Parnassus (Cappadocia)

Parnassus or Parnassos (Ancient Greek: Παρνασσός) was a town in the northern part of ancient Cappadocia, on the right bank of the Halys River, and on or near a hill, to which it owed its name, on the road between Ancyra and Archelais, about 63 miles west of the latter town.[1][2] It became a bishopric and remains a Roman Catholic titular see.

History

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As a town in the Late Roman province of Cappadocia Tertia, Parnassus was important enough to become a suffragan bishopric of the Metropolitan of Mocissus, in the sway of the Patriarchate of Constantinople. Its site is near modern Parlasan, Şereflikoçhisar.[3]

Several of its bishops were historically documented :

The bishopric is mentioned in the Byzantine imperial Notitiae Episcopatuum till the late 13th century, but it faded, apparently at the advent of Muslim Seljuks.

Titular see

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The diocese was nominally restored as a titular bishopric in 1895.

It is vacant, having had the following incumbents, all of the lowest (episcopal) rank :

  • Johann Baptist Schneider (1896.06.25 – death 1905.01.26) as Auxiliary Bishop of Wien (Vienna, Austria) (1896.06.25 – 1905.01.26)
  • Ludovic Joseph Legraive (1907.10.17 – death 1940.06.10) as Auxiliary Bishop of Mechelen (Mechlin, Belgium) (1907.10.17 – 1940.06.10)
  • Arturo Mery Beckdorf (1941.03.22 – 1944.07.29), later Titular Archbishop of Phasis (1955.04.20 – 1976.05.28)
  • Daniel Figueroa Villón (1945.04.12 – 1946.09.22) as Auxiliary Bishop of Antofagasta (Chile) (1941.03.22 – 1944.07.29); later Coadjutor Bishop of Valdivia (Chile) (1944.07.29 – 1955.04.20), Coadjutor Archbishop of Santiago (Chile) (1955.04.20 – 1961.05.14), Titular Archbishop of Phasis (1955.04.20 – 1976.05.28) as Auxiliary Bishop of La Serena (Chile) (1961.05.14 – 1963) promoted Coadjutor Archbishop of La Serena (Chile) (1963 – death 1976.05.28)
  • Daniel Tavares Baeta Neves (1947.03.29 – 1958.05.16) as Auxiliary Bishop of Mariana (Brazil) (1947.03.29 – 1958.05.16); later Bishop of Januária (Brazil) (1958.05.16 – 1962.06.01), Titular Bishop of Alexandria Minor (1962.06.01 – 1964.06.04), Bishop of Sete Lagoas (Brazil) (1964.06.04 – death 1980.07.08)
  • Adolfo Luís Bossi, Capuchin Friars (O.F.M. Cap.) (1958.06.18 – 2002.05.08) as Coadjutor Bishop-Prelate of São José do Grajaú (Brazil) (1958.06.18 – 1966.02.19), succeeding as Bishop-Prelate of São José do Grajaú (1966.02.19 – retired 1970.08.22), died 2002.

References

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  1. ^ Polybius. The Histories. Vol. 25.4.
  2. ^ Antonine Itinerary pp. 144, 206; Jerusalem Itinerary p. 576.
  3. ^ Lund University. Digital Atlas of the Roman Empire.

  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domainSmith, William, ed. (1854–1857). "Parnassus". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. London: John Murray.

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Bibliography
  • Pius Bonifacius Gams, Series episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae, Leipzig 1931, p. 440
  • Michel Lequien, Oriens christianus in quatuor Patriarchatus digestus, Paris 1740, Vol. I, coll. 415-418
  • Sophrone Pétridès, lemma 'Parnassus' in Catholic Encyclopedia, vol. XI, New York 1911

39°03′17″N 33°35′13″E / 39.054632°N 33.586987°E / 39.054632; 33.586987