Albert (Jean) Belin

French prelate and writer, b. in Besançon early in the seventeenth century; d. 29 April, 1677. He made his profession in the Benedictine monastery of Faverney, 29 December 1629, and spent some time at the monasteries of Charité-sur-Loire, Nevers, and Paris as prior and subsequently as abbot. He was consecrated Bishop of Belley, 14 February, 1666. His works, which were written in French, are: "Pierre philosophale" (Paris, 1653); "Talismans justifiés" (ibid., 1653); "Poudre de sympathie mystérieuse: (ibid., 1653); "Poudre de projection demontrée" (ibid., 1653); "Le voyage inconnu" (ibid., 1653); "Principes de ves convainquantes des vérités du christianisme" (ibid., 1666); "Preuves convainquantes des verites du christianisme" (ibid., 1666); "Emblèmes eucharistiques, ou octave du très S. Sacrement" (1647, 1660); "Les solides pensées de l'ame, pour la porter à son devoir" (Paris, 1668). He is probably identical with Alphonsus Belin, O.S.B., Prior of Charité-sur-Loire in the latter half of the seventeenth century, and author of "La vérité de la religion catholique et las fausseté de la religion prétendue réformée" (Nevers 1683).

Hurter, Nomenclator (Innsbruck, 1893); Ziegelbauer, Historia Res Literaria O.S.B. (Augsburg, 1754), III; Calmet, Bibliotheque Lorraine (1751).

Alexius Hoffmann.