Diocese of Aberdeen and Orkney
Encyclopedia
The Diocese of Aberdeen and Orkney is one of the seven diocese
s of the Scottish Episcopal Church
. In mainland Scotland
, the diocese covers the City of Aberdeen and most of Aberdeenshire
(the part of Aberdeenshire south of Aberdeen is in the Diocese of Brechin
, and some parts of northwest Aberdeenshire are in the Diocese of Moray, Ross and Caithness
). In addition to the mainland portion of the diocese, the Orkney and Shetland island groups also come under its jurisdiction. It shares with the Roman Catholic
Diocese of Aberdeen
a Christian heritage that can be traced back to the twelfth century. It also incorporates the ancient Diocese of Orkney, founded in 1035.
The diocese has a strong companion link with the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut
and the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. Samuel Seabury
, the first Episcopal bishop
outside of the British Isles
, was consecrated in 1784 by Robert Kilgour
, Bishop of Aberdeen, and John Skinner
, coadjutor bishop
. Clarence Coleridge, suffragan bishop of Connecticut, was consecrated by a bishop of Aberdeen in 1981. Coleridge was elected 13th diocesan bishop of Connecticut in 1993.
The current Bishop, Dr Robert (Bob) Gillies, was consecrated in Winter 2007, and the current Dean, Canon Dr Emsley Nimmo, was licensed on 20 April 2008, at St. Andrew's Cathedral, Aberdeen.
.
Aberdeenshire
Islands
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
s of the Scottish Episcopal Church
Scottish Episcopal Church
The Scottish Episcopal Church is a Christian church in Scotland, consisting of seven dioceses. Since the 17th century, it has had an identity distinct from the presbyterian Church of Scotland....
. In mainland Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, the diocese covers the City of Aberdeen and most of Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire is one of the 32 unitary council areas in Scotland and a lieutenancy area.The present day Aberdeenshire council area does not include the City of Aberdeen, now a separate council area, from which its name derives. Together, the modern council area and the city formed historic...
(the part of Aberdeenshire south of Aberdeen is in the Diocese of Brechin
Diocese of Brechin (Episcopalian)
The Diocese of Brechin is in the east of Scotland, and is the smallest of the seven dioceses of the Scottish Episcopal Church. It covers the City of Dundee, Angus and southern Aberdeenshire. It stretches from Muchalls in the north east down to Dundee in the south, and across to Glencarse in the...
, and some parts of northwest Aberdeenshire are in the Diocese of Moray, Ross and Caithness
Diocese of Moray, Ross and Caithness
The Diocese of Moray, Ross and Caithness is one of the seven dioceses of the Scottish Episcopal Church. It covers Caithness and Sutherland , mainland Ross and Cromarty , and mainland Inverness-shire, Nairnshire, Moray and Banffshire . The diocesan centre is St. Andrew's Cathedral in Inverness...
). In addition to the mainland portion of the diocese, the Orkney and Shetland island groups also come under its jurisdiction. It shares with the Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
Diocese of Aberdeen
Diocese of Aberdeen
Diocese of Aberdeen was one of the 13 dioceses of the Scottish church, before the abolition of the episcopacy in 1689.-Early history:...
a Christian heritage that can be traced back to the twelfth century. It also incorporates the ancient Diocese of Orkney, founded in 1035.
The diocese has a strong companion link with the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut
Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut
The Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut is a diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, encompassing the entire state of Connecticut. It is one of the nine original dioceses of the Episcopal Church and one of seven New England dioceses that make up Province 1.Its first bishop,...
and the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. Samuel Seabury
Samuel Seabury
Samuel Seabury was the first American Episcopal bishop, the second Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, USA, and the first Bishop of Connecticut. He had been a leading Loyalist in New York City during the American Revolution.-History:Samuel Seabury was born in Groton, Connecticut in 1729...
, the first Episcopal bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
outside of the British Isles
British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles. There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and...
