Tacapae (titular see)

Tacapae (Italian "Tacape") is a Catholic titular see. The original diocese was in Tripolitana, in northern Africa. It is now Gabès, Tunisia.

The official list of titular sees of the Roman Curia calls this see Tacapæ; the ancient milestones bear the name Tacapas, Tacapa, Tacapes; the Greek name was probably Tacape. It is mentioned in numerous ancient geographical documents. It was located in the interior of Syrtis Minor in a fertile country, was provided with several roads, and was the commercial centre of the region.

History

At first attached to Byzantium, in the third century it became a Roman colony and formed a part of Tripolitana.

Bishops

Three of its bishops are known:

*Dulcitius, legate of the bishops of Tripolitana to the Council of Carthage (403) and present at the Conference of Carthage in 411;
*Servilius, exiled by Huneric in 484;
*Caius or Gallus, legate of the bishops of his province to the Council of Carthage in 525.

The see still survived under Justinian who fortified the town.

Titulars include Maurice Michael Otunga (1956-60); as of 2008 the titular is Charles Martin Wamika, appointed in 1993.

References

*Smith, "Dict. of Greek and Roman Geogr.", s.v.;
*Muller, "Notes to Ptolemy", ed. Didot, I, 626;
*Toulotte, "Geographie de L'Afrique chretienne: Byzacene et Tripolitaine" (Montreuil, 1894), 261;
*Diehl, "L'Afrique byzantine" (Paris, 1896), passim.

External links

* [http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/d2t13.html "Catholic Hierarchy" page]