Apostolic Succession
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Catholic Apostolic Church of Brazil
Archbishop Carlos Duarte Costa, ordained a priest within The Church of Rome on 1 April 1911,
was consecrated to be the Roman Diocesan Bishop of Botucatu, Brazil, on 8 December 1924.
His public statements on the treatment of the poor in Brazil (by both the civil government and
the Roman Church) resulted in his removal as Diocesan Bishop of Botucatu. Bishop Duarte
Costa was subsequently named Titular Bishop of Maura by Pope Pius XII (Eugenio Cardinal
Pacelli, Vatican Secretary of State until 1939 under Pope Pius XI).
Archbishop Duarte Costa's criticisms of the Vatican, particularly the policy toward Nazi
Germany, were not well received. He was formerly separated from the Church of Rome on 6
July 1945 after his strong and repeated public denunciations of the Vatican Secretariat of State
for granting Vatican Passports to some very high ranking Nazis.
Some of the most notorious Nazi war criminals (e.g., Adolf Eichmann and Dr. Josef Mengele,
the "Angel of Death,") escaped trial after World War II using Vatican Passports to flee to South
America. The government of Brazil also came under the Bishop's criticism for collaborating with
the Vatican on these passports.
Bishop Duarte Costa espoused what would be considered today as a rather liberal position on
divorce, challenged mandatory celibacy for clergy, and publicly condemned the perceived
abuses of papal power (especially the concept of Papal Infallibility, which he considered
misguided and false). He founded the autonomous Igreja Catolica Apostolica Brasileira (ICAB)
immediately upon his separation from The Church of Rome (6 July 1945) and remained
Primate of this jurisdiction until his death in 1961.
Archbishop Luis Castillo Mendez was consecrated by Archbishop Duarte Costa on 3 May 1948.
He succeed Abp. Duarte Costa as Primate and Patriarch of the National Catholic Apostolic
Churches (Igreja Catolica Apostolica Nationales) in 1961.
In addition to the autonomous Igreja Catolica Apostolica Brasileira (ICAB), there are sister
jurisdictions in thirteen other countries in the Western Hemisphere, Europe, the Pacific and in
Asia, including: Argentina (ICAA), Chile, Venezuela, Cuba, Mexico, Spain, Germany, France,
Portugal, Australia, the Philippines, Canada and the United States of America, with over 12
million members.
It may be of interest to consider Bishop Salomao Ferraz. He was a Roman priest who left that
jurisdiction to join the new autocephalous Brazilian Church. He was consecrated to the office of
bishop by Archbishop Carlos Duarte Costa for the Igreja Catolica Apostolica Brasileira (ICAB)
in 1945. In 1958 he was reconciled with the Church of Rome (during the pontificate of Pope
Pius XII). The Vatican appointed him Titular Bishop of Eleuterna on 12 May 1963. Although
married, Bishop Ferraz was later appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Rio de Janeiro by Pope John
XXIII. Pope Paul VI appointed Bishop Ferraz to serve on a commission of the Second Vatican
Council; he even addressed the Council Fathers.
This is mentioned only to point out that Bishop Ferraz was never re-consecrated by the Roman
Church, not even conditionally (sub conditione)! He was also allowed to keep his wife while
serving and functioning as a Bishop of The Church of Rome! Later, he was buried with the full
honors accorded a Bishop of the Church of Rome. The Vatican, by accepting Bishop Ferraz
without any re-consecration, affirmed de jure and de facto the sacramental validity of the
Apostolic Succession received via Abp. Duarte Costa.
Pope Benedictus XIV
(Prospero Lorenzo Lambertini) Consecrated to The Sacred Episcopate on 19 March 1743:
Carlo della Torre Rezzoni
(Pope Clement XIII) assisted by Archbishop Scopio Borghese & Ignatius Reali Consecrated to
The Sacred Episcopate on 26 April 1767:
Cardinal Bernardinus Giraud
assisted by Archbishop Marcus Antonius Conti & Bishop Iosefus Maria Carafa Consecrated to
The Sacred Episcopate on 23 February 1777:
Cardinal Alexander Matthaeus
assisted by Bishop Geraldus Macioti & Bishop Franciscus Albertini Consecrated to The Sacred
Episcopate on 12 September 1819:
Cardinal Petrus Franciscus Galeffi
assisted by Abp. Ioanne Franciscus Falzacappa & Abp. Iosephus della Porta Rodiani
Consecrated to The Sacred Episcopate on 8 December 1822:
Cardinal Iacobus Philippus Fransoni
assisted by Patriarch Joseph Valerga of Jerusalem & Bishop Rudesindus Salvado Consecrated
to The Sacred Episcopate on 8 June 1851:
Cardinal Carolus Sacconi
assisted by Archbishop Salvator Nobili Vitelleschi and Archbishop Franciscus Xaverius Fridericus
de Morode
Consecrated to The Sacred Episcopate on 30 June 1872:
Cardinal Eduard Howard
assisted by Archbishop Alessandro Sanminiatelli Zabarella & Bishop Giulio Lenti Consecrated to
The Sacred Episcopate on 8 December 1882:
Cardinal Mariano Rampolla del Tindaro
Consecrated to The Sacred Episcopate on 26 October 1890:
Cardinal Joaquin Arcoverde de Albuquerque-Cavalcanti
Consecrated to The Sacred Episcopate on 4 June 1911:
Archbishop Sebastiao Leme da Silveira Cintra
assisted by Dom Alberto Jose Goncalves & Dom Benedito Paulo Alves de Souza
Consecrated to The Sacred Episcopate on 8 December 1924:
Bishop Carlos Duarte Costa Patriarch, Igreja Catolica Apostolica Brasileira (1945)
Consecrated to The Sacred Episcopate on 3 May 1948:
Bishop Luis Fernando Castillo Mendez Patriarch, Igreja Catolica Apostolica Brasileira
(1961)
assisted by Dom Melquiades Rosa Garcia & Dom Bartolomeus Sebastiao Vilela Consecrated to
The Sacred Episcopate on 30 January 1985:
Bishop Forest Ernest Barber Holy Orthodox Church in the Philippines (Mission of the Igreja
Catolica Apostolica Brasileira) assisted by Abp. Emile Federico Rodriguez y Fairfield & Abp. Paul
G. W. Schultz
Consecrated to The Sacred Episcopate on 14 June 1987:
Archbishop Nils Bertil Alexander Persson
Archbishop of Scandinavia, Igreja Catolica Apostolica Brasileira assisted by Abp. Emile
Federico Rodriguez y Fairfield, Abp. Paul G. W. Schultz, Bishop Christopher Rogers, Bishop
Carroll Lowery, Exarch Howard D. van Orden, Archbishop Arthur Garrow, Bishop Petros (Eric
Veloso), Bishop Michael Marshal Consecrated to The Sacred Episcopate on 5 August 1989:
Bishop Karl Julius Barwin
Primate, The Evangelical Catholic Church. Consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate on 4 May
1991.
Bishop Arthur (Alexis) Longacre
of the American Catholic Church. Assisting Bishop Barwin was Bishop Eric T. Ong Veloso of the
American Orthodox Catholic Church, Bishop Carl Smith and Bishop Paul Schultz of the
Philippine Independent Catholic Church in the Americas. On 4 January 1997 consecrated to the
Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Louis David Chinavare
of the American Catholic Church. Assisting Bishop Longacre was Archbishop John Robert
Collier of the Order of Caring Chaplains, Archbishop Patrick Randolph Connolly of the
American Catholic Church and Bishop Benedict Clouse. On 7 May 2006 consecrated to the
Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Richard A. Kalbfleisch, OCF
Independent Catholic Church, Diocese of Summerville, South Carolina, USA, Pastor of Saint
Francis of Assisi Old Catholic Church, Summerville, SC, and Minister General of the Order of
Franciscan Clerics Minor (OCF).
The Old Catholic Church of Utrecht
The Diocese of Utrecht, Holland, was founded in AD 722 by St. Willibrord. The right of the
Chapter of Utrecht to elect the bishop of The Diocese was recognized in AD 1145. In AD 1520
the Bishop of Utrecht was given the right to adjudicate matters in his diocese without appeal or
recourse to Rome. In AD 1559, when the war with France had ended, Philip II of Spain, the
hereditary ruler of the Netherlands, persuaded the Pope to elevate The See of Utrecht to an
archbishopric, with five new dioceses under it (Haarlem, Deventer, Groningen, Leeuwarden and
Middelburg).
Having survived the Calvinist Reformation in Holland as an underground Church, the Dutch
Roman Catholic faithful were suddenly subjected to the political ambitions and maneuverings of
the Jesuits, who fought to have Rome declare The See of Utrecht a missionary district under
their control. At first failing in this battle to gain control of The Church in Holland, the Jesuits
adopted a new tactic in AD 1691 by accusing + Peter Codde, The Archbishop of Utrecht, of
espousing the so-called heresy of Jansenism. Although the Archbishop was eventually proved
innocent of heresy, Pope Innocent XII tried to appease the Jesuits by suspending and deposing
him in AD 1705. No mention was made of any reason for the deposition. Even a Papal canonist,
Hyacinth de Archangelis, issued a formal opinion that a Vicar-Apostolic with the rights of an
Ordinary (as + Codde undoubtedly was) could not be arbitrarily deposed. Two Dutch Catholic
Chapters (Utrecht and Haarlem) naturally decided not to recognize this irregular, if not illegal,
act. The battle was over local autonomy in a collegial Church versus Papal supremacy.
When the Papacy appointed + Theodore de Cock as Pro-Vicar-Apostolic of The United
Provinces, in the place of Archbishop Peter Codde (deposed), the Chapters of Utrecht and
Haarlem further decided not to recognize his authority on the ground that The Patriarch of
Rome had no canonical authority to deprive even a Vicar-Apostolic, much less an Archbishop,
without trial and condemnation. At the same time the Calvinist government decided that it
would prefer a Catholic Church controlled by Dutch Catholics to a Catholic Church controlled
by Rome. The government, therefore, issued a decree forbidding + de Cock to exercise any
jurisdiction over Roman Catholics in Holland. Later, after accusing the Dutch government of
being bribed by the secular clergy loyal to The Archbishop (+ Codde), + de Cock was banished
from Holland and fled to Rome. Rome countered by placing the Dutch Church under an
Inhibition, prohibiting all Bishops from performing any episcopal acts in Holland.
At this point the battle between Utrecht and Rome was not doctrinal, but the results of Jesuit
intrigue and their desire to firmly establish the Papacy as an absolute monarchy.
Had Archbishop Codde continued to exercise his authority as The Archbishop of Utrecht, while
appealing his uncanonical suspension as Vicar-Apostolic (as Vicar-Apostolic he had diocesan
jurisdiction wherever there was no Bishop or Chapter; metropolitan jurisdiction in the other
dioceses), the course of Church history may well have seen the defeat of the Jesuit sponsored
Ultramontane movement. Unfortunately, + Codde not only protested his suspension but also
retired from the exercise of his office. His jurisdiction thus reverted to the Chapters and his
people were left without episcopal protection and governance.
