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BILLÉ Card. Louis-Marie

BILLÉ Card. Louis-Marie

Cardinal Louis-Marie Billé, Archbishop of Lyon, France, was born on 18 February 1938 in Fleury-lès-Aubrais, France. He was ordained for the Diocese of Luçon on 25 March 1962 and studied Sacred Scripture at the Pontifical Biblical Institute, Rome, and the École Biblique, Jerusalem.

From 1966 to 1972 he taught Sacred Scripture at Luçon's major seminary and was later entrusted with the continuing formation of the clergy in La Roche-sur-Yon and was also involved in the formation of the laity. He was director of the National Office for the Continuing Formation of the Clergy (1978-81) and was episcopal vicar and archdeacon of Haut Bocage (1980-84).

On 10 March 1984 he was appointed Bishop of Laval and received episcopal ordination on 19 May. On 5 May 1995 he was promoted to Archbishop of Aix-en-Provence.

From 5 November 1996 until November 2001, he was President of the Bishops' Conference of France.

He was transferred to the Archdiocese of Lyon on 10 July 1998.

Created and proclaimed Cardinal by John Paul II in the consistory of 21 February 2001, of the Title of SS.ma Trinità al Monte Pincio (the Most Holy Trinity in Monte Pincio).

Cardinal Louis-Marie Billé died on 12 March 2002 in Bordeaux (France).