Harpasa was a city and bishopric in ancient Caria in Roman Asia Minor (Asian Turkey), which only remains a Latin Catholic titular see.

History

Little is known of the history of this town, situated on the east bank of the Harpasus, a tributary of the Mæander. It is mentioned by Ptolemy, by Stephanus Byzantius, by Hierocles, and by Pliny the Elder. According to Pliny, there was in the neighbourhood a rocking-stone which could be set in motion by a finger-touch, whereas the force of the whole body could not move it. The Ancient Armenian village that resided in present-day Turkey hosts the ruined castle of Arpaz, in the district of Nazilli, nearly preserves the old name as does the Turkish form Harpaskale.

Bishopric

It was important enough in the late Roman province of Caria (civil Diocese of Asia) to become a bishopric, a suffragan of the archbishopric of Stauropolis, in the sway of the Patriarchate of Constantinople. Harpasa appears in the lists of the Notitiae Episcopatuum until the 12th or 13th century. Lequien's Oriens Christianus I, 907 mentions only four historically documented bishops :

Titular see

The diocese was nominally restored (twentieth century?) by the Catholic Church as Titular bishopric of Harpasa (Latin) / Arpassa (Curiate Italian) / Harpasen(us) (Latin). It is vacant since decades, having had the following incumbents, so far of the fitting Episcopal (lowest) rank, including an Eastern Catholic :

Sources and external links