Esprit-Marie-Joseph Florens (June 4, 1762 â March 30, 1834) was the Vicar Apostolic of Siam.
Esprit-Marie-Joseph Florens was born in Lagnes, France on 4 Jun 1762. In 1786, he was ordained a priest in La Société des Missions Etrangères dedicated to missionary work.
He travelled to Thailand in 1787 and was placed in charge of Chantaboun district; in 1791, he was also given charge of the Sainte-Croix parish in Bangkok.
On June 29, 1810, Pope Pius VII was named as Titular Bishop of Sozopolis in Haemimonto and appointed Florens as Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic of Siam. On March 4, 1811, he succeeded Arnaud-Antoine Garnault. He was consecrated bishop on April 12, 1812, by Bishop Jean Labartette, Vicar Apostolic of Cochin.
He appointed Laurent-Joseph-Marius Imbert to travel to Singapore; Imbert held the first Mass in Singapore in 1821.
Pope Leo XII issued a decree in September 1827 which gave Florens jurisdiction over Singapore.
Florens is buried in Bangkok.
While bishop, he was the principal consecrator of:
EspritâÂÂs brother Jean-Louis Florens (1756 â 1814) was also a missionary to Asia; he served in Vietnam and is buried in So-trai.