Diocese of Leptis Magna

The diocese of Leptis Magna was an ancient bishopric in Africa with its episcopal see in Leptis Magna, modern Al-Khums in Libya. After the Muslim conquest of the Maghreb it was abandoned but reinstated as a titular see in the Catholic Church in 1925.

History

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Ancient bishopric

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Leptis Magna had a bishop from the second century onwards. The first known person known to have served as bishop if a certain Victor who became pope in 189.[1] Bishop Archaeus composed a work on the dating of Easter around the year 200 and bishop Dioga participated at the Synod of 256 in Carthage.[2] The Synod of 484 in Carthage was attended by bishop Callipides of Leptis Magna.[3] After the Byzantine reconquest of Africa from the Vandals, a basilica[4] dedicated to the Theotokos was built in the town and the Nicene creed reintroduced.

Titular See

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The diocese was re-established as a titular see by the Catholic Church in the 20th century, first under the name Leptis Maior and since 1933 as Leptis Magna.[5]

List of ancient bishops

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  • Victor (later pope from 189 – 199)
  • Archaeus (fl. 200 AD)[2]
  • Dioga (fl. 256)[2]
  • Callipides (fl. 4XX)[3]

List of titular bishops

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References

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  1. ^ Bongmba, Elias Kifon (22 December 2015). "Christianity in North Africa". Routledge Companion to Christianity in Africa. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-134-50584-5. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  2. ^ a b c Mullen, Roderic (1 December 2003). The Expansion of Christianity: A Gazetteer of its First Three Centuries. BRILL. ISBN 978-90-474-0232-9. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  3. ^ a b Martyn, John R. C.; O’Brien, David (15 December 2020). Arians and Vandals of the 4th-6th Centuries: Annotated translations of the historical works by Bishops Victor of Vita (Historia Persecutionis Africanae Provinciae) and Victor of Tonnena (Chronicon), and of the religious works by Bishop Victor of Cartenna (De Paenitentia) and Saints Ambrose (De Fide Orthodoxa contra Arianos), and Athanasius (Expositio Fidei). Cambridge Scholars Publishing. p. 239. ISBN 978-1-5275-6376-6. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  4. ^ "Lepcis Magna, Byzantine Church - Livius". www.livius.org. Livius.org. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  5. ^ "Titular See of Leptis Magna, Libya 🇱🇾". GCatholic. GCatholic.org. Retrieved 29 April 2024.