Zarzis
Zarzis, also known as Jarjis, is a coastal commune in southeastern Tunisia, former bishopric and Latin Catholic titular see under its ancient name Gergis.
To the Phoenicians, Romans and Arabs the port was of strategic importance.
Geography
It lies on the coast of the Mediterranean, where the climate is mainly dry and sunny, making it a popular tourist destination mixing the old and the traditional. It has a major port where a is based.Located at the southern end of the eastern peninsula that bears his name, the délégation of Zarzis has a very large coastline. There are a variety of landscapes reflecting a great diversity of climatic conditions.
Buildings and structures
- 320-metre-high guyed mast for FM/TV-broadcasting, tallest structure in Tunisia.
History
According to Stadiasme, it had a castle, where stood the ruins and a citadel modern still bearing the old name albeit now pronounced Zarzis, and a port.
Gergis was important enough in the Roman province of Tripolitania to become a suffragan bishopric, which was to fade, presumably at the seventh century advent of Islam. Its ecclesiastical history is confused, due to confusion in consulting the Latin sources with the near-homonymous diocese Girba.
Titular see
The diocese was nominally restored in 1933 as a Latin Catholic titular bishopric of Gergis / Gergi / Gergitan.It has had the following incumbents, so far of the fitting Episcopal rank :
- John van Sambeek, White Fathers
- Otàvio Barbosa Aguiar
- Luis Aníbal Rodríguez Pardo as Auxiliary Bishop of Diocese of Cochabamba ; previously Titular Bishop of Thennesus & Auxiliary Bishop of Diocese of Santa Cruz de la Sierra , then Bishop of Oruro ; later last suffragan Bishop of Santa Cruz de la Sierra , Military Vicar of Bolivia , promoted first Metropolitan Archbishop of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, also President of Episcopal Conference of Bolivia
- Luigi Oldani
- Antonio María Rouco Varela as Auxiliary Bishop of Archdiocese of Santiago de Compostela and as Apostolic Administrator of Santiago de Compostela ; next succeeded as Metropolitan Archbishop of Santiago de Compostela, Metropolitan Archbishop of Madrid , created Cardinal-Priest of S. Lorenzo in Damaso, President of Episcopal Conference of Spain, Member of Council of Cardinals for the Study of Organisational and Economic Problems of the Apostolic See
- Patricio Infante Alfonso as Auxiliary Bishop of Archdiocese of Santiago de Chile ; later Metropolitan Archbishop of Antofagasta
- Jurij Bizjak as Auxiliary Bishop of Diocese of Koper ; next succeeded as Bishop of Koper
- Sérgio de Deus Borges, Auxiliary Bishop of Archdiocese of São Paulo
Economy
The olive occupies a special place in Zarzis. Production of the campaign 1999 - 2000 reached tons olives, equivalent to tons of olive oil. This production is processed through the 57 mills of the delegation and provides more than direct jobs.
In 2011, the city is the scene of stowaway to Europe.
The local economy is diverse—agriculture, mainly olives, oil and tourism.
People from Zarzis
- Abid Briki, trade unionist and politician