Vescera (Ad Piscinam)

Vescera, also known as Ad Piscinam, was an ancient titular see and Roman colony in Roman North Africa. It has been identified as a site near Biskra in Algeria. It remains as a titular see of the Roman Catholic Church in the Province of Numidia.[1]

Vescera
Oasis at Vescera in 1910
Shown within Algeria
LocationAlgeria
RegionBiskra Province
Coordinates34.85°N 5.733333°E / 34.85; 5.733333

History

The city was founded soon after the arrival of the Romans around 200 AD under Septimius Severus' and became part of the province of Numidia. As a major settlement in the border region, it was significant even then. Its name was apparently bowdlerized by the Romans to Ad Piscīnam ("at the piscīna"), implying the presence of important waterworks.

The city fell to the Arab armies during the end of the 7th century. A significant portion of the inhabitants of the area still descend from the Arab bedouin tribe of Banu Hilal,[2] others are mainly Chaoui Berbers.

Bishopric

The city was the seat of a bishopric in Roman times and was one of the main centers in the Donatist schism of the 4th century. Three bishops are known:

In the 20th century the bishopric was nominally re-established as a titular see and three bishops are known.

  • Louis-Georges-Firmin Demol, (Jan 27 1936 Appointed – Jul 2 1969) [4]
  • José Gustavo Angel Ramirez, (Jun 19 1989 Appointed – Feb 23 2013) [5]
  • John Bosco Chang Shin-Ho (31 May 2016 Appointed -) [6][7]

References
  1. Vescera at GCatholic.org.
  2. Qui sont les Hilaliens ou les Banu Hilal accessdate = 2015-09-26
  3. Serge Lancel, Saint Augustine (Hymns Ancient and Modern Ltd, 2002)p303.
  4. Revue des Ordinations Épiscopales, Issue 1936, Number 49.
  5. Le Petit Episcopologe, Issue 119, Number 10.665.
  6. Vescera at catholic-hierarchy.org.
  7. Acta of the Holy See.
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