BELLOY, JEAN BAPTISTE DE

Cardinal archbishop of Paris; b. Moragles (Oise), Oct. 19, 1709; d. Paris, June 10, 1808. He studied in Paris, receiving his doctorate in theology in 1737. He was consecrated bishop of Glandèves in 1752. The famous Assembly of 1755 split the French clergy into moderates and zealots, the latter denying the Last Sacraments to all nonsubscribers to Clement XI's Unigenitus (1713). Henri belsunce de castelmoran, Bishop of Marseilles, died during the Assembly, and Belloy, a supporter of the moderate party, was at once named to replace him. Belsunce's misguided zeal for Unigenitus had created the danger of schism. Belloy's conciliatory spirit won both sides and restored peace. In July 1790 the National Assembly suppressed the Marseilles diocese. Belloy protested, quietly withdrew to Chambly, and remained there during the French Revolution. In 1801, to help his concordat with Napoleon, Pius VII asked the French bishops to resign. Belloy quickly complied. In 1802 Napoleon named him archbishop of Paris. Belloy accepted the new order with its freedom of conscience and worship and urged Catholics to do the same. Despite his admiration for Napoleon he avoided politics.

Bibliography: a. lesort, Dictionnaire d'histoire et de géographie ecclésiastiques 7:929–31. r. de chauvigny, Le Card. de Belloye l'Église de Marseille de 1789 à 1802 (Avignon 1930). j.f. michaud, Biographie universelle ancienne et moderne, 45 v. (Paris 1854–65) 3:593–594.

[w. e. langley]