Abla is a municipality, former bishopric and titular see in Almería province, in Andalusia, southeast Spain.
It is considered to be the Abula mentioned by Ptolemy in his Geographia (II 6, 60) as located in the Iberian region of Bastetania.
Another candidate for identification with ancient Abula is Ávila, which may instead have been the ancient Obila.
Abula is said to be one of the first cities in Hispania that were Christianized, specifically by Saint Secundus, one of the group of Seven Apostolic Men (siete varones apostólicos), Christian clerics ordained in Rome by Saints Peter and Paul and sent to evangelize Spain. Little is known of a second bishop of Abula, called Iulius, living in the 2nd century.
No longer a residential bishopric, Abula is today listed by the Catholic Church as a Latin titular see since the diocese was nominally restored in 1969.
It has had the following incumbents, so far of the fitting episcopal (lowest) rank :
Javier Osés Flamarique (1969.11.10 – 1977.02.28) as Auxiliary Bishop of Huesca (Aragon, Spain) (1969.11.10 – 1977.02.28) and next Apostolic Administrator sede plena of Huesca (1971 – 1973.05.19), then Apostolic Administrator of Huesca (1973.05.19 – 1977.02.28); later Bishop of Huesca (1977.02.28 – death 2001.08.24)
Charles McDonald Renfrew (1977.05.05 – death 1992.02.27) as Auxiliary Bishop of Glasgow (Scotland, UK) (1977.05.05 – 1992.02.27)
Alojz Uran (1992.12.16 – 2004.10.25) as Auxiliary Bishop of Ljubljana (Slovenia) (1992.12.16 – 2004.10.25); later succeeded as Metropolitan Archbishop of Ljubljana (2004.10.25 – retired 2009.11.28), President of Episcopal Conference of Slovenia (2007.03.16 – 2009.11.28)
Salvador Giménez Valls (2005.05.11 – 2009.05.21) as Auxiliary Bishop of Valencia (southern Spain) (2005.05.11 – 2009.05.21) and Apostolic Administrator of Menorca (Balearic Spain) (2008.09.21 – 2009.05.21); later suceeded as Bishop of Menorca (2009.05.21 – 2015.07.28), then Bishop of Lleida (Spain) (2015.07.28 – ...)
Giorgio Corbellini (2009.07.03 – ...), President of Labour Office of the Apostolic See (2009.07.03 – ...), President of Disciplinary Commission of the Roman Curia (2010.05.11 – ...), President ad interim of Financial Information Authority (2014.01.30 – 2014.11.19), Supplementary Member of College for the review of appeals by clergy accused of delicta graviora (2015.01.21 – ...); also was, even previously, President of Personnel Commission of the Governatorate of the Vatican City State (2001.02.22 – 2011.09.03), Vice Secretary General of Governorate of the Vatican City State (2001.02.22 – 2011.09.03).
From:INE Archiv
