Remesiana ( Byzantine Greek: Ρεμεσιανισία) was an ancient Roman city and former bishopric, which remains an

Eastern Orthodox Eastern Orthodoxy, also known as Eastern Orthodox Christianity, is one of the three main branches of Chalcedonian Christianity, alongside Catholicism and Protestantism. Like the Pentarchy of the first millennium, the mainstream (or "canonical") ...

and also a Latin Catholic

titular see A titular see in various churches is an episcopal see of a former diocese that no longer functions, sometimes called a "dead diocese". The ordinary or hierarch of such a see may be styled a "titular metropolitan" (highest rank), "titular archbis ...

, located around and under the modern city of

Bela Palanka Bela Palanka (Serbian Cyrillic: Бела Паланка, ) is a town and municipality located in the Pirot District of southeastern Serbia. According to the 2011 census, the population of the town is 8,143, and the population of the municipality i ...

Serbia Serbia (, ; Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe, Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Bas ...

. Remesiana was declared an Archaeological Sites of Great Importance in 1987, and it is protected by

Republic of Serbia Serbia (, ; Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin and the Balkans. It shares land borders with Hungar ...

History

Remesiana was built after the Roman conquest of

Moesia Moesia (; Latin: ''Moesia''; el, Μοισία, Moisía) was an ancient region and later Roman province situated in the Balkans south of the Danube River, which included most of the territory of modern eastern Serbia, Kosovo, north-eastern Alban ...

, in the area of the town

Aiadava Aiadava (''Aiadaba'' or ''Aeadaba'', gr, Αἰάδαβα) was a Dacian town in the Remesiana region, present day Bela Palanka, Serbia. After the Romans conquered Moesia in the 75 BC, the new castrum (imperial domain with estates) and municip ...

. It was on the route of ancient

Via Militaris Via Militaris or Via Diagonalis was an ancient Roman road, starting from Singidunum (today the Serbian capital Belgrade), passing by Danube coast to Viminacium (modern Požarevac), through Naissus (modern Niš), Serdica (modern Sofia), Philippo ...

road between Naissus and

Serdica Serdika or Serdica ( Bulgarian: ) is the historical Roman name of Sofia, now the capital of Bulgaria. Currently, Serdika is the name of a district located in the city. It includes four neighbourhoods: "Fondovi zhilishta"; "Banishora", "Orlandov ...

Dacia Mediterranea Dacia Mediterranea (Mid-land Dacia; ) was a late antique Roman province, whose capital city was Serdica (or Sardica; later Sradetz or Sredets, now Sofia). The date for the establishment of Dacia Mediterranea is uncertain. It was traditionally he ...

Districts

Byzantine Emperor This is a list of the Byzantine emperors from the foundation of Constantinople in 330 AD, which marks the conventional start of the Byzantine Empire, Eastern Roman Empire, to Fall of Constantinople, its fall to the Ottoman Empire in 1453 AD. On ...

Justinian Justinian I (; la, Iustinianus, ; grc-gre, Ἰουστινιανός ; 48214 November 565), also known as Justinian the Great, was the Byzantine emperor from 527 to 565. His reign is marked by the ambitious but only partly realized ''renovat ...

had the following strongholds in the district of Remesiana : Brittura, Subaras, Lamponiana, Stronges, Dalmatas, Primiana, Phrerraria, Topera, Tomes, Cuas, Tzertzenutzas, Stens,

Aeadaba Aiadava (''Aiadaba'' or ''Aeadaba'', gr, Αἰάδαβα) was a Dacian town in the Remesiana region, present day Bela Palanka, Serbia. After the Romans conquered Moesia in the 75 BC, the new castrum (imperial domain with estates) and municipi ...

