- Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia
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Contents
General information
Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia is the diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America located in the southeast area of Virginia. It is in Province III[1] (for the Middle Atlantic region). The diocese includes the Hampton Roads area; Richmond south of the James River; most of the region known as Southside Virginia; and Northampton County, the southernmost of the two counties on the Eastern Shore of Virginia[2].
The Diocese of Southern Virginia was created as a split from the Diocese of Virginia in 1892. The Diocese of Southwestern Virginia split off from the Diocese of Southern Virginia in 1919.
The diocese elected The Rt. Rev. Herman Hollerith IV as bishop on September 27, 2008, who was consecrated as the Tenth Bishop of the Diocese of Southern Virginia on February 10, 2009.[3] The diocese does not contain a cathedral church, though its offices are in Norfolk.
Camp Chanco, the diocesan retreat center, is located in Surry.
Historical significance
The Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia geographically encompasses the City of Williamsburg which includes Colonial Williamsburg. Bruton Parish is located along the historic Duke of Gloucester Street [4]. During times when the House of Burgesses was holding its sessions in Colonial Williamsburg, American patriots George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Patrick Henry worshipped at Bruton Parish.[5].
When Jamestown, Virginia was founded May 14, 1607[6], the town was established in the geographical area that would become the Diocese of Southern Virginia. The settlers there established one of the first churches in the New World that became the meeting place of the first New World legislative assembly on July 30, 1619.[7].
The Diocese also includes St. John's Episcopal Church, Elizabeth City Parish, in Hampton, Virginia. The church was established in 1610 making it the oldest English-speaking Parish in continuous existence in the United States of America.[8] In addition, St. John’s occationally uses Communion silver (a chalice and two patens) dating from 1618. This communion silver has the longest history of continuous use in the United States of any English church silver. [8]
On Sunday June 24, 2007, The Most Reverend Katharine Jefferts Schori, presiding bishop of ECUSA led the 400th anniversary celebration of the first Anglican service of Holy Communion in the new World at Jamestown, with Interim Bishop John Clark Buchanan serving as host.
Bishops
The Diocese of Southern Virginia has had 10 diocesan bishops:
- Alfred M. Randolph (1892–1918)
Beverley D. Tucker Coadjutor (1906–1918) - Beverly D. Tucker (1918–1930)
Arthur C. Thompson Suffragan (1917–1919); Coadjutor (1919–1930) - Arthur C. Thompson (1930–1937)
- William A. Brown (1938–1950)
George P. Gunn Coadjutor (1948–1950) - George P. Gunn (1950–1971)
David S. Rose Suffragan (1958–1964); Coadjutor (1964–1971) - David S. Rose (1971–1978)
C. Charles Vache Coadjutor (1976–1978) - C. Charles Vache (1978–1991)
Frank H. Vest Coadjutor (1989–1991) - Frank H. Vest (1991–1998)
O'Kelley Whitaker Assisting Bishop (1992–1997)
David C. Bane, Jr. Coadjutor (1997–1998) - David C. Bane, Jr. (1998–2006)
Donald P. Hart Assisting Bishop (1998–2001)
Carol Joy W. T. Gallagher Suffragan (2002–2005)
Robert H. Johnson Assisting Bishop (2006)
John C. Buchanan Assisting Bishop (2006–2009) - Herman Hollerith IV (2009-)
External links
References
- ^ Directory
- ^ Directory
- ^ "Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia - Norfolk, VA: Bishop Hollerith". http://www.diosova.org/article301277.htm. Retrieved November 16, 2011.
- ^ http://www.history.org/Almanack/places/gazett/gazmpc3.cfm
- ^ http://www.brutonparish.org/history.htm
- ^ Jamestown Colony - Britannica Online Encyclopedia
- ^ History of Jamestown
- ^ a b Tormey, James (April 2009). How Firm a Foundation. Richmond, VA: Dietz Press. pp. 184. ISBN 978-0-87517-135-7.
Categories:- Episcopal dioceses of the United States
- Christianity in Virginia
- Episcopal churches in Virginia
- Religious organizations established in 1892
- Anglican dioceses established in the 19th century
- Alfred M. Randolph (1892–1918)
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