, was consecrated in 1784 by Robert Kilgour
Robert Kilgour
Robert Kilgour was the 39th bishop of the Diocese of Aberdeen of the Scottish Episcopal Church from 1778 to 1788. He was baptised 15 March 1714 in Cruden and later became one of the three bishops to consecrate Samuel Seabury, an American Episcopal priest as a bishop in 1784. He was succeeded by...
, Bishop of Aberdeen, and John Skinner
John Skinner (bishop)
John Skinner was the son of John Skinner and a bishop of the Diocese of Aberdeen and Orkney of the Scottish Episcopal Church in the late 18th century. Made coadjutor of Aberdeen on 25 September 1782, Skinner was one of the three bishops to consecrate Samuel Seabury, an American Episcopal priest...
, coadjutor bishop
Coadjutor bishop
A coadjutor bishop is a bishop in the Roman Catholic or Anglican churches who is designated to assist the diocesan bishop in the administration of the diocese, almost as co-bishop of the diocese...
. Clarence Coleridge, suffragan bishop of Connecticut, was consecrated by a bishop of Aberdeen in 1981. Coleridge was elected 13th diocesan bishop of Connecticut in 1993.
The current Bishop, Dr Robert (Bob) Gillies, was consecrated in Winter 2007, and the current Dean, Canon Dr Emsley Nimmo, was licensed on 20 April 2008, at St. Andrew's Cathedral, Aberdeen.
List of bishops
Below is a list of modern, non-papal bishops of the united diocese of Aberdeen and Orkney. The earliest bishops of these dioceses as well did not recognize the later doctrine of papal de facto jurisdiction in non-Roman dioceses, much less the modern doctrine of papal infallibilityPapal infallibility
Papal infallibility is a dogma of the Catholic Church which states that, by action of the Holy Spirit, the Pope is preserved from even the possibility of error when in his official capacity he solemnly declares or promulgates to the universal Church a dogmatic teaching on faith or morals...
.
| Bishops of Aberdeen and Orkney | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| From | Until | Incumbent | Notes |
| 1865 | 1883 | Thomas Suther | Died in office. |
| 1883 | 1905 | Arthur Douglas | Died in office. |
| 1906 | 1911 | Rowland Ellis Rowland Ellis (bishop) Rowland Ellis was a Welsh clergyman who held the post of Bishop of Aberdeen and Orkney in the Scottish Episcopal Church from 1906 until his death.-Life:... |
Died in office. |
| 1912 | 1917 | Anthony Mitchell | Died in office. |
| 1917 | 1943 | Frederic Deane | |
| 1943 | 1955 | Herbert Hall | Died in office. |
| 1956 | 1972 | Frederick Easson Frederick Easson Frederick Easson was a Scottish Episcopal Church bishop of the Diocese of Aberdeen and Orkney in Scotland, United Kingdom. He held the position from 1956 to 1972.... |
|
| 1973 | 1977 | Ian Begg | |
| 1978 | 1992 | Frederick Darwent | |
| 1992 | 2006 | Bruce Cameron | Elected Primus Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church The Primus, styled The Most Reverend the Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, is the presiding bishop of the Scottish Episcopal Church. The current Primus is the Most Revd David Chillingworth who became Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church on 13 June 2009... in 2001. |
| 2007 | present | Robert Gillies (born 1951) | |
Churches
Aberdeen City- St. Andrew's Cathedral
- St Clement's
- St Devenick's
- St James'
- St John's
- St Machar's
- St Margaret's
- St Mary's (Aberdeen)
- St Mary's (Cove Bay)St Mary's (Cove Bay)St Mary's is an Episcopal Church in Cove Bay, Aberdeen, Scotland. It is part of the Diocese of Aberdeen and Orkney in the Scottish Episcopal Church. Since October 2003, the Episcopal congregation has been sharing the church building with another congregation from Cove Congregational Church...
