Germanicopolis (Bithynia)
Ancient Greek: Γερμανικόπολις | |
Location | Turkey |
---|---|
Region | Bursa Province |
Coordinates | 40°10′N 28°53′E / 40.167°N 28.883°E |
Germanicopolis (Greek: Γερμανικόπολις) was an ancient town in Bithynia, also known as Caesarea in Bythinia (not to be confused with Caesarea Germanica, as such a former bishopric and present Latin Catholic titular see.
History
[edit]It was located on the Gelbes river,[1] not far from Prusa (modern Bursa in Turkey). In earlier times it was called Helge, Helgas or Booscoete (
The city was taken by the Ottoman Empire in 1326 and the new Ottoman capital city was built at nearby Bursa (the Ancient Prusa).
Ecclesiastical history
[edit]In Byzantine times the town was the see of a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Nicomedia, in the sway of the Patriarchate of Constantinople.
The names of a number of bishops are historically documented:[2]
- Phileas, mentioned in the martyr vita of Saint Tirsus and companions under Roman emperor Diocletian.
- Rufus, attending the First Council of Nicaea
- Paul(us), partook in the minor Council of Constantinople of 518
- Johannes, attended the Council of Constantinople convoked by Patriarch Mennas of Constantinople in 536
- Theodosius quarrelled with Maximus the Confessor
- Theodorus, partook in the Third Council of Constantinople
- Constantinus, attending the Second Council of Nicaea
- Theophilus, partook in the Council of Constantinople of 879-880 which rehabilitated Photius as Patriarch of Constantinople
Titular see
[edit]The diocese was nominally restored in 1933 as Latin Titular bishopric of Cesarea in Bithynia (Latin) / Cesarea di Bitinia (Curiate Italian) / Cæsarien(sis) in Bithynia (Latin adjective).
It is vacant since decades, having had the following incumbents, so far of the fitting Episcopal (lowest) rank :
- Anthony Jeremiah Pesce, Passionist (C.P.) (born Italy) (1951.05.10 – 1953.03.25) as last Apostolic Vicar of Dodoma (Tanzania) (1951.05.10 – 1953.03.25); next (see) promoted first Bishop of Dodoma (Tanzania) (1953.03.25 – death 1971.12.20)
- Giovanni Sismondo (1954.09.30 – 1955.02.21) (Italian), on emeritate : previously Bishop of Pontremoli (Italy) (1930.02.06 – 1954.09.30); later (promoted) Titular Archbishop of Marcianopolis (1955.02.21 – death 1957.12.07)
- Secondo Chiocca (1955.04.15 – death 1982.01.05) first as Auxiliary Bishop of Archdiocese of Genova (Genua, Italy) (1955.04.15 – retired 1981.05.09), then as emeritate; previously Bishop of Roman Catholic Diocese of Foligno (Italy) (1947.01.18 – resigned 1955.04.15).
References
[edit]- ^ William Hazlitt, The Classical Gazetteer: A Dictionary of Ancient Geography, Sacred and Profane, p. 161
- ^ Le Quien, Michel (1740). "Ecclesia Cæsareæ". Oriens Christianus, in quatuor Patriarchatus digestus: quo exhibentur ecclesiæ, patriarchæ, cæterique præsules totius Orientis. Tomus primus: tres magnas complectens diœceses Ponti, Asiæ & Thraciæ, Patriarchatui Constantinopolitano subjectas (in Latin). Paris: Ex Typographia Regia. cols. 627–628. OCLC 955922585.
Sources and external links
[edit]- GCatholic - (former and) titular bishopric
- Richard Talbert, Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World, (ISBN 0-691-03169-X), Map 52 & text.
- Pius Bonifacius Gams, Series episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae, Leipzig 1931, p. 443
- Le Quien, Michel (1740). "Ecclesia Cæsareæ". Oriens Christianus, in quatuor Patriarchatus digestus: quo exhibentur ecclesiæ, patriarchæ, cæterique præsules totius Orientis. Tomus primus: tres magnas complectens diœceses Ponti, Asiæ & Thraciæ, Patriarchatui Constantinopolitano subjectas (in Latin). Paris: Ex Typographia Regia. cols. 627–628. OCLC 955922585.
- Raymond Janin, lemma 'Césarée de Bithynie', in Dictionnaire d'Histoire et de Géographie ecclésiastiques, vol. XII, Paris 1953, col. 199