Diocese of Moray, Ross and Caithness

Coordinates: 57°28′37″N 4°13′52″W / 57.477°N 4.231°W / 57.477; -4.231
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57°28′37″N 4°13′52″W / 57.477°N 4.231°W / 57.477; -4.231

Diocese of Moray, Ross and Caithness

Dioecesis Moraviensis, Rossensis et Cathanensis

Sgìre-easbaig Mhoireibh, Rois is Ghallaibh
Location
CountryScotland
TerritoryCaithness, Sutherland, Ross and Cromarty, Inverness-shire, Nairnshire, Moray, Banffshire
Ecclesiastical provinceScotland
Statistics
Congregations39[1]
Information
DenominationScottish Episcopal Church
CathedralSt Andrew's Cathedral, Inverness
Current leadership
BishopMark Strange
Map
Map showing the Diocese of Moray, Ross & Caithness as a coloured area covering northern Scotland
Map showing Moray, Ross & Caithness Diocese within Scotland
Website
moray.anglican.org

The Diocese of Moray, Ross and Caithness is one of the seven dioceses of the Scottish Episcopal Church. It covers Caithness and Sutherland (the old Diocese of Caithness), mainland Ross and Cromarty (the old Diocese of Ross), and mainland Inverness-shire, Nairnshire, Moray and Banffshire (the old Diocese of Moray). The diocesan centre is St Andrew's Cathedral in Inverness. The see is currently occupied by Mark Strange.

History[edit]

The three old dioceses united in the modern diocese were all founded during the 12th century. Moray was founded by Gregory in 1114, Ross by Macbeth in 1131 and Caithness by Aindréas of Caithness in 1146. Being more removed from the centre of political power during the Scottish Reformation, each of the dioceses managed to continue an unbroken line of bishops. However, its remoteness also caused problems for the appointment of new bishops under the period of the penal laws. For part of the 17th century, both Ross and Caithness were without a bishop, and, at the beginning of the 18th century, the Diocese of Orkney was united with Caithness. In 1707, Alexander Rose, Bishop of Edinburgh and the first Primus, united Moray with his diocese for reason of practical oversight. John Fullarton, Rose's successor in both roles, continued to oversee Moray until 1725, when it was felt more practical to combine it with the Diocese of Aberdeen, led by James Gadderar. However, in 1727, the new Primus, Andrew Lumsden, appointed William Dunbar as sole Bishop of Moray and Ross, combining the vacant northern see with Moray. In 1777, William Falconar, also Primus, united Orkney, Moray, Ross and Caithness under his rule. In 1819, David Low was appointed Bishop of Ross by itself, but, from 1838 he administered the entire former union and the see officially returned to the union in 1851. In 1857, Orkney was separated to unite with the Diocese of Aberdeen. Mark Strange was elected as the new bishop on 2 June 2007 and was consecrated and installed on 13 October 2007.[2][3][4] In 2020, Synod Clerk Rev Canon Michael Last reported an increase in membership and in number of communicants.[5]

Area and population[edit]

The diocese covers the historic counties of Caithness (population 26,500), Sutherland (population 13,000), mainland Ross and Cromarty (population 57,500), Inverness-shire except the Hebridean parts and Lochaber (population 88,500), Nairnshire (population 12,500), Morayshire (population 68,000), the Dufftown, Keith and Aberchirder areas of Banffshire (population 16,500), and the Huntly area of Aberdeenshire (population 8,000).

This total population of approximately 290,500 gives the diocese a ratio of one priest to every 18,200 inhabitants and one church to every 7,300 inhabitants.

List of churches[edit]

The diocese currently has 16 stipendiary clergy and 40 church buildings.

