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During the expansion of Christianity in the early centuries AD, hundreds of dioceses were created in what is now Turkey, in the Middle East and throughout North Africa.

In many of these areas, the presence of the Church diminished or disappeared as a result of schism, or as regions were converted to Islam.

These dioceses were designated as " in partibus.

" In other circumstances, reorganizations would sometimes lead to dioceses being absorbed into one or more other dioceses.

At times the see cities of dioceses were relocated to other cities, and the diocese in question was renamed.