The cathedral is dedicated to Saint Papulus (French: Papoul), an early Christian bishop and martyr, from whom the settlement also took its name.

In 1317, Pope John XXII created the bishopric of Saint-Papoul, and the abbey church became the cathedral.

34 bishops succeeded one another until the Revolution occurred in year 1361, as a result, the cathedral was plundered by the Routiers and in 1595 by the Protestants.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the abbey underwent important restorations and the episcopal palace was rebuilt.

In 1790, the cathedral maintained a small body of music for the service of worship, formed by an organist, a cantor who also played the serpent and a choirboy.