It was the position of the Chapter of Utrecht that: both the Province and Diocese of Utrecht,
with all their ancient and canonical rights and privileges, still existed. (The Chapter of Utrecht
was formally recognized on many occasions by Papal Nuncios even after this date.)
The Vicariate instituted by Archbishop Philip Rovenius on 9 June 1633 was the canonical
reconstitution of the ancient Chapter of Utrecht and possessed all the rights of the Chapter,
including the right to elect the Archbishop of Utrecht. (All nominations made hereafter by this
Chapter were, in fact, accepted by Rome, including that of Archbishop Codde.)
Later archbishops, from + Vosmeer to + Codde, were not only Vicars-Apostolic of the Roman
See, but also Archbishops of Utrecht, the true canonical successors of St. Willibrord.
On 25 May 1717, five doctors of the theological faculty of the University of Louvain publicly
sided with the Archepiscopal See of Utrecht by stating that the Church of Utrecht had not been
reduced to the status of a mere mission, that the Chapter of Utrecht had survived, and that the
Vicariate established by + Rovenius was the ancient Chapter of Utrecht. Later, 102 doctors of
theology at the University of Paris, together with the whole law faculty, publicly agreed with the
doctors of Louvain. As a result of the support of the theology faculties of two French
universities, three French Bishops (Soanen of Senez, Lorraine of Bayeux, and Caumartin of
Blois) declared that they were ready to ordain priests for the Chapter of Utrecht, and actually
did so.
Upon the death, in AD 1710, of + Peter Codde, the deposed Archbishop of Utrecht, the
Cathedral Chapter (exercising its historically recognized right) elected a successor. No Bishop,
however, could be found who would ignore the Pope's Inhibition by consecrating the
Archbishop-elect. The Church of Holland continued to send Her candidates for the priesthood
out of the country for ordination by foreign Bishops; Her children, without a diocesan Ordinary,
were left unconfirmed. At this point the Jesuits and Rome sought and anxiously anticipated the
total capitulation of the autocephalous Dutch Church.
A turning point in the Dutch Church's struggle with Rome came in AD 1719 when + Dominique
Maria Varlet, former missionary priest in The Louisiana Territory in North America, stopped in
Amsterdam for a few days on his way to his new post in Persia. A local Dutch priest, Father
Jacob Krys, begged the new Bishop to confirm 604 orphans and other poor children as an act
of charity, which he did. He then continued his journey to Persia, arriving at his residence at
Schamake (now Shemakh near Baku in the Republic of Azerbaijan) on 9 October 1719. On 26
March 1720, the Bishop of Babylon was presented with a formal Notice of Suspension from his
office, sent by the Bishop of Ispahan by order of the Congregation de Propaganda Fide, and
delivered by a Jesuit priest (Fr. Bachou) because of the confirmations in Amsterdam. Like the
late Archbishop Codde, Bishop Varlet elected not to remain in office while fighting the Papal
action. After careful consideration and prayer, the good Bishop immediately left Persia and
returned to Amsterdam, where he settled permanently.
The Chapter of Utrecht had meanwhile repeatedly attempted to get the Pope to allow the
election and consecration of an archbishop; Pope Innocent XIII ignored their petitions. The
Chapter next turned to the leading canon lawyers of the day. They were told that the Chapter
had the canonical right to elect their archbishop and get him consecrated without the consent of
the Pope (recent precedents in both France and Portugal supported this position). Nineteen
doctors of the theological faculty of the Sorbonne (University of Paris), and others from Nantes,
Rheims, Padua, and Louvain, gave their agreement to this position, as well as assuring the
Chapter that in the case of necessity one bishop alone might preside at the consecration.
With the approval of the government, the Chapter met at The Hague on 27 April 1723 and,
after a Mass of The Holy Spirit, elected, with all the canonical forms, Cornelius Steenoven to be
Archbishop of Utrecht. Although Fr. Steenoven was elected as the candidate likely to be the
least objectionable to Rome, the Pope refused to answer the Chapter's request to permit his
consecration. The Chapter finally begged the Bishop of Babylon to consecrate their candidate.
He consented. The government also consented to this the first consecration of an Archbishop of
Utrecht since the Reformation. Thus at 6:00am on Pentecost XX, 15 October 1724, Cornelius
van Steenoven was consecrated in the presence of the whole Chapter by the Bishop of
Babylon in Amsterdam to be the seventh Archbishop of Utrecht and canonical successor of St.
Willibrord.
The Bishop of Babylon was called upon by The Chapter to consecrate four archbishops for the
See of Utrecht before his death on 14 May 1742 at The Hague.
the order of Pope Alexander VII) by Monsignore Scannarola (Bishop of Sidonia), assisted by
Monsignore Botini (Domestic Prelate of the Pope), and Monsignore Laurenzio Gavotti (Bishop of
Ventimiglia), as Bishop of Frascati. In AD 1657 Bishop Barberini became Archbishop of Rheims;
in AD 1661 he became Bishop of Palestrina. Cardinal Barberini consecrated to the Sacred
Episcopate:
Bishop Charles Maurice Le Tellier, Duke, son of the Grand Chancellor of France, as Co-
Adjutor Bishop, on 12 November 1668 at The Church of The Sorbonne. He became the
Archbishop of Rheims in AD 1669. Archbishop Le Tellier consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop James Benigne Bossuet, The Eagle of Meaux, as Bishop of Condom, on 21
September 1670, at The Church of the Cordeliers, Pontoise. He was translated to The See of
Meaux by Pope Clement X in AD 1679. Bishop Bossuet consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop James Coydon de Matignon, son of the Count de Thorigny, Doyen of Lisieux and
Abbe Commendataire de St. Victor at Marseilles, as Assistant Bishop of Condom in AD 1673, at
the Church of The Carthusian Fathers, Paris. Bishop de Matignon, by order of Pope Clement XI,
consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Dominique Maria Varlet as Bishop of Ascalon in partibus and Co-Adjutor to the
Bishop of Babylon, Persia, on 12 February 1719 in The Chapel attached to the House of the
Fathers of Foreign Missions at Paris, assisted by the Co-Adjutor Bishop of Quebec and the
Bishop of Claremont. Bishop Varlet consecrated four Archbishops of Utrecht; three died without
consecrating successors. The continued existence of the autocephalous Old Roman Catholic
Church of Holland was assured when Bishop Varlet consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Archbishop Petrus Johannes Meindaerts, Archpriest of Leeuwarden and Dean of Friesland
(who had been ordained a priest in Ireland by Bishop Fagan) as the tenth Archbishop of Utrecht
on St. Luke's Day, 18 October 1739. Archbishop Meindaerts consecrated to the Sacred
Episcopate:
Bishop Johannes van Stiphout as the fourth Bishop of Haarlem on 11 July 1745. Bishop
Stiphout consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Archbishop Walter Michael van Nieuwenhuisen as the eleventh Archbishop of Utrecht on
Sexagesima Sunday, 7 February 1768, assisted by Bishop Bartholomaeus Johannes Byeveld
(of Deventer). The new archbishop received letters of communion from bishops in Germany,
France, Italy and Spain, who recognized that the claims to canonical jurisdiction by The Church
of Holland were sound and her doctrine orthodox. Archbishop Nieuwenhuisen consecrated to
the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Adrian Johannes Broekman, President of the Amersfoort Seminary, on Pentecost II
Sunday, 21 June 1778, as Bishop of Haarlem. Bishop Broekman consecrated to the Sacred
Episcopate:
Archbishop Johannes Jacobus van Rhijn as the twelfth Archbishop of Utrecht on 5 July
1797, assisted by Bishop Nicholas Nellemans of Deventer. Archbishop van Rhijn consecrated to
the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Gisbertus de Jong as the fifth Bishop of Deventer on 7 November 1805, shortly after
the formation of the Batavian Republic in Holland by Napoleon. Bishop de Jong consecrated to
the Sacred Episcopate:
Archbishop Willibrord van Os as the thirteenth Archbishop of Utrecht on 24 April 1814.
Archbishop van Os consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Johannes Bon as the seventh Bishop of Haarlem on 25 April 1819. Bishop Bon was
the first Bishop of the autocephalous Dutch succession not to be excommunicated by Rome; in
1827 he was nominated by the King of Holland to the See of Bruges, without objection from
Rome. One Roman Cardinal is reported to have said of this nomination: Dominus Bonus no
potest esse pastor malus (It is not possible for Lord Good to be a bad pastor). Bishop Bon
consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Archbishop Johannes van Santen, parish priest of Schiedam, as fourteenth Archbishop of
Utrecht on the Sunday within the Octave of St. Willibrord, 13 November 1825, in The Cathedral
of St. Gertrude in Utrecht. The announcement of this consecration to The Pope is the first time
that the Archbishop of Utrecht called himself the Pope's brother (and not son). Archbishop van
Santen consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Hermann Heykamp as seventh Bishop of Deventer on 17 July 1853. Bishop
Heykamp consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Gaspardus Johannes Rinkel as the tenth Bishop of Haarlem and Bishop Josef
Hubert Reinkens as the first Bishop of The Old Catholic Church in Germany (Bonn) on 11
August 1873 in the Church of St. Lawrence and St. Mary Magdalene at Rotterdam. This is the
first time that the formal proofs of election were read during the Mass of Consecration instead
of the Papal Mandate; it is also the first time that the new Bishops did not notify Rome of their
consecrations. Bishop Rinkel consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Archbishop Gerardus Gul, parish priest of Hilversum, as the seventeenth Archbishop of
Utrecht, on 11 May 1892 in Hilversum, assisted by Bishop Cornelius Diependaal of Deventer
and Bishop Reinkens of The Old Catholic Church in Germany. Archbishop Gul consecrated to
the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Henricus Johannes Theodorus van Vlijmen as the thirteenth Bishop of Haarlem in
1916, assisted by Bishop Edward Herzog of The Old Catholic Church in Switzerland. Bishop van
Vlijmen consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Archbishop Franciscus Kenninck, President of the Amersfoort Seminary, as the eighteenth
Archbishop of Utrecht in 1920, assisted by Bishop Edward Herzog of The Old Catholic Church in
Switzerland (Berne) and Bishop Georg Moog of The Old Catholic Church in Germany.