Parish Churches Founded Link Stipendiary clergy
Aberchirder[6] St Marnan, Aberchirder 1824 [1] Michael Last
Keith[7] Holy Trinity, Keith 1688
Huntly[8] Christ Church, Huntly 1719
Fochabers Gordon Chapel[9] Gordon Chapel of St Elizabeth, Fochabers 1834
Dufftown[10] St Michael, Dufftown
Aberlour[11] St Margaret of Scotland, Aberlour 1875 [2] Vacant since 2012
Elgin with Lossiemouth[12] Holy Trinity, Elgin c. 1700 [3] Tembu Rongong
St Margaret, Lossiemouth 1853
Burghead Mission
Rothiemurchus[13] St John the Baptist, Rothiemurchus 1904 [4] Vacant since 2001
Grantown-On-Spey[14] St Columba, Grantown-on-Spey 1870 Vacant since 2010
Forres[15] St John the Evangelist, Forres 1841 [5] Hamilton Inbadas
Nairn[16] St Columba, Nairn 1853 [6] Alison Simpson
Kathryn Sanderson
Inverness Cathedral[17][18] St Andrew's Cathedral, Inverness 1853 [7] Sarah Murray
Norma Higgott
Katrina O'Neill
Inverness (St John the Evangelist)[19] St John the Evangelist, Inverness 1691 [8] John Cuthbert
Inverness (St Michael & All Angels)[20] St Michael & All Angels, Inverness 1881 [9]
Culloden[21] St Mary-in-the-Fields, Culloden 1973 [10] Vacant since 2012
Strathnairn[22] St Paul, Strathnairn 1688 [11] Kathryne Collins
Glenurquhart[23] St Ninian, Glenurquhart 1853 [12] Vacant since 2017
Gordonstoun St Christopher's Chapel & Michael Kirk
Fortrose[24] St Andrew, Fortrose 1688 [13] Melvin Langille
Arpafeelie[25] St John the Evangelist, Arpafeelie 1688
Cromarty[26] St Regulus, Cromarty 1877
Poolewe[27] St Maelrubha, Poolewe 1950 [14] Vacant since 2013
Kishorn Chapel[28] Courthill Chapel, Kishorn 1901
Lochalsh[29] St Donnan, Lochalsh 1943
Strathpeffer[30] St Anne, Strathpeffer [15] Julia Boothby
Dingwall[31] St James the Great, Dingwall 1704
Invergordon[32] St Ninian, Invergordon 1915 [16]
Lochinver[33] St Gilbert's Mission, Kinlochbervie [17] Clare Caley
St Gilbert of Caithness, Lochinver
Ullapool[34] St Mary the Virgin, Ullapool 1975
St Boniface of Ross, Achiltibuie
Tongue St Mary-by-the-Cross, Tongue 2003 [18] James Currall
Simon Scott
Dornoch[35] St Finnbarr, Dornoch 1903
Tain[36] St Andrew, Tain 1877
Lairg St Maelrubha's Mission, Lairg
Brora[37] St Columba of Iona, Brora 1909
Thurso[38] St Peter & Holy Rood, Thurso 1884 [19] Eleanor Charman
Wick[39] St John the Evangelist, Wick 1870 [20]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Churches Directory | the Diocese of Moray | A Diocese of the Scottish Episcopal Church". Archived from the original on 20 July 2011. Retrieved 23 May 2010.
  2. ^ "New Bishop". Diocesan website, news section. 2 June 2007. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 19 June 2007.
  3. ^ "New Bishop Elected for Moray, Ross & Caithness". Website of the Scottish Episcopal Church, news section. 2 June 2007. Retrieved 19 June 2007.
  4. ^ "Ordination of New Bishop". Diocesan website, news section. 12 October 2007. Retrieved 7 December 2007.[permanent dead link]
  5. ^ "United Diocese of Moray, Ross and Caithness". www.facebook.com.
  6. ^ "The Benefice of Aberchirder (St Marnan)". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  7. ^ "The Benefice of Keith (Holy Trinity)". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  8. ^ "The Benefice of Huntly (Christ Church)". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  9. ^ "The Benefice of Fochabers Gordon Chapel". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  10. ^ "The Benefice of Dufftown (St Michael and All Angels)". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  11. ^ "The Benefice of Aberlour (St Margaret of Scotland)". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  12. ^ "The Benefice of Elgin (Holy Trinity) with Lossiemouth (St Margaret)". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  13. ^ "The Benefice of Rothiemurchus (St John the Baptist)". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  14. ^ "The Benefice of Grantown-On-Spey (St Columba)". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  15. ^ "The Benefice of Forres (St John the Evangelist)". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 15 October 2018.
  16. ^ "The Benefice of Nairn (St Columba)". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  17. ^ "The Benefice of Inverness (Cathedral of St Andrew)". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  18. ^ "Moray, Ross and Caithness Cathedral". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  19. ^ "The Benefice of Inverness (St John the Evangelist)". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  20. ^ "The Benefice of Inverness (St Michael and All Angels)". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  21. ^ "The Benefice of Culloden (St Mary-In-The-Fields)". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  22. ^ "The Benefice of Strathnairn (St Paul)". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  23. ^ "The Benefice of Glenurquhart (St Ninian)". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 15 October 2018.
  24. ^ "The Benefice of Fortrose (St Andrew)". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  25. ^ "The Benefice of Arpafeelie (St John the Evangelist)". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  26. ^ "The Benefice of Cromarty (St Regulus)". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  27. ^ "The Benefice of Poolewe (St Maelrubha)". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  28. ^ "The Benefice of Kishorn Chapel". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  29. ^ "The Benefice of Lochalsh (St Donnan)". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  30. ^ "The Benefice of Strathpeffer (St Anne)". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  31. ^ "The Benefice of Dingwall (St James the Great)". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  32. ^ "The Benefice of Invergordon (St Ninian)". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  33. ^ "The Benefice of Lochinver (St Gilbert)". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 15 October 2018.
  34. ^ "The Benefice of Ullapool (St Mary the Virgin)". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 15 October 2018.
  35. ^ "The Benefice of Dornoch (St Finnbarr)". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  36. ^ "The Benefice of Tain (St Andrew)". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  37. ^ "The Benefice of Brora (St Columba)". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  38. ^ "The Benefice of Thurso (St Peter and Holy Rood)". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  39. ^ "The Benefice of Wick (St John the Evangelist)". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2018.

External links[edit]

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