Jean-Baptiste de Belloy 1709 – 1808

Biography

Jean-Baptiste de Belloy was born on October 9, 1709, in the village of Morangles, beginning a life that would span nearly a century of service to the Catholic Church. Rising through ecclesiastical ranks over his long career, he eventually achieved the distinguished position of cardinal, a testament to his dedication and standing within the Church hierarchy. His nearly ninety-nine years made him a remarkable figure whose lifetime witnessed profound changes across Europe and within Catholic institutions.

De Belloy spent the greater portion of his adult life in religious service, ultimately settling in Paris, where he would remain until his death. On June 10, 1808, he passed away in the French capital at an advanced age, having witnessed the transition from the ancien régime through the tumultuous Revolutionary and Napoleonic periods. His final resting place was Notre-Dame de Paris, the grand cathedral in the heart of the city, where he was laid to rest in a place of honor befitting his ecclesiastical rank and lifelong devotion to the faith.