Archbishop Kenninck consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Adolf Küry, Professor in the Old Catholic Theological Faculty at Berne, as the second
Old Catholic Bishop in Berne (Switzerland), on 14 September 1924. Bishop Küry consecrated to
the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Erwin Kreuzer, parish priest at Freiburg-in-Breisgau, as fifth Old Catholic Bishop in
Bonn (Germany), at Mannheim on 8 May 1935, assisted by Bishop Vlijmen (Haarlem) and
Bishop Johannes Hermannus Berends (Deventer). Bishop Kreuzer consecrated to the Sacred
Episcopate:
Bishop Albert D. Bell as Bishop for the North American Old Roman Catholic Church in 1939.
Bishop Bell consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Edgar Ramon Verostek as a Bishop of the North American Old Roman Catholic
Church --Utrecht Succession, on 9 March 1940. Bishop Verostek consecrated to the Sacred
Episcopate:
Archbishop Paul G. W. Schultz as a Bishop of The Order of Christian Renewal on 20 May
1978. Archbishop Schultz, Administrator of The Philippine Independent Catholic Church in
America and Archbishop of Los Angeles, consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Karl Julius Barwin as Primate of The Evangelical Catholic Church on The Feast of
Saint Addai and Saint Mari (5 August) 1989, in The Chapel of The Holy Guardian Angels in
Glendale, California, assisting Archbishop Bertil Persson (The Apostolic Episcopal Church),
Archbishop Emile Federico Rodriguez y Fairfield (Iglesia Ortodoxa Catolica Apostolica
Mexicana), Bishop Carroll T. Lowery (The Apostolic Episcopal Church), Archbishop Arthur J.
Garrow (The Archiepiscopate Ordinariate of Healing Arts Missionaries & Chaplains in America)
and Archbishop Howard D. van Orden (Order of St. Jude, The Philippine Independent Catholic
Church in the Americas), each assisting, coöperating and co-consecrating by laying on hands
and uttering all the words of consecration. Assisting in this consecration as Co-Consecrators
were Bishop Eric T. Ong Veloso (Orthodox Catholic Church in The Philippines), Bishop
Christopher J. Rogers (Philippine Independent Catholic Church in The Americas), and Exarch
Marciel (Michael Marshall, Orthodox Old Catholic Church). On 4 May 1991 Bishop Karl Julius
Barwin consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Arthur (Alexis) Longacre of the American Catholic Church. Assisting Bishop Barwin
was Bishop Eric T. Ong Veloso of the American Orthodox Catholic Church, Bishop Carl Smith
and Bishop Paul Schultz of the Philippine Independent Catholic Church in the Americas. On 4
January 1997 consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Louis David Chinavare of the American Catholic Church. Assisting Bishop Longacre
was Archbishop John Robert Collier of the Order of Caring Chaplains, Archbishop Patrick
Randolph Connolly of the American Catholic Church and Bishop Benedict Clouse. On 7 May
2006 consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Richard A. Kalbfleisch, OCF, Independent Catholic Church, Diocese of
Summerville, South Carolina, USA, Pastor of Saint Francis of Assisi Old Catholic Church,
Summerville, SC, and Minister General of the Order of Franciscan Clerics Minor (OCF).
Old Catholic Lines through Archbishop William Montgomery Brown
Archbishop Gerard Gul (Old Catholic Church of Utrecht), assisted by Bishop Johannes
Jacobus van Thiel and Bishop Nicholas Bartholomaeus Petrus Spit (both with The Old Catholic
Church of Utrecht) and Bishop Josef Demmel (Old Catholic Church in Germany), consecrated
to the Sacred Episcopate:
Archbishop-Primate Arnold Harris Mathew on 28 April 1908 as Archbishop of London and
Primate of the Old Catholic Church in England. Archbishop Mathew consecrated to the Sacred
Episcopate:
Bishop Rudolf Franziskus Eduard de Landas Berghes et de Rache on 29 June 1913 as
Missionary Bishop for Scotland. In 1916 Prince de Landas Berghes became Archbishop-Primate
of The National Catholic Church in North America. Archbishop de Landas Berghes et de Rache
consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop William Henry Francis Brothers on 3 October 1916 for The Old Roman Catholic
Church. In 1917 Bishop Brothers became Archbishop and Metropolitan of The Old Catholic
Church in America. Archbishop Brothers consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop William Montgomery Brown on 24 June 1925, assisted by Bishop Jozef Zielonka
(Polish Old Catholic Church of America) and Bishop Albert Jehan (Bishop of Chicago, the Old
Catholic Church in America). Bishop Brown consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Wallace David de Ortega Maxey on 2 January 1927, assisted by Bishop Jozef
Zielonka (Polish Old Catholic Church of America), Bishop Albert Jehan (Bishop of Chicago, the
Old Catholic Church in America), and Archbishop William Henry Francis Brothers (Primate, the
Old Catholic Church in America). Archbishop de Ortega Maxey consecrated to the Sacred
Episcopate:
Archbishop Nils Bertil Alexander Persson as Primate of The Apostolic Episcopal Church on
7 November 1986, assisted by Archbishop Robert Ronald Ramm (Apostolic Episcopal Catholic
Church). Archbishop Persson also serves as the Missionary General for Scandinavia and All
Europe for both the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (Philippine Independent Catholic Church,
confirmed 15 June 1988; this is a member jurisdiction of The Anglican Communion) and the
Igreja Católica Apostólica Brasiliera (Brazilian Catholic Apostolic Church, confirmed 14 June
1987). Archbishop Persson consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Karl J. Barwin as Primate of The Evangelical Catholic Church on 5 August 1989,
assisted by Archbishop Emile Federico Rodrigues y Fairfield (Iglesia Ortodoxa Catolica
Apostolica Mexicana), Bishop Carroll T. Lowery (The Apostolic Episcopal Church), Archbishop
Arthur J. Garrow (The Archiepiscopate Ordinariate of Healing Arts Missionaries & Chaplains in
America) and Archbishop Howard D. van Orden (Order of St. Jude; Archbishop of Albuquerque
and Dependencies, The Philippine Independent Catholic Church in The Americas), each
assisting, coöperating and co-consecrating by laying on hands and uttering all the words of
consecration. Assisting in this consecration as Co-Consecrators were Archbishop Paul Christian
Gerald W. Schultz (Archbishop of Los Angeles and Administrator of The Philippine Independent
Catholic Church in The Americas), Bishop Petros (Eric Tan Ong Veloso, Orthodox Catholic
Church in The Philippines), Bishop Christopher J. Rogers (Suffragan Bishop of Los Angeles, The
Philippine Independent Catholic Church in The Americas), and Bishop Marciel (Michael Marshall,
Orthodox Old Catholic Church).
Bishop Arthur (Alexis) Longacre of the American Catholic Church. Assisting Bishop Barwin
was Bishop Eric T. Ong Veloso of the American Orthodox Catholic Church, Bishop Carl Smith
and Bishop Paul Schultz of the Philippine Independent Catholic Church in the Americas. On 4
January 1997 consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Louis David Chinavare of the American Catholic Church . Assisting Bishop Longacre
was Archbishop John Robert Collier of the Order of Caring Chaplains, Archbishop Patrick
Randolph Connolly of the American Catholic Church and Bishop Benedict Clouse. On 7 May
2006 consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Richard A. Kalbfleisch, OCF, of the Independent Catholic Church, Diocese of
Summerville, South Carolina, USA, Pastor of Saint Francis of Assisi Old Catholic Church,
Summerville, SC, .and Minister General of the Order of Franciscan Clerics Minor (OCF).
The Apostolic Succession (Russkaya Pravoslovnay Tserkov)
In the ninth century the Rus (or Varangians) became masters of what is now western Russia
and the indigenous Slavic population. Their chief centers of population were Novgorod, in the
north, and Kiev, in the south (now part of the Ukraine). This ruling minority of mostly Swedish
Vikings soon adopted the Slavonic tongue and customs of their subjects.
Tradition credits Saint Andrew The First-Called with planting the seeds of Christianity in the
area about Kiev. These seeds were nurtured by the ministry of Saints Cyril & Methodius, now
known as the Apostles of the Slaves, in The Ukraine beginning in AD 864, using the native
language. They invented a Slavic alphabet (based upon the Greek), which is still used today.
The north shore of The Black Sea had been settled by Christians at least as early as the fourth
century. The Khazars, rulers of what is now southern Russia, had adopted Judaism. However,
the missionary efforts supported by Patriarch Photius of Constantinople to the Khazars was so
successful that they soon asked for a Bishop of their own. Just a few years later Emperor Basil
I ("The Macedonian") and Patriarch Ignatius commissioned a missionary Bishop to the
Russians, who made many converts.
The first known Christian ruler over the Kievan State is Saint Olga (Olha), dowager regent,
who received Christian baptism in AD 950. Although she sent to Emperor Otto I of Germany for
missionaries, they seemed to have had no marked success. It is Saint Vladimir (Volodymyr
The Great), the grandson of St. Olga, who accepted baptism himself about AD 986 and then in
AD 988 commanded the Christianization of his entire State, who is recognized as having
initiated the conversion of Russia. Although St. Vladimir received delegates from The Pope and
sent representatives to Rome, it was The Church of Constantinople which won his support. At
the time of his death, in AD 1015, there were three bishoprics in his domains; based upon the
foundations laid by St. Vladimir, Christianity continued its gradual, steady spread throughout
Russia. The Metropolitan of Kiev, for centuries the administrative head of The Russian Church,
was appointed by the Patriarch of Constantinople; he was usually a Greek, unfamiliar with The
Faithful of Russia. The clergy were poorly trained and almost always too few for the size of the
country. The priests were chosen by their parishioners, while the bishops (a substantial
minority of whom were also foreigners with little understanding of the customs or language of
their flocks) were selected by the local princes.
The establishment of an independent Russian Church coincided with the decline of The
Byzantine Empire, and the simultaneous rise of The Russian Empire. This process was helped
when Kiev was destroyed during the Tartar invasion, and the Metropolitan consequently forced
to move to Moscow (AD 1320). After the Grand Duke of Moscow (Ivan III) married a daughter
of the nearest relative of the last Emperor of Constantinople, he claimed to be the legitimate
successor of the Byzantine Emperors. He even adopted the double-headed eagle, symbol of
Imperial Byzantine power. Later, beginning in AD 1547, the princes of the Russian State, as
successors of the Byzantine Emperors, began calling themselves Czar (i.e., "Caesar"). It was
only natural that they would seek the prestige of a self-governing independent Church in order
to bolster their own temporal claims. Although the Russian Church claimed autocephaly from
AD 1448, when the Russian Bishops began electing their own Primate (the Metropolitan of
Moscow), official recognition of this independence by the ancient and historic patriarchates was
not secured until AD 1590 (one year after Jeremiah II, Patriarch of Constantinople, was
persuaded to invest Iob, the 46th Metropolitan of Moscow, as the first Russian Patriarch --
although Iob had been promoted to the rank of Patriarch by the Russian Bishops in AD 1453)
at a meeting in Constantinople of all the Patriarchs of the historic Sees. When Constantinople
fell to the Moslems on 29 May 1453, Russia became the only nation where the freedom of The
Orthodox Church remained unrestricted; this favorably influenced their claim for an
independent Patriarchate.
The Time of Troubles (civil war) which began in AD 1598 upon the death of Czar Fedor
(Theodore), the childless son of Ivan IV, increased the Patriarch's political influence. It reached
its height under Patriarch Filaret, whose son, Michael, at the age of sixteen, became the first
Czar of the Romanov Dynasty. When Patriarch Adrian died in AD 1700, Czar Peter The Great
refused to allow the election of a new Patriarch, leaving Stefan Iavorskii as Locum Tenens for
21 years. In AD 1721 Czar Peter finally promulgated a new constitution for The Church, which
suspended the office of Patriarch and placed the governance of The Church under an Holy
Synod.
Copying the example of Henry VIII of England, the government-imposed new Church
constitution made The Czar the Head of The Church of Russia. It went further than King Henry,
however, by providing for a Lay Procurator (a government official) to administer The Church's
day-to-day affairs. This "constitutional" subjugation of The Church to the Russian State
established the precedent of direct governmental control over and interference in all the affairs
of The Russian Orthodox Church -- a practice continued until the end of the 20th century by the
atheistical government of the U.S.S.R.
After the overthrow of Czar Nikolai II in March of AD 1917, The Russian Orthodox Church
immediately convened a national Sobor to reform The Church and revive the Patriarchate of
Moscow, which Czar Peter The Great had suspended. Metropolitan Tikhon, who had earlier
been Russian Archbishop in America, won the election and assumed the office of Patriarch of
Moscow and All Russia in November of that year, almost simultaneously with the outbreak of
the Communist Revolution. This All-Russian Council (Sobor) attempted to restore sobornost --
the active participation of the whole Church (bishops, clergy, and laity) in every aspect of the
Church's life, in contrast to the bureaucratic centralization which had ruled The Church under
the secular and often hostile government of Russia since the creation of The Holy Synod by
Czar Peter The Great.
The new reäctionary Communist government of Russia immediately placed severe restrictions
upon the revitalized and reforming Church of Russia. In view of the vigorous anti-religion
activities of the new Russian government, Patriarch Tikhon issued a statement in AD 1917
urging The Russian Faithful to act independently to preserve The Church. Some of the Bishops
of The Russian Church attempted to heed The Patriarch's advice by establishing a separate
independent Church administration in southeastern Russia. The advance of the Bolsheviks,
however, forced these faithful shepherds into exile.
In November of 1920 these refugee Bishops organized The Supreme Church Administration for
Churches Outside of Russia in Istanbul (Constantinople), with the approval of The Öcumenical
Patriarch. At the invitation of The Patriarch of Serbia, The Supreme Church Administration
moved to Yugoslavia. Twelve of these Bishops, with representatives of the clergy and laity,
organized a Sobor at Sremski Karlovtsi, Yugoslavia, on 21 November to 2 December 1921,
under the presidency of Anthony Khrapovitski, Metropolitan of Kiev and Galich and under the
canonical authority of an ukase (i.e., an Edict having the force of law) issued in AD 1920 by
Patriarch Tikhon. The result of this meeting was the organization of The Russian Orthodox
Church Outside Russia, sometimes called The Synodal Church.
Patriarch Tikhon, who vigorously opposed the inhumane and atheistic policies of the
revolutionary regime, was cruelly imprisoned on 9 May 1922. The Communists refused to
permit an election for his successor when he died in AD 1925. Metropolitan Petr of Krutica
became Locum Tenes (Patriarchal Vicar), but he, too, was almost immediately imprisoned. He
was succeeded later that year by Sergii, the Metropolitan of Nizhni-Novgorod, who tried to
make peace with the new Soviet government. Although he suffered temporary imprisonment
(December AD 1926 to April 1927), he issued a declaration in July of AD 1927 changing The
Church's official stance towards the Communist government from one of hostility to one of
praise and coöperation. Outside observers have called this declaration of The Metropolitan
either the great betrayal or the great salvation of The Russian Church.
The Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia naturally disapproved of the coöperation between
the Patriarchal Church and the atheistic Communist government in Russia, as first formulated
in the letters issued by Metropolitan (later Patriarch) Sergii in AD 1926 and AD 1927. Because
of the inappropriate influence seemingly exercised by the anti-religious government of Russia,
The Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia refused to recognize The Patriarch of Moscow
and All Russia in any way on the grounds that the Communist government completely
controlled the patriarchate.
With the invasion of Mother Russia by the Nazis (Russia's former ally in the partition of Poland
at the beginning of World War II), the political climate changed in Moscow. Metropolitan Sergii
urged The Faithful to sincerely support the Russian war effort against the Nazis; he issued calls
to arms, organized fund raising rallies, and did everything possible to ensure the protection of
his people and the defense of The Church. By 1 October 1944 The Church had donated
150,000,000 rubles, as well as gifts "in kind," to the Communist government. These many
sacrifices and contributions for Russia gained him the favorable attention of the then current
Communist Dictator, Josef Stalin, who finally granted the Metropolitan's request for new
patriarchal elections. Sergii was elected Patriarch on 7 September 1943; he unfortunately died
within six months. After that The Kremlin permitted subsequent elections within a year of each
vacancy and had made The Orthodox Church of Russia one of the few officially recognized
Christian organizations in the Soviet Union -- following the precedent established by Czar Peter
The Great. The Sobor to elect the new Patriarch was held 31 January to 2 February 1945. The
Patriarch of Alexandria, Patriarch of Antioch, and the Catholicos of Georgia attended this
Sobor, together with 44 Russian Bishops, 126 clergy, and representatives of the laity. The
Sobor elected Alexis as the new Russian Patriarch. They thus established a "working model" for
the other European Communist countries to follow in dealing with Religion. However, all other
potential national Orthodox jurisdictions within the then-U.S.S.R., with the exception of the
ancient and historic patriarchates of Armenia and Georgia, were merged into the Moscow
Patriarchate, as were some Eastern-Rite Roman Catholics and many other Christian
jurisdictions and sects.
The Orthodox Church of Russia has been increasingly active in international Orthodox and
ecumenical affairs during the last few decades of the 20th Century. She has been particularly
vocal before the World Council of Churches and elsewhere in encouraging anti-nuclear and anti-
war movements throughout the world. The Primate of The Church of Russia bears the title:
Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. The official language of The Church is naturally Russian.
Metropolitan Antonii became the first head of The Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia,
with his Seat at Geneva, Switzerland. He was succeeded in AD 1936 by Metropolitan Anastasii
(who died in AD 1965), who was followed on his retirement by Metropolitan Filaret, in 1964.
The chief See of the Metropolitan was moved during World War II to Munich, Germany, and in
AD 1952 to New York City. Since then The Synodal Church has attracted The Faithful from
other exiled jurisdictions, particularly those with origins in the formerly communist-controlled
nations of eastern European. The recent collapse of communism has not resulted in any
rapproachment between the exile-jurisdictions and their mother churches.......yet. With the
Moscow Patriarchate's vigorous pursuit of the return of Church property in foreign lands which
has been administered since the Communist Revolution in Russia by The Synodal Church, the
rift between the Synodal Church and the Moscow Patriarchate may never be healed.
Apostolic Succession from The Russian Orthodox Church through Saint Peter
Bishop Aleksij (Sergiy Vladimirovich Simanskij, 1877-1970) was consecrated 28 April 1913
by Patriarch Gregorios IV of The Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All The East in
Russia as Bishop of Tichvin. In 1945 he was elected Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.
Patriarch Aleksij, assisted by Metropolitan Nikolaj (Boris Dorofeevic Jaruevic), Archbishop
Makarij (Sergej Konstantinovic Daev), Archbishop Jurij (Vjaeslav Michaijlovic Egorov), Bishop
Aleksij (Viktor Aleksandrovic Konoplev) and Bishop Pimen (Sergij Izvekov), consecrated to the
Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop John (Konstantin Nikolaevich Wendland, 1909-1989), Patriarchal Exarch of The
Russian Orthodox Church in America, on 28 December 1958. On 3 August 1963 Bishop John
became Metropolitan of The Russian Orthodox Church in America. He was recalled to Russia on
10 July 1967. Metropolitan John, assisted by Bishop Dositheus (Michail Ivanchenko of The
Russian Orthodox Church in America), consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Joseph (Joseph John Skureth, 01/08/1933 -- ), as Exarch, The Western Orthodox
Catholic Church in America, Exarchate of The Patriarchates of Moscow and Antioch (a Western
Rite body within The Russian Orthodox Church in America) on 17 April 1966. Bishop Dosifej
(Dositheus/Michail Ivanchenko) had ordained Bp. Joseph priest on 3 July 1963. Exarch Joseph
is also affiliated with The Syrian-Antiochian Orthodox Church. Bishop Joseph, assisted by
Archbishop Francisco de Jesus Pagtakhan (The Philippine Independent Catholic Church, Manila)
and Bishop Lawrence Lee Shaver (The Philippine Independent Catholic Church in The
Americas), consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Bertil (Nils Bertil Alexander Persson, 11/10/1941 -- ) as Archbishop of The Apostolic
Episcopal Church on 28 February 1989). Archbishop Bertil, together with Archbishop Emile
Federico Rodrigues y Fairfield (Iglesia Ortodoxa Catolica Apostolica Mexicana), Bishop Carroll
T. Lowery (The Apostolic Episcopal Church), Archbishop Arthur J. Garrow (The Archiepiscopate
Ordinariate of Healing Arts Missionaries & Chaplains in America) and Bishop Howard D. van
Orden (Order of St. Jude), each assisting, coöperating and co-consecrating by laying on hands
and uttering all the words of consecration, and assisting in this consecration as Co-
Consecrators by Archbishop Paul Christian Gerald W. Schultz (Archbishop of Los Angeles and
Administrator of The Philippine Independent Catholic Church in The Americas), Bishop Petros
(Eric Tan Ong Veloso, Orthodox Catholic Church in The Philippines), Bishop Christopher J.
Rogers (Suffragan Bishop of Los Angeles, The Philippine Independent Catholic Church in The
Americas), and Bishop Marciel (Michael Marshall, Orthodox Old Catholic Church), consecrated
to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Karl (Karl Julius Barwin, 10/16/1943 -- ) as Primate of The Evangelical Catholic
Church on The Feast of Saint Addai and Saint Mari (5 August) 1989, in The Chapel of The Holy
Guardian Angels in Glendale, California, consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Arthur (Arthur Alexis Longacre) of the American Catholic Church. Assisting Bishop
Barwin was Bishop Eric T. Ong Veloso of the American Orthodox Catholic Church, Bishop Carl
Smith and Bishop Paul Schultz of the Philippine Independent Catholic Church in the Americas.
