Capsa (see)
Capsa is a titular see of North Africa.
Data
The city, said to have been founded by the Libyan Hercules, belonged to King Jugurtha, who had deposited his treasures there; it was captured by Gaius Marius in 106 BC and destroyed, but later became a Roman colony. When Africa was divided into two provinces by Justinian, it was assigned to Byzacena. Under Justinian the Duke of Byzacena resided there and the town which was protected by a strong citadel, was called Justiniana Capsa.
In the eleventh century after the Arab conquest, more than two hundred flourishing villages stood in the surrounding region.
Five bishops, one a Donatist, are known from 255 to 484 (Morcelli, Africa Christiana, 1, 118, Gams, 464). The modern name of the town is Gafsa; it is situated in a most fertile oasis, about 81 miles west of Gabès and 128 west of Sfax, with which it is connected by a railway. The oasis has about 5000 inhabitants trading in dates, carpets, and wool rugs. It is well watered, has magnificent palm-trees, and is an important centre for French military and civil administration in Tunisia.
List of Titular Bishops
- Charles-François Bailly de Messein (26 September 1788 Appointed - 20 May 1794 Died)
- Barthélémy Bruguière, M.E.P. (5 February 1828 Appointed - 20 October 1835 Died)
- St. Laurent-Joseph-Marius Imbert, M.E.P. (26 April 1836 Appointed - 21 September 1839 Died)
- St. Siméon-François Berneux, M.E.P. (5 August 1854 Appointed - 8 March 1866 Died)
- Augustin Chausse, M.E.P. (16 December 1880 Appointed - 12 October 1900 Died)
- Joseph Sweens, M. Afr. (1 January 1910 Appointed - 12 April 1950 Died)
- Alfredo Verzosa y Florentin (25 February 1951 Appointed - 27 June 1954 Died)
- Charles Garrett Maloney (30 December 1954 Appointed - 2 February 1995 Appointed, Titular Bishop of Bardstown)
- Adalberto Paulo da Silva, O.F.M. Cap. (24 May 1995 Appointed - present)
See also
External links
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton.