July – August - Franciscan Province – MALTA

The Bishops of North Africa between
the years 250-300 numbered 100 or
150. Worthy of mention are the episcopal
sees of Lebda (Leptis Magna), Oea (Tripoli)
and Sabrata (Jerba).
The Church in North Africa reached
its glorious climax with the appearance of
St. Augustine, born in Tagaste (Souk-
Ahras, Algeria) on 13th November
354.
Augustine, was consecrated bishop
of Hippo (in Algeria), where he died on
28th August 430 when the Vandals invaded
the whole North African Region.
The Vandal invasion also helped
spread the Arian heresy denying the divinity
of Christ.
Justinian, Emperor of the East,
(533-555), succeeded in re-establishing a
certain order on the Vandals, up till the
Arab occupation (645-715).
The Expansion of Islam
The rapid conquests of the arabmuslims,
between the 7th and 12th centuries,
gradually obliterated christianity from
North Africa. The ecclesiatical history of
North Africa under the Arab domination
during these centuries is obscure and so
scant as to make it extremely difficult even
to delineate.
Tripolitania was dependant on Tunisia
under the different arab dynasties.
These had succeeded in subduing the
prevalently Berber population of this region.
During the 13th century, the
Republics of Genova and Venice
had managed to re-establish commercial
relations between old Africa
and Europe. It was to ST.
FRANCIS of ASSISI and his Order
that Providence assigned the apostolic
presence in the North African
region, since the very origins
of the Order (1219).
The New Presence of the
Church
Christianity never stopped
existing in the North Africa. In the
beginning of the XII - XIII century
the Christians are no longer natives
but on the contrary are foreigners
mainly merchants from
Pisa and Genoa and Maltese.
Christianity became therefore of foreign
brand to which the Church provided assistance
through the missions.
In 1219 while St Francis departed to
Egypt, his followers in 1224-25 went to
Morocco where they were martyred. They
were present although occasionally in Tunisia
and from1628 permanently also in
Libya to assist the Christian slaves. The
Church of Santa Maria degli Angeli (Our
Lady of the Angels) in the Old City - Medina
of Tripoli was foundedin1645 and,
with the permission of the Sultan of Constantinople,
the Church of the Immaculate
Conception was founded in Benghazi in
1858. From 1641 the first Apostolic Prefecture
was actually constituted with the
series of Apostolic Prefects up to 1943
when the Apostolic Vicariate of Tripoli was
constituted and from 1927 that of Benghazi
.
Apostolic Vicars of Libya
In 1641, the S. Congregation for the
Propagation of the Faith, nominated P.
Pascal COMPTE, OFM, as the First Apostolic
Prefect of Tripoli. He was succeed by
52 other Apostolic Prefects up till
1913. On February 3rd of that year, Pope
Pius X nominated P. LUDOVICO AN-
TOMELLI, OFM Apostolic Vicar of Libya
(1913-19). He was succeeded by H.E. Mgr.
Giacinto TONIZZA, OFM (1919-27) On
February 4th 1927, The Church in Libya
was divided into two ecclesiastical jurisdictions:
The Apostolic Vicariate of Tripoli
L-A{BAR LULJU - AWISSU 2007 26
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