On 4 January 1997 consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Louis (Louis David Chinavare)
of the American Catholic Church. Assisting Bishop Longacre was Archbishop John Robert
Collier of the Order of Caring Chaplains, Archbishop Patrick Randolph Connolly of the
American Catholic Church and Bishop Benedict Clouse. On 7 May 2006 consecrated to the
Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Richard (Richard A. Kalbfleisch, 08/04/1955 --)
of the Independent Catholic Church, Diocese of Summerville, South Carolina, USA, Pastor of
Saint Francis of Assisi Old Catholic Church, Summerville, SC, and Minister General of the Old
Catholic Order of Saint Francis (OCF).
The Russian Orthodox Church through Saint Andrew
Bishop Makarij (Michael Nevskij, 1835 - 02/16/26) was consecrated in 1884 by Bishop Nikon
of The Russian Orthodox Church. He was elected Archbishop in 1906 and served as
Metropolitan of Moscow and Kolomenskoe from 1912-1917. Bishop Makarij consecrated to the
Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Evdokim (Basil Michaelovic Meschersky, 1869 - 1935) as Vicar Bishop, Diocese of
Moscow, on 4 January 1904. Bishop Evdokim became the Archbishop of The North American
Diocese of The Russian Orthodox Church in 1914. Archbishop Evdokim consecrated to the
Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Aftimios (Abdullah Ofiesh, 1880 - 1966) as Bishop of Brooklyn on 13 May 1917.
Bishop Aftimios became Archbishop of The Syrian Orthodox Mission of The North American
Diocese of The Russian Orthodox Church in 1923. Archbishop Aftimios consecrated to the
Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Sophronios (Sophronios Bishara, 1888 - 1940) as Bishop of Los Angeles on 26 May
1928, assisted by Elias, Metropolitan of Tyre and Sidon (The Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate of
Antioch and All The East) and Bishop Emmanuel (Rizkallah Abo-Hatab, The Syrian Orthodox
Mission of The North American Diocese of The Russian Orthodox Church). Bishop Sophronios
became Archbishop of The Syrian Orthodox Mission of The North American Diocese of The
Russian Orthodox Church in 1933. Archbishop Sophronios consecrated to the Sacred
Episcopate:
Bishop Chrysostomos (John M. More-Moreno, + 1958), assisted by Archbishop-Exarch
Benjamin (Ioann Athenasievich Fedchenkov of The North American Diocese of The Russian
Orthodox Church, in November of 1933. Bishop Chrysostomos became the Ruling Bishop of
The Holy Eastern Orthodox Catholic and Apostolic Church in North America . Bishop
Chrysostomos consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Mar Nikolaus (Perry Nikolaus Cedarholm, 05/18/1890 - 08/06/1979) as Bishop of Brooklyn
and Staten Island for The Apostolic Episcopal Church, assisted by Rev'd Fr. David Leondarides,
The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, on 6 December 1949. Mar Nikolaus returned to
Sweden in 1951 and was acknowledged as a Bishop by the Church of Sweden. He was
enthroned as Bishop of Scandinavia for The Apostolic Episcopal Church in 1953 by Bishop
Herman Philippus Abbinga of the Osterns Apostoliske Episkopale Kirke. In 1969 he assumed
the position of Archbishop of The Apostolic Episcopal Church. Mar Nikolaus consecrated to the
Sacred Episcopate:
Mar Alexander (Nils Bertil Alexander Persson, 11/10/1941 -- ) as Titular Bishop of Smyrna on
12 December 1971. Mar Alexander succeeded Archbishop Nikolaus (Cedarholm) as Archbishop
of Scandinavia of The Apostolic Episcopal Church on 22 July 1977. He was enthroned as
Primate of The Apostolic Episcopal Church by Archbishop Wallace David de Ortega Maxey on 7
November 1986. Archbishop Persson also serves as the Missionary General for Scandinavia
and All Europe for both the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (Philippine Independent Catholic
Church, confirmed 15 June 1988; this is a member jurisdiction of The Anglican Communion)
and the Igreja Católica Apostólica Brasiliera (Brazilian Catholic Apostolic Church, confirmed 14
June 1987). Archbishop Persson consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Karl (Karl Julius Barwin, 10/16/1943 -- ) as Primate of The Evangelical Catholic
Church on 5 August 1989, assisted by Archbishop Emile Federico Rodrigues y Fairfield (Iglesia
Ortodoxa Catolica Apostolica Mexicana), Bishop Carroll T. Lowery (The Apostolic Episcopal
Church), Archbishop Arthur J. Garrow (The Archiepiscopate Ordinariate of Healing Arts
Missionaries & Chaplains in America) and Bishop Howard D. van Orden (Order of St. Jude;
Archbishop of Albuquerque and Dependencies, The Philippine Independent Catholic Church in
The Americas), each assisting, coöperating and co-consecrating by laying on hands and
uttering all the words of consecration. Assisting in this consecration as Co-Consecrators were
Archbishop Paul Christian Gerald W. Schultz (Archbishop of Los Angeles and Administrator of
The Philippine Independent Catholic Church in The Americas), Bishop Petros (Eric Tan Ong
Veloso, Orthodox Catholic Church in The Philippines), Bishop Christopher J. Rogers (Suffragan
Bishop of Los Angeles, The Philippine Independent Catholic Church in The Americas), and
Bishop Marciel (Michael Marshall, Orthodox Old Catholic Church). Bishop Karl consecrated to
the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Arthur (Arthur Alexis Longacre)
of the American Catholic Church. Assisting Bishop Barwin was Bishop Eric T. Ong Veloso of the
American Orthodox Catholic Church, Bishop Carl Smith and Bishop Paul Schultz of the
Philippine Independent Catholic Church in the Americas. On 4 January 1997 consecrated to the
Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Louis (Louis David Chinavare)
of the American Catholic Church. Assisting Bishop Longacre was Archbishop John Robert
Collier of the Order of Caring Chaplains, Archbishop Patrick Randolph Connolly of the
American Catholic Church and Bishop Benedict Clouse. On 7 May 2006 consecrated to the
Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Richard (Richard A. Kalbfleisch, 08/04/1955 --)
of the Independent Catholic Church, Diocese of Summerville, South Carolina, USA, Pastor of
Saint Francis of Assisi Old Catholic Church, Summerville, SC, and Minister General of the Old
Catholic Order of Saint Francis (OCF).
Apostolic Sucession from the Russian Orthodox Church through Archbishop
Theophanies Fan Stylian Noli
Bishop Makarij (Michael Nevskij, 1835 - 02/16/26) was consecrated in 1884 by Bishop Nikon
of The Russian Orthodox Church. He was elected Archbishop in 1906 and served as
Metropolitan of Moscow and Kolomenskoe from 1912-1917. Archbishop Makarij (Macarius)
consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Evdokim (Basil Michaelovic Meschersky, 1869 - 1935) as Vicar Bishop, Diocese of
Moscow, on 4 January 1904. Bishop Evdokim became Archbishop of Alaska and North America
for The Russian Orthodox Church in 1914. Archbishop Evdokim consecrated to the Sacred
Episcopate:
Bishop Aftimios (Abdullah Ofiesh, 1880 - 1966) as Bishop of Brooklyn on 13 May 1917,
assisted by Bishop Stephen Alexander Dzubay of Pittsburgh and Bishop Alexander
Alexandrovich Nemolovksy, Bishop of Canada. Bishop Aftimios became Archbishop of The
Syrian Orthodox Mission of The North American Diocese of The Russian Orthodox Church in
1923. In 1927, urged on by the chaotic conditions in Russia, the canonical Russian Patriarchial
Bishops in the U.S.A. acted upon instructions and advice issued earlier by Patriarch Tikhon of
Moscow, and emphasized by his successor, the Locum Tenens (Sergius), and Commissioned
Bishop Aftimios to be Archbishop and to found and head an autocephalous American Orthodox
Catholic Church. Archbishop Aftimios consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Sophronios (Sophronios Bishara, 1888 - 1940) as Bishop of Los Angeles on 26 May
1928, assisted by Elias, Metropolitan of Tyre and Sidon (The Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate of
Antioch and All The East) and Bishop Emmanuel (Rizkallah Abo-Hatab, The Syrian Orthodox
Mission of The North American Diocese of The Russian Orthodox Church). Bishop Sophronios
became Archbishop of The Syrian Orthodox Mission of The North American Diocese of The
Russian Orthodox Church in 1933. Archbishop Sophronios consecrated to the Sacred
Episcopate:
Bishop Christopher Kontogiorgios (Contogeorge; 1894 - 8/30/50) on 10 February 1934 at
St. John the Baptist Church in New York City, assisting Theophanies Fan Stylian Noli,
Archbishop of The Albanian Orthodox Diocese in America (consecrated 4 December 1923 in St.
George's Cathedral in Korcha, Albania, by Metropolitan Kristofor Kissi [Bishop of Syradon] and
Metropolitan Hierotheos [Andon Yahd, Bishop of Korcha & Plenipotentiary Exarch of the
Patriarchate of Constantinople] as Metropolitan of Durazzo, Gora & Shpata; Primate & Exarch
of All Illyria, of the Western Sea & of all Albania; 1924: President of Albania) as Metropolitan of
Pentapoleos. Bishop Kontogiorgios was appointed Exarch of the Greek Orthodox Catholic
Church under the Patriarchate of Alexandria in 1947. Exarch Kontogiorgios consecrated to the
Sacred Episcopate:
Archbishop Konstantin Jaroshevich in 1949, assisted by Archbishop Arsenios Saltas
(consecrated 25 August 1934 by Abp. Kontogiorgios and Abp. Theophan Noli) and with the
blessing and concurrence of Metropolitan Theophan Noli. In 1954 Abp. Jaroshevich was
appointed Exarch of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa in the United
States. Archbishop Jaroschevich consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Peter Andreas Zhurawetsky (12/07/01 - 1994) in Sts. Peter and Paul Russian
Orthodox Church of Springfield, Massachusetts, on 15 October 1950, assisting Patriarch Joseph
Klimovich (of the American Holy Orthodox Catholic Eastern Church; Ptr. Klimovich was
consecrated 14 October 1930 by Constantine Kuryllo of the Ruthenian Orthodox Church)
together with Metropolitan Nicholas Bohatyretz (of the Ukrainians in the Orthodox Catholic
Church in America; Met. Bohatyretz was consecrated 16 November 1913 by Bp. Paulo Louis
Prota Guirleo Miraglia Gulotti, Bishop of Piacenza of the Italian National Episcopal Church),
Metropolitan Joseph Zielonka (Polish Old Catholic Church of America and Europe) and Bishop
Peter M. Williamowich (consecrated by Met. Fan Noli), as Suffragan Bishop, The Polish Old
Catholic Church. In December 1960 Bp. Zhurawetsky succeeded Metropolitan Zielonka and
immediately changed the name of this jurisdiction to Christ Catholic Church of the Americas
and Europe, and taking the name of Peter II. In 1978, His Beatitude, Pope Nikolaus VII of
Alexandria and All Africa wrote a letter recognizing Abp. Petros Zhurawetsky as a canonical
Orthodox bishop. Patriarch Peter II consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Robert Gerald John Schulyer Zeiger (01/01/29 - 1998) in the Russian Orthodox
Church of the Holy Trinity and St. Olga, New Brunswick, New Jersey, on 1 July 1961, assisted
by Primate Hubert Augustus Rogers, Bishop Julian Lester Smith, and Bishop James Hubert
Rogers (all of The North American Old Roman Catholic Church) as Bishop for The Orthodox
Catholic Patriarchate of America. He later left Ptr. Zhurawetsky's jurisdiction in 1961 and
founded the American Orthodox Catholic Church. In 1964 he resigned as Primate of that
jurisdiction while remaining Archbishop Metropolitan of Denver. On 10 August 1976, Abp.
