Germanicopolis (Bithynia)
Germanicopolis 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
It was located on the Gelbes river, not far from Prusa. In earlier times it was called Helge, Helgas or Booscoete, Plin. v. 40. Modern scholars locate the town at the village of TahtalıThe city was taken by the Ottoman Empire in 1326 and the new Ottoman capital city was built at nearby Bursa.
Ecclesiastical history
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:
- Phileas, mentioned in the martyr vita of Saint Tirsus and companions under Roman emperor Diocletian.
- Rufus, attending the First Council of Nicaea
- Paul, 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
The diocese was nominally restored in 1933 as Latin Titular bishopric of Cesarea in Bithynia / Cesarea di Bitinia / Cæsarien in Bithynia.It is vacant since decades, having had the following incumbents, so far of the fitting Episcopal rank :
- Anthony Jeremiah Pesce, Passionist as last Apostolic Vicar of Dodoma ; next promoted first Bishop of Roman [Catholic Diocese of Dodoma|Dodoma]
- Giovanni Sismondo, on emeritate : previously Bishop of Pontremoli ; later Titular Archbishop of Marcianopolis
- Secondo Chiocca first as Auxiliary Bishop of Archdiocese of Genova, then as emeritate; previously Bishop of Roman Catholic Diocese of Foligno .