- St Ninian's
- St Peter's (TorryTorry-Setting and historical development:Torry, lying on the south bank of the River Dee, was once a Royal Burgh in its own right, having been erected a burgh of barony in 1495. It was incorporated into Aberdeen in 1891, after the construction of the Victoria Bridge, itself made possible by the 1871...
)
Aberdeenshire
- All Saints' (BuckieBuckieBuckie is a burgh town on the Moray Firth coast of Scotland in Moray. Buckie was the largest town in Banffshire by some thousands of inhabitants before regionalisation in 1975 removed that political division from the map of Scotland...
) - All Saints' (FyvieFyvieFyvie is a village in the Formartine area of Aberdeenshire, Scotland.-Fyvie Castle:Fyvie Castle is reputed to have been built by King William the Lyon in the early thirteenth century...
) - All Saints' (StrichenStrichenStrichen is a village in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It sits on the A981, connecting it to New Deer to the southwest and Fraserburgh to the north-northeast, and the B9093, connecting it to New Pitsligo about four miles due west. The village got its name from Lord Strichen. It is situated on the River...
) - All Saints (WhiterashesWhiterashesWhiterashes is a hamlet in the Formartine area of Aberdeenshire, Scotland, lying to the north-west of Newmachar and south-east of Oldmeldrum on the A947 road.-Sources:* in the Gazetteer for Scotland....
) - Chapel of Ninian (BraemarBraemarBraemar is a village in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, around west of Aberdeen in the Highlands. It is the closest significantly-sized settlement to the upper course of the River Dee sitting at an altitude of ....
) - Christchurch (Kincardine O'NeilKincardine O'NeilKincardine O'Neil is one of the oldest villages in Deeside, in the northeast of Scotland. It is situated between Banchory and Aboyne. The village is known locally as Kinker, and was formerly known as Eaglais Iarach in Gaelic....
) - St Andrew's (AlfordAlford, AberdeenshireAlford is a large village in Aberdeenshire, north-east Scotland, lying just south of the River Don. It lies within the Howe of Alford which occupies the middle reaches of the River Don....
) - St Andrew's (BanffBanff, AberdeenshireBanff is a town in the Banff and Buchan area of Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Banff is situated on Banff Bay and faces the town of Macduff across the estuary of the River Deveron...
) - St Anne's (KemnayKemnayKemnay is a town west of Aberdeen in Scotland. It has a population of about 4,500 .- History :The villagename Kemnay is believed to originate from the Celtic words that mean bend and river due to...
)
- St Congan's (TurriffTurriffTurriff is a town and civil parish in Aberdeenshire in Scotland. It is approximately above sea level, and has a population of 5,708.Turriff is known locally as Turra in the Doric dialect of Scots...
) - St Drostan's (InschInschInsch is a village in Garioch, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is located approximately from the city of Aberdeen.-Etymology:The name of the village may have come from the Scottish Gaelic innis, meaning an island, or, as in this context, a piece of terra firma in a marsh...
) - St Drostan's (Old DeerOld DeerOld Deer a parish and village in the district of Buchan, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The population as of 1901 was 4,313. The village lies on the Deer or South Ugie Water, 10.1 miles west of Peterhead, and two miles from Mintlaw station on the Great North of Scotland Railway Company's branch line...
) - St James the Less (Cruden BayCruden BayCruden Bay is a small village in Scotland, on the north coast of the Bay of Cruden in Aberdeenshire, 26 miles north of Aberdeen.Just south of Slains Castle, Cruden Bay was the site of a battle between Danes and Scots under King Malcolm II in 1012...
) - St John the Baptist (PortsoyPortsoyPortsoy is a burgh in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, formerly in the county of Banffshire. The original name of the town was Pert Soaidh, which translates as 'The wooded place of the warriors...
) - St John the Evangelist (New PitsligoNew PitsligoNew Pitsligo is a village in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, quite near Peterhead.. Locals often refer to the village by the name Cyaak.-Overview:A small village in the North East of Scotland, it lies about five miles inland from Pennan and around 10 miles south-west of Fraserburgh. It has a baker, chip...
