Diocese of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh

Summary

The United Dioceses of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh is a diocese of the Church of Ireland located in central Ireland.[1] It is in the ecclesiastical province of Armagh.

United Dioceses of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh

Dioecesis Unitae Kilmorensis, Elphinensis et Ardachadensis

Deoisí Aontaithe na Cille Móire, Ail Finn agus Ardach
Coat of arms of the United Dioceses of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh
Coat of arms
Location
CountryNorthern Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ecclesiastical provinceArmagh and Tuam
Information
DenominationAnglican
CathedralSt Fethlimidh's Cathedral, Kilmore,
St John the Baptist Cathedral, Sligo
Current leadership
BishopFerran Glenfield, Bishop of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh
Website
kilmore.anglican.org

It is one of twelve Anglican dioceses in the island of Ireland. The geographical remit covers all of County Leitrim, almost all of counties Cavan, Longford and Roscommon, plus smaller parts of counties Westmeath, Sligo, Donegal and Fermanagh.

Cathedrals edit

 
Diocese Highlighted

There had been two other cathedrals, but are now in ruins.

  • St Mel's Cathedral, Ardagh was severely damaged by warfare in 1496 and was never restored.
  • St Mary's Cathedral, Elphin was destroyed by a violent storm on 4 February 1957 and abandoned in favour of St John the Baptist, Sligo in 1961.

The historic sees of Kilmore and Ardagh were intermittently united in the 17th and 18th centuries until they were finally united in 1839. They were further merged with the see of Elphin in 1841 to form the current Diocese of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh. It is for this reason that the united diocese has two cathedrals in current use as well as a number of deconsecrated cathedrals.

Parishes edit

Each of the dioceses is divided into a number parish groups.[2]

Diocese of Kilmore
 
Kilmore Cathedral, County Cavan
Diocese of Elphin
 
St John the Baptist Cathedral, Sligo
Diocese of Ardagh

List of bishops edit

Archdeacons edit

Overview edit

The three dioceses of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh were first created in the early and mid 12th-century. The sees of Elphin and Ardagh were established at the Synod of Rathbreasail in 1111 and the see of Kilmore (originally called Tirbrunensis, Triburnia or Tybruinensis) at the Synod of Kells in 1152.

Following the Reformation in the 16th century, the church in "communion with the Bishop of Rome" used the term "Catholic" to distinguish itself from the various Protestant churches.[4] The Parliament of Ireland broke communion when it created the Church of Ireland as the State Religion in the Kingdom of Ireland assuming possession of most Church property. The English-speaking minority[citation needed] mostly adhered to the either the Church of Ireland or, despite the political and economic advantages of membership in the state church, to Presbyterianism.

Relation with Anglican realignment edit

The Diocese of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh is theologically conservative. Bishop Ferran Glenfield is a supporter of GAFCON Ireland and he attended GAFCON III, held in Jerusalem, on 17–22 June 2018.[5]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Official diocesan website - History
  2. ^ Parishes of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh Archived 27 August 2009 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved on 21 August 2009.
  3. ^ The Revd Ferran Glenfield Elected New Bishop Of Kilmore, Elphin And Ardagh. Church of Ireland Press release, 4 February 2013.
  4. ^ McBrien, Richard (2008). The Church. Harper Collins. p. xvii. Online version available Browseinside.harpercollins.com Archived 27 August 2009 at the Wayback Machine. Quote: "[T]he use of the adjective 'Catholic' as a modifier of 'Church' became divisive only after the East-West Schism ...and the Protestant Reformation ...In the former case, the West claimed for itself the title Catholic Church, while the East appropriated the name Holy Orthodox Church. In the latter case, those in communion with the Bishop of Rome retained the adjective "Catholic", while the churches that broke with the Papacy were called Protestant."
  5. ^ IRELAND: Bishops' presence at Gafcon an "absolute disgrace", Virtue Online, 24 June 2018

External links edit

  • Diocese of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh
  • Kilmore Cathedral architecture & stainglass windows (Gloine website) Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine
  • Diocese of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh official page