1905 caricature depicting the separation of the church and state. The man in the middle is Jean-Baptiste Bienvenu-Martin, Minister of Education at the time

On 9 December 1905, a law was passed in France separating the church and the state. This law was based on three principles: the neutrality of the state, the freedom of exercise of religion, and public powers related to the church. This law is seen as the backbone of the French principle of laïcité. Drawn 1905, representing the seperation of the church and state in the 1905 law on laicite. ... Drawn 1905, representing the seperation of the church and state in the 1905 law on laicite. ... December 9 is the 343rd day (344th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1905 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... The separation of church and state is a concept and philosophy in modern thought and practice, whereby the structures of state or national government are proposed as needing to be separate from those of religious institutions. ... A church building is a building used in Christian worship. ... A state is an organized political community occupying a definite territory, having an organized government, and possessing internal and external sovereignty. ... In France and some other French-speaking countries, laïcité (pronounced ) is a prevailing conception of the separation of church and state and the absence of religious interference into government affairs (and vice versa). ...

The law put an end to the funding of all religious groups and declared all religious buildings property of the state. Other articles of the law included prohibiting fixing religious signs on public buildings, and laying down that the republic no longer names French archbishops or bishops.

The leading figures in the creation of the law were Aristide Briand, Émile Combes, Jean Jaurès and Francis de Pressens. Aristide Briand, French politician Aristide Briand (March 28, 1862–March 7, 1932) was a French statesman. ... Émile Combes, French politician Émile Combes (1835 - 1921) was a French statesman. ... Jean Jaurès Jean Léon Jaurès (September 3, 1859 - July 31, 1914) was a French Socialist leader. ...

Aftermath

Initially, the Roman Catholics were seriously affected, as the law declared churches property of the state and state authorities often tried to hand the buildings over to usage not to the proper clerical authorities, but to parish federations run by laymen. This caused civil disobedience and even riots by Catholics. The Vatican urged Catholic priests to fight in the name of catholicism. Pope Pius X issued the Vehementer Nos encyclical denouncing the law as contrary to the constitution of the church. The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... Civil disobedience encompasses the active refusal to obey certain laws, demands and commands of a government or of an occupying power without resorting to physical violence. ... Categories: Stub | Riots ... Pope Saint Pius X, born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto (June 2, 1835 – August 20, 1914), was Pope from 1903 to 1914, succeeding Pope Leo XIII. He was the first pope since the Counter-Reformation Pope St. ... ON THE FRENCH LAW OF SEPARATION VEHEMENTER NOS This article needs cleanup. ... In the ancient Church, an encyclical was a circular letter sent to all the churches of a particular area. ...

See also

• Concordat of 1801
• French law on secularity and conspicuous religious symbols in schools
• French legislation for the prevention and repression of cultic groups
• Alsace-Moselle