Bria (Phrygia)

Bria is a former ancient city and bishopric in Asia Minor, which remains a Latin Catholic titular see. Its site was traditionally located near Burgaz;[1] but modern scholars treat it as unlocated.[2]

History

Bria was important enough in the late Roman province of Phrygia Pacatiana Prima to become a suffragan of Laodicea in Phrygia (Laodicea on the Lycus), the Metropolitan Archbishopric, in the sway of the Patriarchate of Constantinople.

The see isn't mentioned by Michel Lequien in his Oriens Christianus.

Its only historically documented Suffragan Bishop was Macedonius, partaking in the council of Constantinople called in 536 by Patriarch Menas to condemn the (last) Monophysite Patriarch Severus of Antioch and his followers as heretics.[3]

It faded like most, apparently before the seventh century, being mentioned in none of the series of Notitiae episcoporum which starts then.

Titular see

The diocese was nominally restored in 1933 as Latin Titular bishopric of Bria (also Curiate Italian), Latin adjective Brian(us).

It is vacant since decades, having had the following incumbents, so far of the fitting Episcopal (lowest) rank :[4]

  • Paulo Rolim Loureiro (1948.05.22 – 1962.08.04) as Auxiliary Bishop of Archdiocese of São Paulo (Brazil) (1948.05.22 – 1962.08.04); later Bishop of Mogi das Cruzes (Brazil) (1962.08.04 – death 1975.08.02)
  • John James Ward (1963.10.16 – 1996.06.15) as Auxiliary Bishop of Archdiocese of Los Angeles (California, USA) (1963.10.16 – 1996.05.07); later on emeritate as Titular Bishop of (Both) California(s) (1996.06.15 – death 2011.01.10).

References
  1. William Mitchell Ramsay (1897). The Cities and Bishoprics of Phrygia. pp. 576–579.
  2. Richard Talbert, ed. (2000). Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World. Princeton University Press. p. 62, and directory notes accompanying.
  3. Sylvain Destephen, Prosopographie chrétienne du Bas-Empire 3. Prosopographie du diocèse d'Asie
  4. "Titular See of Bria, Turkey". GCatholic.

Sources and references
Bibliography
  • Sylvain Destephen, Prosopographie chrétienne du Bas-Empire 3. Prosopographie du diocèse d'Asie (325-641), Paris 2008


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