ARRAS, COUNCILS OF

Episcopal succession at Arras (Atrebatum ) dates from St. vedast (vaast), c. 500–c. 540, though in the pontificate of either St. Vedulph (c. 545–c. 580) or St. gÉry (Gaugericus, 584 or 590–624 or 627) the diocesan seat was moved to Cambrai, where it remained until Pope Urban II (Dec. 2, 1092, and March 23, 1094; see L. Jaffé, Regesta pontificum romanorum ab condita ecclesia ad annum post Christum natum 1198, ed. S. Löwenfeld 5472, 5512) decreed that Arras be a diocese distinct from Cambrai. On a Sunday early in 1025 the first known synod at Arras was summoned by Bp. gerard of cambrai (1013–51). The extant acts (J. D. Mansi, Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio, 31 v.; reprinted and continued by L. Petit and J. B. Martin, 53 v. in 60, 460) show it to have dealt with the disciples of an Italian Manichee, Gundulph, who relied upon works for justification and rejected Baptism, the Eucharist, Matrimony, Penance, and Holy Orders, as well as sacred images and ecclesiastical burial. Gerard expounded a solid theology of the Church, of the Sacraments, and of justification and won a recantation from the heretics. Subsequent to Arras's reestablishment as a see, Bishop Lambert (1094–1115) held two synods in the city, one on February 5, the other on Oct. 21, 1097 (Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio 20:941–948). In February he granted a privilege to St. Denis monastery, Rheims; and in October, exemptions to religious houses at Saint-Amand-les-Eaux, Mont-Saint-Eloi, and Arrouaise. One of these assemblies threatened the chatelain Gonfrid with excommunication for his occupancy of church lands. A provincial council at Arras on May 10, 1128 (Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio 21:371–374), transferred the church of the Virgin and St. John, Laon, from the control of canonesses who were in poor repute to that of monks. Later synods took place at Arras in 1442, 1490, and 1501 (C. J. von Hefele, Histoire des conciles d'après les documents originaux, tr. and continued by H. Leclercq, 10 v. in 19, 7:1151; 8:142, 219). In 1570 at Arras Bp. Francis Richardot (1561–74) published a collection of synodal statutes; between 1604 and 1616 eight diocesan synods were held, and another was convened in 1678 (J. Lestocquoy, La Vie religieuse d'une province: Le Diocèse d'Arras 102, 130, 147).

Bibliography: Sources. t. m. j. gousset, Les Actes de la province ecclésiastique de Reims, 4 v. (Reims 1842–44). Literature. r. rodiÈre, Dictionnaire d'histoire et de géographie ecclésiastiques, ed. a. baudrillart (Paris 1912–) 4:688–706. f. vercauteren, Étude sur les civitates de la Belgique seconde (Brussels 1934). h. lancelin, Histoire du diocèse de Cambrai (Valenciennes 1946). s. runciman, The Medieval Manichee (Cambridge, England 1947). j. lestocquoy, La Vie religieuse d'une province: Le Diocèse d'Arras (Arras 1949). o. engels, Lexikon für Theologie und Kirche, ed. j. hofer and k. rahner, 10 v. (2d, new ed. Freiburg 1957–65) 1:903.

[h. g. j. beck]