Paroecopolis

Paroecopolis is a former ancient city and bishopric in Balkanic Europe and a former Latin Catholic titular see.

History

This see is not mentioned in any of the Greek Notitiae episcopatuum, so it probably was not an important city.

Parœcopolis is presented by Sophrone Pétridès in a 1911 article in the Catholic Encyclopedia as a bishopric of uncertain name (Paroecopolis, Parthicopolis or Parthenopolis) and situated either in Macedonia or in Thrace.

The town is mentioned by Ptolemy^[1] as being in Sintice, a part of Macedonia, and by Phlegon of Tralles.^[2]

Hierocles^[3] and Constantine Porphyrogenitus^[4] call it Parthicopolis, but the second locates it in Thrace.

Stephanus Byzantius calls it Parthenopolis and relates according to Theagenes the legend of its foundation by Grastus, son of Mygdon, said to have named the city in honour of his two daughters. Pliny^[5] has the same name, but also places it in Thrace.

Ecclesiastical history

Its bishop, Jonas or John, assisted at the Council of Sardica (342 or 343); at the Council of Chalcedon (451) there was present John "Parthicopolis primæ Macedoniae".^[6] That suggests it was in Macedonia Prima and hence a suffragan of its capital Thessalonica's Metropolitan Archbishopric.

Titular see

The diocese was nominally restored in 1925 as a Latin titular bishopric of the lowest (episcopal) rank, until 1925 with Partecopolis as alternate curiate title.

It was suppressed in 1933, having had a single incumbent:

• Everard Ter Laak (蘭克複), Scheutists (C.I.C.M.) (1914.05.06 – 1931.05.05), missisionary prelate in imperial China and Outer Mongolia: Apostolic Vicar of Southern Kansu 甘肅南境 (China) (1906.06.21 – 1914.05.06), Coadjutor Apostolic Vicar of Chahaer 察哈爾 (China) (1914.05.06 – 1924.01.12), Apostolic Administrator (ad interim) of the Mission sui iuris of Urga 烏蘭巴托 (Ulanbator, capital of Outer Mongolia) (1924 – 1931.05.05), Apostolic Vicar of the above Chahaer 察哈爾 (China) (1924.01.12 – 1924.12.03), Apostolic Vicar of (the same, renamed) Xiwanzi 西灣子 (1924.12.03 – 1931.05.05).

Notes

1. III, 13, 30.
2. "Fragm. histor. gr." ed. Didot, III, 609.
3. Synecdemus, 639, 8.
4. De thematibus, 2.
5. IV, xi.
6. Le Quien, Oriens christianus, II, 75.

External links

• GigaCatholic, with titular incumbent biography link

Attribution

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Parœcopolis". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton.