Louis Luçon


Louis-Henri-Joseph Luçon J.C.D. S.T.D. was a Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church and Archbishop of Reims.
Louis Henri Joseph Luçon was born in Maulévrier. He was educatated at the Seminary of Angers where he earned doctorates in theology and canon law.

Priesthood

He was ordained on 23 December 1865 in Angers. After his ordination he served as the vicar in the parish of Saint-Lambert, Angers and was chaplain of the church of San Luigi dei Francesi in Rome from 1873 until 1875. He was then moved to pastoral work in the diocese of Angers from 1875 until 1887.

Episcopate

He was appointed as Bishop of Belley on 25 November 1887 by Pope Leo XIII. He served in Belley until he was promoted to the metropolitan see of Reims on 21 February 1906.
In 1914, during his episcopate, the Cathedral of Reims was destroyed when struck by 288 shells in the first three months of World War 1.

Cardinalate

He was created Cardinal-Priest of S. Maria Nuova by Pope Pius X in the consistory of 16 December 1907. As a cardinal elector, he participated in the conclaves of 1914 that elected Pope Benedict XV and of 1922 that elected Pope Pius XI. During World War I he symbolised the victims of the German attack when, in spite of the destruction of his cathedral, he remained in Reims until April 1918. He died in 1930.