French bishop resigns from 2nd see, nearly 300 miles from his diocese
May 22, 2025
Pope Leo has accepted the resignation of Archbishop Hervé Giraud of Viviers, France, from the office of bishop of the Territorial Prelature of the Mission de France at Pontigny. The two sees are nearly 300 miles apart.
In 2015, Pope Francis transferred Bishop Giraud, then bishop of Soisson, to the Archdiocese of Sens and Auxerre; at the time, he also named Giraud the head of the Territorial Prelature of Pontigny, located 35 miles from Sens.
In March 2024, in a rare move, Pope Francis transferred Archbishop Giraud to the smaller Diocese of Viviers, but left him the head of the Territorial Prelature of Pontigny. At the time, Archbishop Giraud, a native of the Diocese of Viviers, said that he was “profoundly happy” with the transfer, which enabled him to be closer to his elderly mother.
Pope Leo has named Bishop Dominique Blanchet of Créteil, a member of the Prado Institute, as the bishop prelate of Pontigny, while retaining his office in Créteil. The two sees are 100 miles apart.
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