, Destreba, Pretzouries, Cumudeba, Deurias, Lutzolo, Rhepordenes, Spelonca, Scumbro, Briparo, Tulcoburgo, Longiana, Lupophantana,

Dardapara Dardapara ( gr, Δαρδάπαρα) was two Thracian localities in the Dardania- Remesiana regions (Moesia), present Serbia. Eastern Roman Emperor Justinian I (r. 527–565) rebuilt Dardapara. A Dardapara has been connected with Grdelica, in Lesko ...

, Burdomina, Grinciapana, Graecus and Drasimarca.

Localities

Briparo Briparo ( gr, Βρίπαρο) was a locality in the Remesiana region, present Bela Palanka, Serbia Serbia (, ; Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeastern and Central Europe, si ...

Site of the Assembly

Austrian historian

Karl Patsch Carl Ludwig Patsch, also Karl Ludwig Patsch, sq, Karl Paç; bg, Карл Пач (14 September 1865 in Kovač – 21 February 1945 in Vienna) was an Austrian Slavist, Albanologist, archaeologist and historian. Biography Carl Patsch was bo ...

's opinion that the provincial assembly of Moesia Superior sat at Remesiana, based upon the fact that some inscriptions were discovered, "inaugurated between 202 and 209 by

Ulpiana Ulpiana was an ancient Roman city located in what is today Kosovo. It was also named Justiniana Secunda ( la, Iustiniana Secunda). Ulpiana is situated in the municipality of Lipjan. The Minicipium Ulpiana - ''Iustiniana Secunda'' was proclaim ...

in honour of

Septimius Severus Lucius Septimius Severus (; 11 April 145 – 4 February 211) was Roman emperor from 193 to 211. He was born in Leptis Magna (present-day Al-Khums, Libya) in the Roman province of Africa (Roman province), Africa. As a young man he advanced thro ...

and Julia Augusta," is not correct. Bela Palanka Sept Sev

One can see in a recently discovered inscription of identical content that these inscriptions were inaugurated in 202. However, that year Septimius Severus returned from the east to Rome and probably passed through Remesiana and on that occasion the inscriptions were inaugurated.

Ecclesiastical History

Remesiana was import enough in the Late

Roman province The Roman provinces (Latin: ''provincia'', pl. ''provinciae'') were the administrative regions of Ancient Rome outside Roman Italy that were controlled by the Romans under the Roman Republic and later the Roman Empire. Each province was rule ...

to become (circa 300 AD) one of the

suffragan A suffragan bishop is a type of bishop in some Christian denominations. In the Anglican Communion, a suffragan bishop is a bishop who is subordinate to a metropolitan bishop or diocesan bishop (bishop ordinary) and so is not normally jurisdictiona ...

s of its capital's Metropolitan, the Archdiocese of Serdica, in the sway of the

Patriarchate of Constantinople The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople ( el, Οἰκουμενικὸν Πατριαρχεῖον Κωνσταντινουπόλεως, translit=Oikoumenikón Patriarkhíon Konstantinoupóleos, ; la, Patriarchatus Oecumenicus Constanti ...

. It was suppressed circa 500 AD. Only two residential ''Suffragan Bishops of Remesiana'' are historically documented : * Saint

Nicetas of Remesiana Nicetas (c. 335–414) was Bishop of Remesiana (present-day Bela Palanka, Serbia), which was then in the Roman province of Dacia Mediterranea. Biography Nicetas promoted Latin sacred music for use during the Eucharistic worship and reputedly co ...

(fl. ca. 335–414), friend of

Paulinus of Nola Paulinus of Nola (; la, Paulinus Nolanus; also Anglicized as Pauline of Nola; – 22 June 431) born Pontius Meropius Anicius Paulinus, was a Roman poet, writer, and senator who attained the ranks of suffect consul () and governor of Campan ...

, and to whom Gennadio di Marsiglia dedicated a brief biographical note in ''

De Viris Illustribus ''De Viris Illustribus'', meaning "concerning illustrious men", represents a genre of literature which evolved during the Italian Renaissance in imitation of the exemplary literature of Ancient Rome. It inspired the widespread commissioning of g ...