) - St John's (LongsideLongsideLongside is a village located in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It lies seven miles inland from Peterhead and two miles from Mintlaw on the A950. Its population in 2001 was 721. The River Ugie flows through it...
) - St Kentigern's (BallaterBallaterBallater is a burgh in Aberdeenshire, Scotland on the River Dee, immediately east of the Cairngorm Mountains. Situated at a height of 123m in elevation, Ballater is a centre for hikers and known for its spring water, once said to cure scrofula.-History:The medieval pattern of development along...
) - St Luke's (CuminestownCuminestownCuminestown is a small village in the heart of Aberdeenshire, approximately six miles east of Turriff.As of 2004, it has an estimated population of 500 and a primary school called Monquhitter Primary School which also covers the small hamlet of Garmond, about a mile north of Cuminestown.-External...
)
- St Mary-on-the-Rock (EllonEllon, AberdeenshireEllon is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, approximately north of Aberdeen, lying on the River Ythan which has one of the few undeveloped river estuaries on the Eastern coast of Scotland. It is in the ancient region of Formartine...
) - St Mary's, Auchindoir
- St Mary's (InverurieInverurieInverurie is a Royal Burgh and town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, approximately north west of Aberdeen on the A96 road and is served by Inverurie railway station on the Aberdeen to Inverness Line...
) - St Matthew's and St George's (OldmeldrumOldmeldrumOldmeldrum is a village and parish in the Formartine area of Aberdeenshire, not far from Inverurie in North East Scotland. With a growing population of over 2000, Oldmeldrum falls within Scotland's top 300 centres of population. The A947 road from Aberdeen to Banff runs through the centre of the...
) - St Peter's (FraserburghFraserburghFraserburgh is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland with a population recorded in the 2001 Census at 12,454 and estimated at 12,630 in 2006. It lies at the extreme northeast corner of Aberdeenshire, around north of Aberdeen, and north of Peterhead...
) - St Peter's (PeterheadPeterheadPeterhead is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is Aberdeenshire's biggest settlement , with a population of 17,947 at the 2001 Census and estimated to have fallen to 17,330 by 2006....
) - St Ternan's (BanchoryBanchoryBanchory is a burgh or town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, lying approximately 18 miles west of Aberdeen, near where the Feugh River meets the River Dee.- Overview :...
) - St Thomas's (AboyneAboyneAboyne is a village on the edge of the Highlands in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, on the River Dee, approximately west of Aberdeen. It has a rugby club, which plays on The Green and also has a swimming pool, a golf course with 18 holes, all-weather tennis courts, and a bowling green...
) - Trinity (Westhill)
Islands
- Chapel of Christ the Encompasser (FetlarFetlarFetlar is one of the North Isles of Shetland, Scotland, with a population of 86 at the time of the 2001 census. Its main settlement is Houbie on the south coast, home to the Fetlar Interpretive Centre...
, Shetland) - St Olaf (KirkwallKirkwallKirkwall is the biggest town and capital of Orkney, off the coast of northern mainland Scotland. The town is first mentioned in Orkneyinga saga in the year 1046 when it is recorded as the residence of Rögnvald Brusason the Earl of Orkney, who was killed by his uncle Thorfinn the Mighty...
, Orkney)
- St Magnus' (LerwickLerwickLerwick is the capital and main port of the Shetland Islands, Scotland, located more than 100 miles off the north coast of mainland Scotland on the east coast of the Shetland Mainland...
, Shetland) - St Mary's (StromnessStromnessStromness is the second-biggest town in Orkney, Scotland. It is in the south-west of Mainland Orkney. It is also a parish, with the town of Stromness as its capital.-Etymology:...
, Orkney) - St Colman's (BurravoeBurravoeBurravoe, , is a community in the south-east part of Yell, on the north shore of Burra Voe, in the Shetland Islands.The most notable building is The Old Haa Museum which dates from 1672....
, Shetland)