Zeiger was consecrated at St. Paul's Monastery, La Porte, Indiana, by Abp/Primate Joseph John
Skureth (Western Orthodox Catholic Church) assisted by Bishop Joseph Gabriel Sokolowski, O.
S.B. (Abbot General, St. Paul's Monastery, La Porte, Indiana; consecrated 16 March 1970 by
Abp. Joseph John Skureth & Bp. Frank Blevins). Abp. Zeiger consecrated sub conditione to the
Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Andre Leon Zotique Barbeau (11/22/12 - 2/14/94) on 8 August 1976, assisted by
Bishop Gordon Albert Da Costa (Anglican Church of the Americas; consecrated 19 June 1971
by Bp. Benjamin C. Eckardt of the Free Protestant Episcopal Church, assisted by Bp. Charles
Kennedy Samuel Steward Moffat and Bp. Albert J. Fuge). He was earlier consecrated on 14
May 1968 at the Pro-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Mirabel, Quebec, Canada, by Bp.
Charles Brearley (Old Holy Catholic Church; consecrated 16 June 1954 by Marziano II,
Basileus of Constantinople and of All the Christian Orient {Prince de Deols, Alessandro Licastro
de la Chastre Grimaldi-Lascaris}, claimant to the throne of the Holy Roman Empire of the
Orient as the 269th Emperor) and later on 26 July 1973 by Bishop Garry Robert Armstrong
(Liberal Catholic Church International; consecrated 8 October 1972 by Bp. William Henry Daw
of the Liberal Catholic Church International). He was further consecrated sub conditione on 19
August 1976 by Abp. Josef Maria Thiesen (Alt Roemisch Katholische Kirche in Germany;
consecrated 17 April 1949 by Bp. Aloysius Stumpfl) and on 12/12/76 s.c. at the Cite de Marie,
Mirabel, Quebec, Canada by Bp. George Bellemare (Eglise Universelle de la Nouvelle Alliance;
consecrated 7 July 1975 by Bp. Roger Caro, assisted by Bp. Maurice Auberger and Bp. Patrick
LeBar). Patriarch Barbeau consecrated sub conditione to the Sacred Episcopate:
Archbishop Leonard J. Curreri (07/27/46 - ) on 30 July 1977 at Mirabel, Quebec, Canada,
assisted by Archbishop Rainer Laufer (Old Holy Catholic Church of Canada; Abp. Laufer was
consecrated 18 November 1975 by: Bp. Charles Brearley of The Old Holy Catholic Church;
Abp. Andre LeTellier, Titular Archbishop of Hippo and Archbishop Coadjutor of Montreal,
Canada, Catholic Charismatic Church of Canada; and Bp. Jean-Marie Breault, Titular Bishop of
Bethlehem and Auxiliary Bishop of Montreal, Catholic Charismatic Church of Canada), as
Primate of The Tridentine Catholic Church. Abp. Curreri was first consecrated at Holy Cross
Polish Catholic Church, New York City, on 23 April 1977 by Bp. Francis Joseph Ryan
(Ecumenical Orthodox Catholic Church--Autocephalous; Bp. Ryan was consecrated in 1965 by
Ptr. Udladyslau Ryzy-Ryski), assisted by Bp. Holmes Bennett Dayhoff (Tridentine Catholic
Church) and Bp. John Basilo (American Orthodox Catholic Church; Bp. Basilo was consecrated
by Walter Myron Propheta). Archbishop Curreri consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Peter Paul Brennan (1941 - ) on 10 June 1978 at Our Lady Queen of Heaven
Church, Long Island, New York, assisting Bishop Richard Thomas McFarland (African Orthodox
Church). He was consecrated sub conditione on 4 October 1979 by Archbishop Leonard J.
Curreri (Tridentine Catholic Church), assisted by Archbishop Peter James G. Grazeloa
(American National Catholic Church) and Bp. Holmes Bennett Dayhoff. In 1984 Abp. Brennan
became head of the Ecumenical Catholic Diocese of the Americas based in West Hempstead,
New York. Abp. Brennan consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Howard D. van Orden ((1938 - ) on 14 October 1984, assisting Bp. Patrick J.
Callahan (Old Roman Catholic Church--Utrecht Succession; Bp. Callahan was consecrated on
17 April 1984 by Abp. Emile Federico Rodriguez y Fairfield and Abp. Paul G. W. Schultz) as
Bishop of The Western Rite Orthodox Catholic Church of Jesus in St. Stephen's Orthodox
Catholic Church of Savannah, Georgia. Bishop van Orden consecrated to the Sacred
Episcopate:
Bishop Karl Julius Barwin (10/16/43 - ) as Primate of The Evangelical Catholic Church on
The Feast of Saint Addai and Saint Mari (5 August) 1989 in The Chapel of The Holy Guardian
Angels in Glendale, California, assisting Archbishop Bertil Persson (The Apostolic Episcopal
Church), together with Archbishop Emile Federico Rodrigues y Fairfield (Iglesia Ortodoxa
Catolica Apostolica Mexicana), Bishop Carroll T. Lowery (The Apostolic Episcopal Church), and
Archbishop Arthur J. Garrow (The Archiepiscopate Ordinariate of Healing Arts Missionaries &
Chaplains in America), each assisting, coöperating and co-consecrating by laying on hands and
uttering all the words of consecration. Assisting in this consecration as Co-Consecrators were
Archbishop Paul Christian Gerald W. Schultz (Archbishop of Los Angeles and Administrator of
The Philippine Independent Catholic Church in The Americas), Bishop Eric T. Ong Veloso
(Orthodox Catholic Church in The Philippines), Bishop Christopher J. Rogers (Philippine
Independent Catholic Church in The Americas), and Exarch Marciel (Michael Marshall, Orthodox
Old Catholic Church). Bishop Barwin consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Arthur Alexis Longacre of the American Catholic Church. Assisting Bishop Barwin
was Bishop Eric T. Ong Veloso of the American Orthodox Catholic Church, Bishop Carl Smith
and Bishop Paul Schultz of the Philippine Independent Catholic Church in the Americas. On 4
January 1997 consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Louis David Chinavare of the American Catholic Church. Assisting Bishop Longacre
was Archbishop John Robert Collier of the Order of Caring Chaplains, Archbishop Patrick
Randolph Connolly of the American Catholic Church and Bishop Benedict Clouse. On 7 May
2006 consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Richard A. Kalbfleisch, OCF, (08/04/1955 --) of the Independent Catholic Church,
Diocese of Summerville, South Carolina, USA, Pastor of Saint Francis of Assisi Old Catholic
Church, Summerville, SC, and Minister General of the Order of Franciscan Clerics Minor (OCF).
Apostolic Succession through Bishop Joseph A. Zuk
Joseph A. Zuk (? - 2/23/34) was consecrated on 7 February 1932 by Bp. Aftimios (Abdullah
Ofiesh; Holy Eastern Orthodox Catholic and Apostolic Church in North America), assisted by
Bp. Sophronios Bishara (Bishop of Los Angeles) as Assistant Bishop of The Holy Eastern
Orthodox Catholic and Apostolic Church in North America with special oversight over The
Ukrainian Orthodox Church of America. The ecclesiastical jurisdiction of these bishops (Ofiesh,
Bishara & Zuk) is believed by many to be the sole canonical successor of The Russian
Orthodox jurisdiction established for North America by way of Alaska in 1763 under Canon Law
(Council of Chalcedon, 453 A.D.); thus this jurisdiction would be the only lawful (i.e., canonical)
Orthodox jurisdiction in the U.S.A. Bishop Zuk consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
William Albert Nichols (12/4/1867 - 2/6/1947) on 27 September 1932, together with Bp.
Sophronios Bishara, assisting Abp. Aftimios (Abdullah Ofiesh). Bishop Nichols took the
ecclesiastical name of Ignatius. Against canon law and Church tradition, Bp. Ignatius (Nichols)
married in June of 1933, for which he was formally removed from Office by Bp. Bishara. Upon
the death of both Bp. Bishara and Bp. Zuk in 1934, Bp. Nichols assumed leadership of part of
The Holy Eastern Orthodox and Apostolic Church in North America, officially incorporating it in
the State of New York on 16 March 1936 under the name: The Holy Orthodox Church in
America. This newly incorporated jurisdiction also included the former Anglican Universal
Church of Christ in the United States of America (Chaldean), which allowed married bishops
and was headed by Abp. George Winslow Plummer. Ignatius, Archbishop of Washington, D.C.,
consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
George Winslow Plummer (8/25/1876 - 1/23/1944) on 8 May 1934, assisted by Bishop
Ambrosius (Maitland Raines of The Russian Orthodox Church; consecrated by Bp. Alexander
Vvedensky) and took the ecclesiastical name of Mar Georgius. Mar Georgius consecrated to the
Sacred Episcopate:
Stanislaus de Witow (born Stanislaus Witowski; 2/9/1890 - 4/1969) on 29 November 1936,
assisted by Abp. Ignatius (William Albert Nichols) and Bishop Irenaeus (Henry van Arsdale
Parsell; consecrated 19 September 1920 by Bp Manuel Ferrando of the Reformed Episcopal
Church assisted by Mar Georgius/Plummer) and took the ecclesiastical name Theodotus. Bp.
Theodotus became head of The Holy Orthodox Church in America on 14 April 1951 succeeding
Abp/Primate Roy C. Toombs (who had succeeded Mar Georgius on 23 January 1944). Abp.