'',

patron saint A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a saint who in Catholicism, Anglicanism, or Eastern Orthodoxy is regarded as the heavenly advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or perso ...

Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...

, canonized by both Catholic and Orthodox churches * Diogenianus, participant at the

Second Council of Ephesus The Second Council of Ephesus was a Christological church synod in 449 AD convened by Emperor Theodosius II under the presidency of Pope Dioscorus I of Alexandria. It was intended to be an ecumenical council, and it is accepted as such by the ...

in 449.

Titular see

Remesiana is an

, within the ecclesiastical hierarchy of the

Serbian Orthodox Church The Serbian Orthodox Church ( sr-Cyrl, Српска православна црква, Srpska pravoslavna crkva) is one of the autocephalous (ecclesiastically independent) Eastern Orthodox Christian denomination, Christian churches. The majori ...

. Remesiana is also a

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

Remesiana
''

Catholic Encyclopedia The ''Catholic Encyclopedia: An International Work of Reference on the Constitution, Doctrine, Discipline, and History of the Catholic Church'' (also referred to as the ''Old Catholic Encyclopedia'' and the ''Original Catholic Encyclopedia'') i ...

'' since circa 1890, when the diocese as nominally restored as Latin

titular bishopric A titular see in various churches is an episcopal see of a former diocese that no longer functions, sometimes called a "dead diocese". The ordinary or hierarch of such a see may be styled a "titular metropolitan" (highest rank), "titular archbish ...

of Remesiana (Latin = Curiate Italian) / Remesianen(sis) (Latin adjective). It has had the following incumbents, so far of the fitting Episcopal (lowest) rank : * Joseph-Marie Leray,

Sacred Heart Missionaries The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (MSC; la, Missionarii Sacratissimi Cordis; french: Missionnaires du Sacré-Coeur) are a missionary congregation in the Catholic Church. It was founded in 1854 by Servant of God Jules Chevalier (182 ...

(M.S.C.) (born France) (1897.07.27 – death 1929.10.17) as first

Apostolic Vicar Apostolic may refer to: The Apostles An Apostle meaning one sent on a mission: *The Twelve Apostles of Jesus, or something related to them, such as the Church of the Holy Apostles *Apostolic succession, the doctrine connecting the Christian Chur ...

Gilbert Islands The Gilbert Islands ( gil, Tungaru;Reilly Ridgell. ''Pacific Nations and Territories: The Islands of Micronesia, Melanesia, and Polynesia.'' 3rd. Ed. Honolulu: Bess Press, 1995. p. 95. formerly Kingsmill or King's-Mill IslandsVery often, this n ...

(

Kiribati Kiribati (), officially the Republic of Kiribati ( gil, ibaberikiKiribati),Kiribati
''The Wor ...

) (1897.07.27 – 1927) and emeritate * Federico Melendro Gutiérrez (梅耿光),

Jesuits The Society of Jesus ( la, Societas Iesu; abbreviation: SJ), also known as the Jesuits (; la, Iesuitæ), is a religious order (Catholic), religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rom ...

(S.J.) (born Spain) (1930.02.14 – 1946.04.11) as only

of Anqing 安慶 (

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

) (1930.02.14 – 1946.04.11); later promoted first Metropolitan Archbishop of Anqing 安慶 (1946.04.11 – death 1978.10.25) * Francisco Javier Ochoa Ullate (陳明理),

Augustinian Recollects The Order of Augustinian Recollects (OAR) is a mendicant Catholic religious order of friars and nuns. It is a reformist offshoot from the Augustinian hermit friars and follows the same Rule of St. Augustine. History The Order was founded in 16t ...

(O.A.R.) (born Spain) (1947.12.11 – 1976.09.06) as emeritate; formerly only Apostolic Prefect of

Guide A guide is a person who leads travelers, sportspeople, or tourists through unknown or unfamiliar locations. The term can also be applied to a person who leads others to more abstract goals such as knowledge or wisdom. Travel and recreation Ex ...

