Giru Marcelli, located in present
Algeria, was among the many town in the
Roman province of
Numidia which were important enough to become a
suffragan diocese in the papal sway, but faded completely during the 6th century advent of Islam.
Its only historically documented bishops were :
Victor, partaking in a council held in 256 at
Carthage by its bishop
Saint Cyprianus on the
'lapsed Christians' who accepted forced pagan sacrificing to avoid martyrdom.
Pascentius, who participated in the synod called at
Carthage by
Hunerik of the
Vandal Kingdom in 484, whereafter he was exiled, like most Catholic incumbents, unlike their
Donatist heretic counterparts.
Titular see
The diocese was nominally restored in 1933 as
Titular bishopric of Octava (Latin) / Ottava (Curiate Italian) / Octaven(sis) (Latin) (Latin adjective).
It has had the following incumbents, of the fitting Episcopal (lowest) rank, with archiepiscopal exceptions :
Titular Archbishop: Emile Maurice Guerry (1966.02.15 – death 1969.03.11) as emeritate; previously Titular Archbishop of
Acrida (1940.05.31 – 1952.12.02) as [[Coadjutor Archbishop of
Cambrai (France) (1940.05.31 – 1952.12.02), succeeding as Metropolitan Archbishop of Cambrai (1952.12.02 – 1966.02.15)