833,550 1,072,610 77.7% 255 37 292 2,854 52 84 421 649 ap2020

2021 805,250 1,036,000 77.7% 242 33 275 2,928 49 79 402 649 ap2022

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
1950	660,000	705,000	93.6%	860	196	1,056	625		196	2,996	660	ap1951
1970	860,000	994,081	86.5%	777	195	972	884		341	2,144	770	ap1971
1980	912,000	1,019,000	89.5%	655	149	804	1,134	3	273	1,614	683	ap1981
1990	826,000	1,027,000	80.4%	497	119	616	1,340	18	205	1,292	686	ap1991
1999	848,000	1,047,000	81.0%	424	83	507	1,672	43	156	950	649	ap2000
2000	853,000	1,053,000	81.0%	418	86	504	1,692	45	152	920	649	ap2001
2001	829,000	1,023,447	81.0%	418	81	499	1,661	49	146	891	659	ap2002
2002	829,000	1,023,447	81.0%	390	76	466	1,778	48	140	849	649	ap2003
2003	829,000	1,023,447	81.0%	395	72	467	1,775	49	131	826	649	ap2004
2004	829,000	1,023,447	81.0%	381	62	443	1,871	49	116	758	649	ap2005
2013	813,000	1,045,066	77.8%	325	38	363	2,239	54	109	556	649	ap2014
2016	813,560	1,046,873	77.7%	273	38	311	2,615	54	84	512	649	ap2017
2019	833,550	1,072,610	77.7%	255	37	292	2,854	52	84	421	649	ap2020
2021	805,250	1,036,000	77.7%	242	33	275	2,928	49	79	402	649	ap2022