歸德 (China) (1929.01.08 – 1937.05.18), (see) promoted only Apostolic Vicar of

歸德 (1937.05.18 – 1946.04.11) and Titular Bishop of Chusira (1937.05.18 – 1946.04.11), again (see) promoted first Bishop of

Shangqiu Shangqiu (), alternately romanized as Shangkiu, is a city in eastern Henan province, Central China. It borders Kaifeng to the northwest, Zhoukou to the southwest, and the provinces of Shandong and Anhui to the northeast and southeast respectivel ...

商邱 (China) (1946.04.11 – retired 1947.12.11) * Jacques Louis Marie Joseph Fihey (1977.05.31 – 1989.04.22) as Auxiliary Bishop of

Archdiocese of Marseille The Archdiocese of Marseille (Latin: ''Archidioecesis Massiliensis''; French: ''Archidiocèse de Marseille'') is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction or archdiocese of the Catholic Church in France.

(France) (1977.05.31 – 1983.02.12); later

Bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...

of the Military Vicariate of the French Armed Forces (1983.02.12 – 1986.07.21), restyled Bishop of the Military Ordinariate of the French Armed Forces (1986.07.21 – 1989.04.22), finally Bishop of

Coutances Coutances () is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France. History Capital of the Unelli, a Gaulish tribe, the town was given the name of ''Constantia'' in 298 during the reign of Roman emperor Constantius Chloru ...

(France) (1989.04.22 – retired 2006.10.02), died 2017 * Sylvester Donovan Ryan (1990.02.17 – 1992.01.28) as Auxiliary Bishop of

Archdiocese of Los Angeles The Archdiocese of Los Angeles ( la, Archidiœcesis Angelorum in California, es, Arquidiócesis de Los Ángeles) is an ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church (Catholic particular churches and liturgical rites, particularly ...

(California, USA) (1990.02.17 – 1992.01.28); later Bishop of

Monterey Monterey (; es, Monterrey; Ohlone: ) is a city located in Monterey County on the southern edge of Monterey Bay on the U.S. state of California's Central Coast. Founded on June 3, 1770, it functioned as the capital of Alta California under bot ...

(USA) (1992.01.28 – retired 2006.12.19) * Nicola De Angelis, Sons of the Immaculate Conception (C.F.I.C.) (born Italy) (1992.04.27 – 2002.12.28) as Auxiliary Bishop of

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...

(Ontario, Canada) (1992.04.27 – 2002.12.28); later Bishop of

Peterborough Peterborough () is a cathedral city in Cambridgeshire, east of England. It is the largest part of the City of Peterborough unitary authority district (which covers a larger area than Peterborough itself). It was part of Northamptonshire until ...

(Canada) (2002.12.28 – retired 2014.04.08) * Francis Ronald Reiss (2003.07.07 – ...) as Auxiliary Bishop of

Archdiocese of Detroit The Archdiocese of Detroit ( la, Archidiœcesis Detroitensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church covering the Michigan counties of Lapeer, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, St. Clair, and Wayne. It is ...

(USA) (2003.07.07 – 2015.11.11) and on emeritate.

References

Sources and external links

GCatholic - former & titular bishopric
; Bibliography * Pius Bonifacius Gams, ''Series episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae'', Leipzig 1931, p. 417 * Daniele Farlati-Jacopo Coleti, ''Illyricum Sacrum'', vol. VIII, Venice 1817, pp. 77–84 * * Michel Le Quien, ''Oriens christianus in quatuor Patriarchatus digestus, Paris 1740, vol. II, coll. 305-306 Moesia Moesia Superior Dacia Mediterranea Archaeological sites in Serbia Roman towns and cities in Serbia Archaeological Sites of Great Importance (Serbia) Catholic titular sees in Europe Suppressed Roman Catholic dioceses {{Dacia-stub