French History Advance Access originally published online on September 3, 2007
French History 2007 21(3):313-330; doi:10.1093/fh/crm014
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Une loi de l'Eglise et de l'Etat: Napoleon and the central administration of religious life, 1800–1815
* The author is a Lecturer in the Department of Intellectual Heritage, Temple University. He may be contacled at ncshust{at}temple.edu
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Abstract |
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In 1802 the Napoleonic government removed authority over religious holidays from the Gallican Church. In Old Regime France bishops decided which holidays were observed in their dioceses. The Republican Calendar had eliminated official recognition of Catholic holidays but not their widespread observance. Napoleon reinstated the Gregorian Calendar but not the holidays of the Old Regime. At his request, a papal indult eliminated the weekday observance of all but four Catholic holidays. The reform drew on the legacy of the Enlightenment, especially Montesquieu. The clergy of the Gallican Church oversaw the indult's execution, which was complicated by ambiguous wording. Napoleon attempted to merge religious and political obedience, so the best Christians would also be the best subjects, while making it clear that the government was the dominant power. The Restoration subsequently kept the indult in place, neither adding more holidays nor relinquishing authority over the matter.