Geneva (I'rench Geneve), capital of the Swiss can- ton of the same name, celebrated for its historical and religious as-^oiiations, and in particular as the seat of the reformatory ],il)ors of Calvin. The canton had, in 1860, 82,876 inhabitants, of whom 40,069 were Protestants, 42,099 Roman Catholics, 331 Dissidents, 377 Jews. During the Middle Ages Geneva was an object of dis- pute between the bishop of Geneva, who was an imme- diate feudatory of the German empire, and the count of Genevois, who ruled the adjoining province of Sa- voy. After the extinction of the line of the counts of Genevois, the dukes of Savoy were appointed their suc- cessors by the German emperor Sigismund (1422). Hence the claim of Savoy upon Geneva, ft-om which the Genevans could onlj^ free themselves by alliances with the Swiss cantons of Fribourg (1519) and Berne (1526), and by the aid of the Reformation. Tlie latter was introduced into Geneva by Farel, Fromment, and others, about 1532, and in 1535 was otficially establish- ed. Being put under the ban by the l)ishop, the city declared the episcopal see vacant, and declared itself a republic. Calvin first came to Geneva in 1536, and after an absence of a few years returned in 1541, when he soon succeeded in making himself the temporal as well as the spiritual ruler of the town. Thus Geneva became the metropolis of Calvinism, and, as such, exer- cised a great influence u|)on all the Calvinistic church- es. From 1798 to 1814 Geneva was united witli France; in 1814, its territory having been enlarged by the an- nexation of a few Savoyan and French communes, it joined the Swiss Confederation as the 22d canton. The
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Reformed State Church, which in 1868 had 16 congre- gations and 35 ministers, lias for some time been under the influence of Rationalism, and a part of the ortho- dox members have therefore organized a Free Evan- gelical Cliurch, whicli has a celebrated theological school, several of whose professors, as Merle d'Aubigno and Gaussen, have established a great theological rep- utation throughout the Protestant world. — Thourel, Histoire de Geneve (Geneva, 1863) ; Cherbuliez, Gen'sve et Its Genevois (Geneva, 1868). (A. J. S.)
Geneva Bible. See English Versions.
Genevieve, St., the patron saint of Paris, was, according to tradition, born at Nanterre, near Paris, about 423. By the advice of St. Germain, bishop of Auxerre, she took the vow of chastity, and when af- terwards accused of hypocrisy and superstition, she was warmly defended by the bishop. AVhcn the in- habitants of Paris, frightened at the approach of Attila, contemplated leaving their city, Genevieve dissuaded them, saj'ing that Paris would bo spared; and as the prediction proved true, she became the object of general veneration. She also advised the building of a church to St. Peter and St. Paul, in which she was afterwards buried, and which bears her name. She died in 512. Her reputation for sanctit}' became so great that Sim- eon Stylites inquired about her from all persons com- ing from Gaul. Miracles were said to take place at her tomb. There exists a life of her in Latin, claim- ing to have been written eighteen years after the death of Clovis. The life of St. Germain by the priest Con- stance, said to have been written during her lifetime, relates her consecration by that bishop. Sec the Bol- landists. Acta Sancf. Jn\y 31 ; Charpentier, Vie de St. Genevieve (1687) ; Butler, Lives of the Saints, Jan. 3.
Genevieve, St., Canons of, called also canons regular of the Congregation of Franco, a congregation of canons regular (q. v.) established in 1614 by Charles Faure, a member of the abbej' of St.A'incent of Senlis, who effected a reformation of the French canons which was soon adopted bj' several other abbeys. Cardinal de la Rochefoucauld, who in 1619 had been made abbot of the abbey of St. Genevieve du Mont at Paris, being desirous to reform his abbey, sent, in 1624, for twelve members of St. Vincent of Senlis, and made Faure its spiritual superior. In 1634 the pope confirmed the new congregation. Scon after its first chapter gener- al was held, which was attended by tha superiors of fifteen houses, and elected Faure coadjutor of the abbot of St. Genevieve and general of the congregation. The king had previously given up his right of nominating the abbot of St. Genevieve, and consented that he be elected ever}'' third year. Heh'ot, in his Histor}"^ of Religious Orders, states that at his time the congrega- tions had in France 67 abbots, 28 priors, 2 provosts,
Caaon of St. G-enevieve. Daughter of St. Genevieve.
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and 3 hospitals, besides, in the Netherlands, 3 abbots and 3 priors. A large number of parishes were served by its members. It was customary to elect one of the chancellors of the University of Paris from this con- gregation. Helyot, Diet, dvs Ordres lielif/., art. Gunove- fains. (A. J. S.)
Genevieve, St., Daughters of (more common- ly called Miraniioii^), a monastic order in the Koman Catholic Ciuuch, founded, in IGoG, at Paris, bj' I'Yan- cisca de Blosset, for the purpose of nursing the sick j and instructing girls. In 16U5 it was united bj' Marie Bonneau de Kubelle Beauharnois de INIiramion with a similar order which she had founded in lOGl, under the name of the Holy Family. The order obtained con- siderable reputation, and extended widely. Its mem- bers took no vows, but onh' promised a faithful obser- vation of the rule and the statutes of the society as long as they might belong to it. — Helyot, Diet, des Or- dres Reli<j., art. Miramiones. (A. J. S.)