Benot-Marie Langnieux

Benoît-Marie Langénieux (1824–1905) was a French Archbishop of Reims and Cardinal. Born in Villefranche-sur-Saône and educated in Paris under Félix Dupanloup, he was ordained in 1850 at St-Sulpice. His career included roles as curate, diocesan promoter, and archdeacon before becoming Bishop of Tarbes in 1873 and Archbishop of Reims the following year.

During his thirty-one-year episcopate, Langénieux secured significant achievements, including funding for Reims Cathedral's restoration, acquisition of properties for religious orders, and construction of several churches. Created cardinal in 1886, he served as papal legate at major Eucharistic Congresses and opposed anti-religious legislation. A close ally of Pope Leo XIII, Langénieux participated in the conclave that elected Pope Pius X.

Known as Cardinal des ouvriers, he advocated for workers and received numerous decorations. His funeral was widely attended, with bishops delivering his eulogy, and he was buried in Reims Cathedral. Langénieux authored several influential works and remains a notable figure in French religious history.