Diocese of St Helena
Diocese of Saint Helena | |
---|---|
Location | |
Territory | Saint Helena and Ascension Island |
Ecclesiastical province | Southern Africa |
Statistics | |
Parishes | 4 |
Churches | 12 |
Congregations | 13 |
Information | |
Rite | Anglican |
Established | 1859 |
Cathedral | St Paul's Cathedral |
Current leadership | |
Bishop | Dale Bowers |
The Diocese of Saint Helena is an
History
In 1502, an uninhabited island was discovered by the Portuguese admiral,
all took an interest in the island as a place to refresh ships and sailors on long voyages.The
In 1671, the East India Company sent the first of a long sequence of Church of England chaplains. The early, modest little church was replaced by a slightly bigger one in 1674, but was only later named St. James church. Another church ("the Country Church") was built shortly afterwards near the present St. Paul's church.[3]
By 1774 the first parish church in Jamestown showed signs of decay, and so finally a new building was erected.
On 7 March 1849 the first
Following the
In the 1960s, Tristan da Cunha was transferred to the Diocese of Cape Town. The diocese now consists solely of Saint Helena and Ascension Island.
The diocese is the fourth oldest diocese in the Anglican Church of Southern Africa.
Saint Helena
There are three parishes on Saint Helena with 12 churches:
The Cathedral Parish of St Paul's which consists of St Paul's Cathedral, and four daughter churches:
- St Andrew's, Half Tree Hollow
- St Helena of the Cross, Blue Hill
- St Martin's in the Hills, Thompson's Hill
- St Peter's, Sandy Bay
The Parish of St James.
- St John's, Upper Jamestown
- St Mary's, the Briars
- St Michael's, Rupert's Valley
The Parish of St Matthew:
Ascension Island
There is one parish on Ascension Island, with one church – St Mary's, which is in Georgetown.
The cornerstone of St. Mary's church was laid by Mrs. Dwyer, wife of the Commandant, on 6 September 1843. The following year, the first Royal Navy Chaplain arrived, the Rev. George Bellamy. The main body of the church was completed in 1846, making it the second oldest existing Anglican church in the Diocese, second only to St. James church on St. Helena.[5]
Bishop
Royal Navy chaplains presiding at the church came to an end in 1905 when the garrison was reduced to 120. The bishops paid twice yearly visits, and Sunday worship was led by lay people licensed by the bishop. The Royal Naval garrison was finally withdrawn in 1922.
List of bishops of Saint Helena
- Piers Calverley Claughton1859–1862
- Thomas Earle Welby1862–1899
- John Garraway Holmes1899–1905
- William Arthur Holbech1905–1930
- Charles Christopher Watts1930–1935
- Charles Arthur William Aylen1935–1940
- Gilbert Price Lloyd Turner1940–1960
- Harold Beardmore 1960–1968
- Edmund Michael Hubert Capper1968–1973
- George Kenneth Giggall1973–1978
- Edward Alexander Cannan 1978–1985
- James Nathaniel Johnson1986–1991
- John Harry Gerald Ruston1991–1999
- John William Salt1999–2011
- Richard David Fenwick 2011–2018
- Dale Bowers 2018–[7]
Coat of arms
The diocesan arms are described as follows: Azure, in base on water barry wavy proper therein fishes naiant Or, an ancient galley manned, sail furled of the last, in chief a crescent Argent and a sun in splendour also of the second. . These arms were granted by the
References
- ^ Bruce, Ian (2015). "St Helena Day" (PDF). Wirebird the Journal of the Friends of St Helena (44): 32–46.
- ^ Vespuccius 1894.
- ^ a b Lennart Deimert; John Ekwall; Jan Tuner (25 March 2013). "Saint Helena – The Island in the South Atlantic Ocean". Sthelena.se. Archived from the original on 4 June 2016. Retrieved 20 November 2009.
- ^ "Anglican Diocese of St Helena – Island of St Helena, South Atlantic Ocean". Netministries.org.
- ^ a b c "Ascension Island Heritage Society – Literature". Heritage.org.ac.
- Gross Domestic Product deflator figures follow the MeasuringWorth "consistent series" supplied in Thomas, Ryland; Williamson, Samuel H. (2018). "What Was the U.K. GDP Then?". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
- ^ "New Bishop of St Helena is the first to be consecrated on the remote South Atlantic island". Anglican Communion News Service. 6 December 2018. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
- ^ Brownell 2002, p. 78.
- ISBN 978-0-620-28606-0.
- Vespuccius, Albericus (1894). The Voyage from Lisbon to India 1505-6, Being an Account A. Journal by Albericus Vespuccius [Amerigo Vespucci] Transl. from the Contemporary Flemish, A. Ed. W. Prologue A. Notes by C[h.] H[enry] Coote, Departm. of Printed Books ..., Brit. Mus. B.F. Stevens.
External links
- Official website (archived from 2011)
- A popular website on St Helena
- Website of Ascension Island Heritage Society