Theodotus consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Walter Myron Propheta (1912 - 10/8/1972) in Springfield, Massachusetts, on 3 October
1964, assisting Ptr. Joachim Souris of the True Orthodox Church of Greece (consecrated 2 June
1951 by Ptr. Joseph Klimovicz of the American Holy Orthodox Catholic Eastern Church,
assisted by Ptr. Peter A. Zhurawetsky, Bp. Jozef Zielonka, and Bp. Clement I {John Cyril
Sherwood}). On 30 March1965 he was elevated to Archbishop by Abp. Theodotus and Bishop
Theoklitus Kantaris (Bishop of the Greek Orthodox Diocese of New York , consecrated by
Makarios III, Archbishop/Primate of Cyprus), and took the ecclesiastical name of Patriarch
Woldymyr I. Ptr. Woldymyr I consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
John Arthur Christian (Chiasson; born: John Christofer Saison; ? - 12/25/1984) on 31 July
1966, assisted by Abp. Theodotus (Stanislaus De Witow). He was elected to succeed Ptr.
Woldymyr I at a Synod of The American Orthodox Catholic Church on 18 November 1972,
taking the ecclesiastical name of Christian I. Ptr. Christian I consecrated sub conditione to the
Sacred Episcopate:
Harold James Donovan (? - 3/18/1996) in Chicago, Illinois, on 4 July 1982, at the request of
the Holy Synod of The Holy Orthodox Catholic Apostolic Church in the Philippines, taking the
ecclesiastical name of Mar Aftimios II. He had been previously consecrated on 16 March 1980
as Missionary Bishop for this jurisdiction by Bp. Tirso Cinco Noble, assisted by Bp. Miguel
Pestano Borja, Bp. Joel T. Borja, and Bp. Urbano A. Blanco (all Bishops within The Holy
Orthodox Catholic Apostolic Church in the Philippines). In co-operation with Ptr. Christian I,
Mar Aftimios II created an Exarchy in January 1983 of the Philippine Church later known as:
The American Orthodox Church. Mar Aftimios II was consecrated sub conditione on 19 January
1987 by Bishop-Primate Forest Ernest Barber of the Holy Orthodox Catholic Apostolic Church in
the Philippines (a part of the Igreja Catolica Apostolica Brasileira) assisted by Metropolitan
Mark (Senen C. Bordeos) of the Holy Orthodox Catholic Apostolic Church in the Philippines,
based in Los Banos. Mar Aftimios II consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Eric Tan Ong Veloso on 12 March 1989 in The Holy Guardian Angels Chapel,
Glendale, California, assisted by Abp. Paul G. W. Schultz (Archbishop of Los Angeles and
Administrator of The Philippine Independent Catholic Church in the Americas). Bp. Veloso had
been previously consecrated on 30 October 1988 in Our Mother of Perpetual Help Orthodox
Catholic Church of Los Angeles, California, by Abp. Howard D. van Orden, assisted by Bp. Jack
London Mette (of the Catholic Apostolic Church in North America/Patriarchate of Brazil;
consecrated by: Abp. de Ortega Maxey; Bp. Raymond Eugene Hefner; Ptr. Francis Jerome
Joachim; Bp. Charles David Luther) and Bp. Carroll T. Lowery, for the Orthodox Catholic
Church in The Philippines, taking the ecclesiastical name of Mar Petros. Mar Petros consecrated
to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Karl Julius Barwin (10/16/1943 - ) in The Holy Guardian Angels Chapel, Glendale,
California, on 5 August 1989, as Primate of The Evangelical Catholic Church, assisting
Archbishop Nils Bertil Alexander Persson (The Apostolic Episcopal Church), together with
Archbishop Emile Federico Rodrigues y Fairfield (Iglesia Ortodoxa Catolica Apostolica
Mexicana), Bishop Carroll T. Lowery (The Apostolic Episcopal Church), Bishop Howard D. van
Orden (Order of St. Jude; Archbishop of Albuquerque and Dependencies, The Philippine
Independent Catholic Church in The Americas), and Archbishop Arthur J. Garrow (The
Archiepiscopate Ordinariate of Healing Arts Missionaries & Chaplains in America), each
assisting, coöperating and co-consecrating by laying on hands and uttering all the words of
consecration. Assisting in this consecration as Co-Consecrators were Archbishop Paul Christian
Gerald W. Schultz (Archbishop of Los Angeles and Administrator of The Philippine Independent
Catholic Church in The Americas), Bishop Christopher J. Rogers (Philippine Independent
Catholic Church in The Americas), and Exarch Marciel (Michael Marshall, Orthodox Old Catholic
Church).Bishop Barwin consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Arthur Alexis Longacre of the American Catholic Church. Assisting Bishop Barwin
was Bishop Eric T. Ong Veloso of the American Orthodox Catholic Church, Bishop Carl Smith
and Bishop Paul Schultz of the Philippine Independent Catholic Church in the Americas. On 4
January 1997 consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Louis David Chinavare of the American Catholic Church. Assisting Bishop Longacre
was Archbishop John Robert Collier of the Order of Caring Chaplains, Archbishop Patrick
Randolph Connolly of the American Catholic Church and Bishop Benedict Clouse. On 7 May
2006 consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Richard A. Kalbfleisch, OCF, (08/04/1955 --) of the Independent Catholic Church,
Diocese of Summerville, South Carolina, USA, Pastor of Saint Francis of Assisi Old Catholic
Church, Summerville, SC, and Minister General of the Order of Franciscan Clerics Minor (OCF).
Archbishop Carlos Duarte Costa, ordained a priest within The Church of Rome on 1 April 1911,
was consecrated to be the Roman Diocesan Bishop of Botucatu, Brazil, on 8 December 1924.
His public statements on the treatment of the poor in Brazil (by both the civil government and
the Roman Church) resulted in his removal as Diocesan Bishop of Botucatu. Bishop Duarte
Costa was subsequently named Titular Bishop of Maura by Pope Pius XII (Eugenio Cardinal
Pacelli, Vatican Secretary of State until 1939 under Pope Pius XI).
Archbishop Duarte Costa's criticisms of the Vatican, particularly the policy toward Nazi
Germany, were not well received. He was formerly separated from the Church of Rome on 6
July 1945 after his strong and repeated public denunciations of the Vatican Secretariat of State
for granting Vatican Passports to some very high ranking Nazis.
Some of the most notorious Nazi war criminals (e.g., Adolf Eichmann and Dr. Josef Mengele,
the "Angel of Death,") escaped trial after World War II using Vatican Passports to flee to South
America. The government of Brazil also came under the Bishop's criticism for collaborating with
the Vatican on these passports.
Bishop Duarte Costa espoused what would be considered today as a rather liberal position on
divorce, challenged mandatory celibacy for clergy, and publicly condemned the perceived
abuses of papal power (especially the concept of Papal Infallibility, which he considered
misguided and false). He founded the autonomous Igreja Catolica Apostolica Brasileira (ICAB)
immediately upon his separation from The Church of Rome (6 July 1945) and remained
Primate of this jurisdiction until his death in 1961.
Archbishop Luis Castillo Mendez was consecrated by Archbishop Duarte Costa on 3 May 1948.
He succeed Abp. Duarte Costa as Primate and Patriarch of the National Catholic Apostolic
Churches (Igreja Catolica Apostolica Nationales) in 1961.
In addition to the autonomous Igreja Catolica Apostolica Brasileira (ICAB), there are sister
jurisdictions in thirteen other countries in the Western Hemisphere, Europe, the Pacific and in
Asia, including: Argentina (ICAA), Chile, Venezuela, Cuba, Mexico, Spain, Germany, France,
Portugal, Australia, the Philippines, Canada and the United States of America, with over 12
million members.
It may be of interest to consider Bishop Salomao Ferraz. He was a Roman priest who left that
jurisdiction to join the new autocephalous Brazilian Church. He was consecrated to the office of
bishop by Archbishop Carlos Duarte Costa for the Igreja Catolica Apostolica Brasileira (ICAB)
in 1945. In 1958 he was reconciled with the Church of Rome (during the pontificate of Pope
Pius XII). The Vatican appointed him Titular Bishop of Eleuterna on 12 May 1963. Although
married, Bishop Ferraz was later appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Rio de Janeiro by Pope John
XXIII. Pope Paul VI appointed Bishop Ferraz to serve on a commission of the Second Vatican
Council; he even addressed the Council Fathers.
This is mentioned only to point out that Bishop Ferraz was never re-consecrated by the Roman
Church, not even conditionally (sub conditione)! He was also allowed to keep his wife while
serving and functioning as a Bishop of The Church of Rome! Later, he was buried with the full
honors accorded a Bishop of the Church of Rome. The Vatican, by accepting Bishop Ferraz
without any re-consecration, affirmed de jure and de facto the sacramental validity of the
Apostolic Succession received via Abp. Duarte Costa.
Pope Benedictus XIV
(Prospero Lorenzo Lambertini) Consecrated to The Sacred Episcopate on 19 March 1743:
Carlo della Torre Rezzoni
(Pope Clement XIII) assisted by Archbishop Scopio Borghese & Ignatius Reali Consecrated to
The Sacred Episcopate on 26 April 1767:
Cardinal Bernardinus Giraud
assisted by Archbishop Marcus Antonius Conti & Bishop Iosefus Maria Carafa Consecrated to
The Sacred Episcopate on 23 February 1777:
Cardinal Alexander Matthaeus
assisted by Bishop Geraldus Macioti & Bishop Franciscus Albertini Consecrated to The Sacred
Episcopate on 12 September 1819:
Cardinal Petrus Franciscus Galeffi
assisted by Abp. Ioanne Franciscus Falzacappa & Abp. Iosephus della Porta Rodiani
Consecrated to The Sacred Episcopate on 8 December 1822:
Cardinal Iacobus Philippus Fransoni
assisted by Patriarch Joseph Valerga of Jerusalem & Bishop Rudesindus Salvado Consecrated
to The Sacred Episcopate on 8 June 1851:
Cardinal Carolus Sacconi
assisted by Archbishop Salvator Nobili Vitelleschi and Archbishop Franciscus Xaverius Fridericus
de Morode
Consecrated to The Sacred Episcopate on 30 June 1872:
Cardinal Eduard Howard
assisted by Archbishop Alessandro Sanminiatelli Zabarella & Bishop Giulio Lenti Consecrated to
The Sacred Episcopate on 8 December 1882:
Cardinal Mariano Rampolla del Tindaro
Consecrated to The Sacred Episcopate on 26 October 1890:
Cardinal Joaquin Arcoverde de Albuquerque-Cavalcanti
Consecrated to The Sacred Episcopate on 4 June 1911:
Archbishop Sebastiao Leme da Silveira Cintra
assisted by Dom Alberto Jose Goncalves & Dom Benedito Paulo Alves de Souza
Consecrated to The Sacred Episcopate on 8 December 1924:
Bishop Carlos Duarte Costa Patriarch, Igreja Catolica Apostolica Brasileira (1945)
Consecrated to The Sacred Episcopate on 3 May 1948:
Bishop Luis Fernando Castillo Mendez Patriarch, Igreja Catolica Apostolica Brasileira
(1961)
assisted by Dom Melquiades Rosa Garcia & Dom Bartolomeus Sebastiao Vilela Consecrated to
The Sacred Episcopate on 30 January 1985:
Bishop Forest Ernest Barber Holy Orthodox Church in the Philippines (Mission of the Igreja
Catolica Apostolica Brasileira) assisted by Abp. Emile Federico Rodriguez y Fairfield & Abp. Paul
G. W. Schultz
Consecrated to The Sacred Episcopate on 14 June 1987:
Archbishop Nils Bertil Alexander Persson
Archbishop of Scandinavia, Igreja Catolica Apostolica Brasileira assisted by Abp. Emile
Federico Rodriguez y Fairfield, Abp. Paul G. W. Schultz, Bishop Christopher Rogers, Bishop
Carroll Lowery, Exarch Howard D. van Orden, Archbishop Arthur Garrow, Bishop Petros (Eric
Veloso), Bishop Michael Marshal Consecrated to The Sacred Episcopate on 5 August 1989:
Bishop Karl Julius Barwin
Primate, The Evangelical Catholic Church. Consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate on 4 May
1991.
