Background
Jules Mascaron was born in 1634, in Marseille as the son of a barrister at Aix-en-Provence.
Jules Mascaron was born in 1634, in Marseille as the son of a barrister at Aix-en-Provence.
He entered the Oratory of Jesus early and became reputed as a preacher. Paris confirmed the judgment of the provinces; in 1666 he was asked to preach before the court and became a favourite of Louis XIV, who said that his eloquence was one of the few things that never grew old.
In 1671, he was appointed the bishop of Tulle; eight years later he was transferred to the larger diocese of Agen. He still continued to preach regularly at court, especially for funeral orations. A panegyric on Turenne, delivered in 1675, is considered to be his masterpiece.
During his later years, he devoted himself entirely to his pastoral duties at Agen where he died in 1703.
