Babar, Algeria


Babar is a municipality in Khenchela Province, northeastern Algeria. As Ancient Babra, a former bishopric, it remains a Latin Catholic titular see.

Name

Babar is Amazigh, meaning the Lion's Gate, from Bab 'Gate' and Ar 'Lion'. It is the opening to the Berberian lion's Atlas range territory, to Sheshar and Seiar.

Modern Babar

The municipality is coextensive with Babar district and has a population of 28,182, which gives it 11 seats in the PMA. Its postal code is 40340 and its municipal code is 4013.

History

Babra was among the many town important enough in the Roman province of Numidia to become a suffragan diocese in the papal sway.
Its only historically certain incumbent was Victorinus Babrensis, on the list of Catholic bishops attending the Council called at Carthage in 484 by king Huneric of the Vandal Kingdom, annotated in Latin "prbt", indicating he died shortly afterwards, perhaps in exile, as most opponents of the heresy Donatism were.
Morcelli also counts as incumbent of Babra Petrus, which other authors hold to have been bishop of Barica, another Numidian see.

Titular see

The diocese was nominally restored in 1933 as Latin Titular bishopric of Babra / Babren.
It has had the following incumbents, so far of the fitting Episcopal rank :