Sappa

(SAPPENSIS, SAPPATENSIS, ZAPPATENSIS).

Diocese in Albania, established in 1062, by Alexander II. In 1491 Innocent VIII joined to it the See of Sarda (Sardoniki), and the united sees were suffragans of Antivari until the end of the eighteenth century. The See of Sarda comprised also the Diocese of Daynum (Dagnum, Dagno, Danj; Daynensis), founded as suffragan of Antivari about the second half of the fourteenth century and united with Sarda by Martin V in 1428. The exact number of bishops of Sappa is unknown. The first Bishop of Sappa mentioned is Paulus about 1370. The most famous bishops of Sappa were George Blanko (1623-35), deliverer of his fatherland from the Turks, and Lazarus Vladanja of Scutari (1746-49). The present, forty-first, Bishop of Sappa is Mgr. James Serecci, suffragan of Scutari. He has his residence at the village of Nensat (Nensciati). His diocese comprises about 22,000 inhabitants of various creeds, of whom 17,280 are Catholics. By the Albanian Council in 1703 the Bishop of Sappa obtained some parishes pertaining to the Diocese of Pulati. The ecclesiastical students of this diocese are educated at the seminary of Scutari. The Diocese of Sappa also includes the Franciscan monastery at Trosan (Trosciani), where the Minorites have a "Collegium seraphicum" for their students of philosophy.