Porphyreon
Encyclopedia
Porphyreon is a Catholic titular see
. The original diocese was a suffragan of the archdiocese of Tyre, in Phoenicia Prima. The location is now Jieh
, Lebanon
.
as belonging to the sixth century, but does not appear in that of the tenth century. Lequien mentions five of its bishops:
There were two Porphyreons in this province. One, described by Scylax north of Sidon
and also by Palerin of Bordeaux eight miles from Sidon, is now Jieh. A second Porphyreon, according to the Pseudo-Antoninus, may be located six or seven miles north of Carmel
. Historians of the Crusades (William of Tyre
and James of Vitry) confound this town with Caipha; the latter corresponds to the see. In fact Saint Simeon Stylite the Young, contemporary of Paul, Bishop of Porphyreon, affirms that the episcopal town may be found near Castra, a place inhabited by the Samaritans. Now, in the same epoch the Pseudo-Antoninus locates the Castra Samaritanorum a Sucamina (Caipha) milliario subtus monte Carmelo south of Porphyreon.
The church of Porphyreon, dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, was built by Justinian I
. The ruins of Porphyreon should be found near Belus
, the Nahr Namein, in the sands of which may still be seen the murex brandaris and the murex trunculus (thorny shell fish), from which is extracted the famous purple dye of Tyre, and which gave its name to Porphyreon.
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 bishop", "titular metropolitan", or "titular archbishop"....
. The original diocese was a suffragan of the archdiocese of Tyre, in Phoenicia Prima. The location is now Jieh
Jieh
Jieh is a seaside town in Lebanon with an estimated population of 5000, 23 km south of Beirut, in the Chouf district via a 20 minute drive along the Beirut to Sidon highway south of the capital. In Phoenician times it was known as Porphyreon and was a thriving natural seaport, which still...
, Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
.
History
It is described in the Notitia Episcopatuum of AntiochAntioch
Antioch on the Orontes was an ancient city on the eastern side of the Orontes River. It is near the modern city of Antakya, Turkey.Founded near the end of the 4th century BC by Seleucus I Nicator, one of Alexander the Great's generals, Antioch eventually rivaled Alexandria as the chief city of the...
as belonging to the sixth century, but does not appear in that of the tenth century. Lequien mentions five of its bishops:
- Thomas, 451;
- Alexander, at the end of the fifth century;
- Theodore, 518;
- Christophorus, 536;
- and Paul (contemporary of Justinian IIJustinian IIJustinian II , surnamed the Rhinotmetos or Rhinotmetus , was the last Byzantine Emperor of the Heraclian Dynasty, reigning from 685 to 695 and again from 705 to 711...
), 565-78.
There were two Porphyreons in this province. One, described by Scylax north of Sidon
Sidon
Sidon or Saïda is the third-largest city in Lebanon. It is located in the South Governorate of Lebanon, on the Mediterranean coast, about 40 km north of Tyre and 40 km south of the capital Beirut. In Genesis, Sidon is the son of Canaan the grandson of Noah...
and also by Palerin of Bordeaux eight miles from Sidon, is now Jieh. A second Porphyreon, according to the Pseudo-Antoninus, may be located six or seven miles north of Carmel
Carmel
Carmel in the Bible refers to two distinct places:* Mount Carmel, coastal mountain range in Israel overlooking the Mediterranean Sea* Carmel , an ancient Israelite town in Judea...
. Historians of the Crusades (William of Tyre
William of Tyre
William of Tyre was a medieval prelate and chronicler. As archbishop of Tyre, he is sometimes known as William II to distinguish him from a predecessor, William of Malines...
and James of Vitry) confound this town with Caipha; the latter corresponds to the see. In fact Saint Simeon Stylite the Young, contemporary of Paul, Bishop of Porphyreon, affirms that the episcopal town may be found near Castra, a place inhabited by the Samaritans. Now, in the same epoch the Pseudo-Antoninus locates the Castra Samaritanorum a Sucamina (Caipha) milliario subtus monte Carmelo south of Porphyreon.
The church of Porphyreon, dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, was built by Justinian I
Justinian I
Justinian I ; , ; 483– 13 or 14 November 565), commonly known as Justinian the Great, was Byzantine Emperor from 527 to 565. During his reign, Justinian sought to revive the Empire's greatness and reconquer the lost western half of the classical Roman Empire.One of the most important figures of...
. The ruins of Porphyreon should be found near Belus
Belus
Belus or Belos may be:* The classical Latin or Greek rendition of Bel the Semitic honorific**Ba`al as a Semitic deity** Belus , the Greek Zeus Belos and Latin Jupiter Belus as translations of the Babylonian god Bel Marduk...
, the Nahr Namein, in the sands of which may still be seen the murex brandaris and the murex trunculus (thorny shell fish), from which is extracted the famous purple dye of Tyre, and which gave its name to Porphyreon.