Pontyon, Council of

(Concilium Pontigonense), was held in June and July, 876, by the Cisalpine bishops, the emperor Charles and the Roman legates being present. The pretensions of Ansegisus, metropolitan of Sens, whom pope John VIII, at the request of the emperor, had nominated primate vicar apostolic in Gaul and Germany (in violation of the canons and of the rights of the metropolitans), were brought before the council, and so resolutely opposed by the bishops that the affair for the time, came to nothing; i.e. the pontifical rescript in favor of Ansegisus remained practically null and void. The archbishop of Sens, it is true, from that time forward assumed the title of "Primate of Gaul and Germany," but it was a mere nominal distinction, unattended by jurisdiction or authority. The acts of the Synod of Pavia, in the beginning of the year, were confirmed by the Council of Pontyon. Fifty- two bishops and archbishops subscribed the acts, together with five abbots. See Labbe, Concil. 9:280; Hefele, Conciliengesch. vol. 1, 4:and 5; Sirmond, Concil. Antiq. Gall. vol. 3; Jervis, Hist. of the Church of France, 1, 38 sq.