About Us

The Parish of St Gwenn's is part of the Celtic Orthodox Church.

The Celtic Orthodox Church is one of the Ancient Christian Churches.  Founded in AD37, it radiated across Europe, remaining faithful to its tradition and its spirituality during the first twelve centuries of the Christian era.  It is the original Church of Great Britain.

A brief history is found here

Communion of the Western Orthodox Churches

In 2007 the Celtic Orthodox Church, the French Orthodox Church, and the Orthodox Church of the Gauls, represented by His Beatitude Metropolitan Mael de Brescia and Bishop Marc Scheerens of the Celtic Orthodox Church, Bishop Vigile and Bishop Martin Laplaud of the French Orthodox Church, and Bishop Gregoire Mendez of the Orthodox Church of the Gauls formed the Communion of the Western Orthodox Churches. The Communion has parishes, monasteries and missions across France, where the Communion was established, and in Belgium, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Cameroon, Australia, the United States of America, Brazil, and Martinique.

Chalcedon

The position of the Celtic Orthodox Church with regard to the Ecumenical Councils might best be described as Pro-Chalcedonian.  That is to say, it accepts the teaching of all seven Councils, but acknowledges that only the first three were truly Ecumenical.  Although having its apostolic roots in the Oriental (Non-Chalcedonian) Church, the Celtic Orthodox Church was given the mandate to establish a Western Orthodox Church faithful to the spirit of the original Celtic Church.  It is an autocephalous Church and has never been required to be subject to the Syriac Orthodox Church, or tied to its doctrinal position.  The Celtic Orthodox is not monosyphite, but upholds the doctrine that the one Person of Christ has two Natures.

Spirituality

The Celtic Saints have left us a rich heritage of deeply spiritual prayer, and a visionary way of finding God in the beauty of His creation.  Celtic spirituality is full of symbolism, some of which was borrowed from their Druid forefathers, but given a deeper Christian significance.

Patriarchs/Primates

The following are the Patriarchs of Britain in succession, and Primates of the Celtic Orthodox Church:

[Bishop Julius (Jules Ferrette) was de facto head of the Church from 1866 until the appointment of the first Patriarch]

Mar Pelagius I (Richard Williams Morgan), consecrated in 1874 by Bishop Julius (Jules Ferrete). Tenure (Patriarch) 1874-1889.

Mar Theophilus I (Charles Isaac Stevens), consecrated in 1879 by Mar Pelagius.  Tenure (Patriarch) 1889-1917.

Mar Jacobus I Antipas (James Martin), consecrated in November 1890 by Leon Chechemian who was himself consecrated in May 1890 by Mar Theophilus (and Bishop Alfred Spencer Richardson).   Tenure (Patriarch) 1917-1919.

Mar Andries I (Andrew Charles Albert McLaglan), consecrated in 1897 by Leon Chechemian and Mar Jacobus I Antipas.  Tenure (Patriarch) 1919-1928.

Mar Jacobus II (Herbert James Monzani-Heard), consecrated in 1922 by Mar Andries I. Tenure (Patriarch) 1928-1945.

Mar Georgius I (Hugh George de Willmott Newman), consecrated in 1944 by Mar Basilius (William Bernard Crow) on behalf of Mar John Emmanuel (Arthur Wolfort Brooks). Mar Basilius had himself been consecrated in 1943 by Mar Jacobus II.  Tenure (Patriarch) 1945-1979.

Abba Seraphim I (William Henry Hugo Newman-Norton), consecrated in 1977 by his cousin Mar Georgius, assisted by two other bishops, Bishop Smethurst and Bishop Raoult.  Tenure (Patriarch) 1979-1994.

Metropolitan Mael I (Paul-Eduard de Fournier de Brescia) consecrated in 1980 by Mar Seraphim, Tenure (Primate) 1994-2014.

Metropolitan Marc I (Jean-Claude Scheerens), consecrated in 1998 by Metropolitan Mael.  Tenure (Primate) 2014 to the present.