Pierre Brigot

Bishop Pierre Brigot M.E.P.
Superior of Karnatic Mission (Pondicherry) Titular Bishop of Thabraca
Tomb of Pierre Brigot
See	Karnatic Mission
Appointed	30 September 1776
Term ended	8 November 1791
Successor	Nicolas Champenois
Orders
Consecration	24 August 1757 by Juan de La Fuente Yepes
Personal details
Birth name	Pierre Brigot
Born	(1713-09-01)September 1, 1713 Sully-sur-Loire, France
Died	November 8, 1791(1791-11-08) (aged 78) Pondicherry
Buried	Cathedral Cemetery, Pondicherry
Denomination	Catholic

Pierre Brigot (1 September 1713 – 8 November 1791) was a missionary of the Paris Foreign Missions Society and was the first Superior of Karnatic Mission^[1] headquartered at Pondicherry which later became the Archdiocese of Pondicherry and Cuddalore. He was the Superior from 30 September 1776 until his death.^[2] He was formerly the Vicar Apostolic of Siam in Thailand from 8 December 1755. After his death the Karnatic Mission was headed by Bishop Nicolas Champenois.

Early life

He was born at Sully-sur-Loire in the Diocese of Orléans, France on 1 September 1713.^[3] He joined the Paris Foreign Missions Society and was sent to Siam, Thailand in 1741.

In Siam Mission

He worked first in a place called Mergui. In 1749 he apposed the erection of a stone in front of his Church. The stone is claimed to have contained abusive language towards Catholicism and for that reason it was called scandal stone. After two months of fighting, the Governor relented. From 1742 to 1750, he worked as the provicar of the Tenasserim.^[4]

He came back to Bangkok on January 22, 1755 and was appointed titula bishop of Thabraca and Coadjutor of Siam. Since his predecessor Jean de Lolière-Puycontat died before consecrating him, Brigot went to Manila to receive his episcopal consecration on August 24, 1757 from Bishop Juan de La Fuente Yepes.^[2][4]

Dunring the Burmese–Siamese War of 1767 Bishop Brigot, his missionaries together with their Christians and seminarians, a Jesuit, Dominicans, another Portuguese priest, and their Christians were taken prisoners.^[5] Seeing fellow Christians in misery, he gave them everything he had, he even sold his episcopal ring. During the month of May they were taken to Tavoy and then in November to Rangoon. The Franciscans and Barnabites missionaries in this city, chose him as arbitrator on an issue that divided them, and accepted his decision.

On January 31, 1768, he consecrated Giovanni Maria Percoto as the Titular Bishop of Maxula Prates and the Vicar Apostolic of Ava e Pegù. He left in March of that year to Pondicherry.^[5]

In Karnatic Mission

After the Suppression of the Society of Jesus, the Karnatic Mission was given to the Paris Foreign Missions Society. He was appointed as its Superior by Pope Pius VI on September 30, 1776. He devoted himself to the reunion of the Jesuits and MEP missionaries and encouraged them to work together.

By a decree issued on September 7, 1778 he gained 13 jurisdictions, which gave him authority aver all Christians in the territory of the French colony excluding Europeans and Creoles who remained subject to the Capuchins. Later his jurisdiction was extended over the Madurai and the Mysore. He consulted with Rome on some Indian customs and caste, and wisely applied the guidelines he received.

Death

In 1785, he chose Nicolas Champenois as coadjutor and consecrated him as the Titular Bishop of Doliche on November 5, 1786. Because of old age and sickness, he entrusted the administration to his coadjutor. He died in Pondicherry on November 8, 1791.

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