Claneus

Claneus or Klaneos or Klaneous (Ancient Greek: Κλάνεος^[1] or Κλανεοῦς^[2]) was an ancient city and bishopric in Asia Minor. Its site is tentatively located near Turgut [tr], Yunak, Turkey.^[3][4] Claneus was in the Roman province of either Phrygia Salutaris or Galatia Secunda.

Ecclesiastical history

Claneus became a suffragan bishopric of the Metropolitan of Pessinus, in Galatia Salutaris (erected 398). When Amorium, its former fellow suffragan of Pessinus, became a Metropolitan see in the ninth century, Claneus became its suffragan.

Two of its bishops are historically recorded:

• Salomon, attending the (Sixth Ecumenical =) Third Council of Constantinople (680–681, which repudiated as heresies Monothelitism and Monoenergism) and probably the appended Quinisext Council, alias Council in Trullo (692, addressing matters of discipline);
• Nicephorus, listed at the Second Council of Nicaea (787, which restored the veneration of icons and repudiated iconoclasm).^[5]

Titular see

The diocese was nominally restored in 1933 as Latin Titular bishopric of Claneus (Latin) / Claneo (Curiate Italian) / Clanien(sis) (Latin adjective).

It has been vacant for decades, and has had only these incumbents, of episcopal (lowest) rank:

• Francis Esser, Oblates of Saint Francis de Sales (O.S.F.S.) (German) (13 January 1949 – 12 September 1962), first as Apostolic Vicar of Keetmanshoop (ex-German Namibia) (13 January 1949 – 1956), then as Coadjutor Bishop of Keimoes (South Africa) (1956 – 12 September 1962); later succeeded as Bishop of Keimoes (12 September 1962 – death 8 December 1966).
• George Henry Speltz (12 February 1963 – 31 January 1968) as Auxiliary Bishop of Diocese of Winona (USA) (12 February 1963 – 4 April 1966) and (promoted) as Coadjutor Bishop of Saint Cloud (USA) (4 April 1966 – 31 January 1968); later succeeded as Bishop of Saint Cloud (31 January 1968 – 13 January 1987).