Bishop Arthur (Alexis) Longacre
of the American Catholic Church. Assisting Bishop Barwin was Bishop Eric T. Ong Veloso of the
American Orthodox Catholic Church, Bishop Carl Smith and Bishop Paul Schultz of the
Philippine Independent Catholic Church in the Americas. On 4 January 1997 consecrated to the
Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Louis David Chinavare
of the American Catholic Church. Assisting Bishop Longacre was Archbishop John Robert
Collier of the Order of Caring Chaplains, Archbishop Patrick Randolph Connolly of the
American Catholic Church and Bishop Benedict Clouse. On 7 May 2006 consecrated to the
Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Richard A. Kalbfleisch, OCF
Independent Catholic Church, Diocese of Summerville, South Carolina, USA, Pastor of Saint
Francis of Assisi Old Catholic Church, Summerville, SC, and Minister General of the Order of
Franciscan Clerics Minor (OCF).
The Old Catholic Church of Utrecht
The Diocese of Utrecht, Holland, was founded in AD 722 by St. Willibrord. The right of the
Chapter of Utrecht to elect the bishop of The Diocese was recognized in AD 1145. In AD 1520
the Bishop of Utrecht was given the right to adjudicate matters in his diocese without appeal or
recourse to Rome. In AD 1559, when the war with France had ended, Philip II of Spain, the
hereditary ruler of the Netherlands, persuaded the Pope to elevate The See of Utrecht to an
archbishopric, with five new dioceses under it (Haarlem, Deventer, Groningen, Leeuwarden and
Middelburg).
Having survived the Calvinist Reformation in Holland as an underground Church, the Dutch
Roman Catholic faithful were suddenly subjected to the political ambitions and maneuverings of
the Jesuits, who fought to have Rome declare The See of Utrecht a missionary district under
their control. At first failing in this battle to gain control of The Church in Holland, the Jesuits
adopted a new tactic in AD 1691 by accusing + Peter Codde, The Archbishop of Utrecht, of
espousing the so-called heresy of Jansenism. Although the Archbishop was eventually proved
innocent of heresy, Pope Innocent XII tried to appease the Jesuits by suspending and deposing
him in AD 1705. No mention was made of any reason for the deposition. Even a Papal canonist,
Hyacinth de Archangelis, issued a formal opinion that a Vicar-Apostolic with the rights of an
Ordinary (as + Codde undoubtedly was) could not be arbitrarily deposed. Two Dutch Catholic
Chapters (Utrecht and Haarlem) naturally decided not to recognize this irregular, if not illegal,
act. The battle was over local autonomy in a collegial Church versus Papal supremacy.
When the Papacy appointed + Theodore de Cock as Pro-Vicar-Apostolic of The United
Provinces, in the place of Archbishop Peter Codde (deposed), the Chapters of Utrecht and
Haarlem further decided not to recognize his authority on the ground that The Patriarch of
Rome had no canonical authority to deprive even a Vicar-Apostolic, much less an Archbishop,
without trial and condemnation. At the same time the Calvinist government decided that it
would prefer a Catholic Church controlled by Dutch Catholics to a Catholic Church controlled
by Rome. The government, therefore, issued a decree forbidding + de Cock to exercise any
jurisdiction over Roman Catholics in Holland. Later, after accusing the Dutch government of
being bribed by the secular clergy loyal to The Archbishop (+ Codde), + de Cock was banished
from Holland and fled to Rome. Rome countered by placing the Dutch Church under an
Inhibition, prohibiting all Bishops from performing any episcopal acts in Holland.
At this point the battle between Utrecht and Rome was not doctrinal, but the results of Jesuit
intrigue and their desire to firmly establish the Papacy as an absolute monarchy.
Had Archbishop Codde continued to exercise his authority as The Archbishop of Utrecht, while
appealing his uncanonical suspension as Vicar-Apostolic (as Vicar-Apostolic he had diocesan
jurisdiction wherever there was no Bishop or Chapter; metropolitan jurisdiction in the other
dioceses), the course of Church history may well have seen the defeat of the Jesuit sponsored
Ultramontane movement. Unfortunately, + Codde not only protested his suspension but also
retired from the exercise of his office. His jurisdiction thus reverted to the Chapters and his
people were left without episcopal protection and governance.
It was the position of the Chapter of Utrecht that: both the Province and Diocese of Utrecht,
with all their ancient and canonical rights and privileges, still existed. (The Chapter of Utrecht
was formally recognized on many occasions by Papal Nuncios even after this date.)
The Vicariate instituted by Archbishop Philip Rovenius on 9 June 1633 was the canonical
reconstitution of the ancient Chapter of Utrecht and possessed all the rights of the Chapter,
including the right to elect the Archbishop of Utrecht. (All nominations made hereafter by this
Chapter were, in fact, accepted by Rome, including that of Archbishop Codde.)
Later archbishops, from + Vosmeer to + Codde, were not only Vicars-Apostolic of the Roman
See, but also Archbishops of Utrecht, the true canonical successors of St. Willibrord.
On 25 May 1717, five doctors of the theological faculty of the University of Louvain publicly
sided with the Archepiscopal See of Utrecht by stating that the Church of Utrecht had not been
reduced to the status of a mere mission, that the Chapter of Utrecht had survived, and that the
Vicariate established by + Rovenius was the ancient Chapter of Utrecht. Later, 102 doctors of
theology at the University of Paris, together with the whole law faculty, publicly agreed with the
doctors of Louvain. As a result of the support of the theology faculties of two French
universities, three French Bishops (Soanen of Senez, Lorraine of Bayeux, and Caumartin of
Blois) declared that they were ready to ordain priests for the Chapter of Utrecht, and actually
did so.
Upon the death, in AD 1710, of + Peter Codde, the deposed Archbishop of Utrecht, the
Cathedral Chapter (exercising its historically recognized right) elected a successor. No Bishop,
however, could be found who would ignore the Pope's Inhibition by consecrating the
Archbishop-elect. The Church of Holland continued to send Her candidates for the priesthood
out of the country for ordination by foreign Bishops; Her children, without a diocesan Ordinary,
were left unconfirmed. At this point the Jesuits and Rome sought and anxiously anticipated the
total capitulation of the autocephalous Dutch Church.
A turning point in the Dutch Church's struggle with Rome came in AD 1719 when + Dominique
Maria Varlet, former missionary priest in The Louisiana Territory in North America, stopped in
Amsterdam for a few days on his way to his new post in Persia. A local Dutch priest, Father
Jacob Krys, begged the new Bishop to confirm 604 orphans and other poor children as an act
of charity, which he did. He then continued his journey to Persia, arriving at his residence at
Schamake (now Shemakh near Baku in the Republic of Azerbaijan) on 9 October 1719. On 26
March 1720, the Bishop of Babylon was presented with a formal Notice of Suspension from his
office, sent by the Bishop of Ispahan by order of the Congregation de Propaganda Fide, and
delivered by a Jesuit priest (Fr. Bachou) because of the confirmations in Amsterdam. Like the
late Archbishop Codde, Bishop Varlet elected not to remain in office while fighting the Papal
action. After careful consideration and prayer, the good Bishop immediately left Persia and
returned to Amsterdam, where he settled permanently.
The Chapter of Utrecht had meanwhile repeatedly attempted to get the Pope to allow the
election and consecration of an archbishop; Pope Innocent XIII ignored their petitions. The
Chapter next turned to the leading canon lawyers of the day. They were told that the Chapter
had the canonical right to elect their archbishop and get him consecrated without the consent of
the Pope (recent precedents in both France and Portugal supported this position). Nineteen
doctors of the theological faculty of the Sorbonne (University of Paris), and others from Nantes,
Rheims, Padua, and Louvain, gave their agreement to this position, as well as assuring the
Chapter that in the case of necessity one bishop alone might preside at the consecration.
With the approval of the government, the Chapter met at The Hague on 27 April 1723 and,
after a Mass of The Holy Spirit, elected, with all the canonical forms, Cornelius Steenoven to be
Archbishop of Utrecht. Although Fr. Steenoven was elected as the candidate likely to be the
least objectionable to Rome, the Pope refused to answer the Chapter's request to permit his
consecration. The Chapter finally begged the Bishop of Babylon to consecrate their candidate.
He consented. The government also consented to this the first consecration of an Archbishop of
Utrecht since the Reformation. Thus at 6:00am on Pentecost XX, 15 October 1724, Cornelius
van Steenoven was consecrated in the presence of the whole Chapter by the Bishop of
Babylon in Amsterdam to be the seventh Archbishop of Utrecht and canonical successor of St.
Willibrord.
The Bishop of Babylon was called upon by The Chapter to consecrate four archbishops for the
See of Utrecht before his death on 14 May 1742 at The Hague.
the order of Pope Alexander VII) by Monsignore Scannarola (Bishop of Sidonia), assisted by
Monsignore Botini (Domestic Prelate of the Pope), and Monsignore Laurenzio Gavotti (Bishop of
Ventimiglia), as Bishop of Frascati. In AD 1657 Bishop Barberini became Archbishop of Rheims;
in AD 1661 he became Bishop of Palestrina. Cardinal Barberini consecrated to the Sacred
Episcopate:
Bishop Charles Maurice Le Tellier, Duke, son of the Grand Chancellor of France, as Co-
Adjutor Bishop, on 12 November 1668 at The Church of The Sorbonne. He became the
Archbishop of Rheims in AD 1669. Archbishop Le Tellier consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop James Benigne Bossuet, The Eagle of Meaux, as Bishop of Condom, on 21
September 1670, at The Church of the Cordeliers, Pontoise. He was translated to The See of
Meaux by Pope Clement X in AD 1679. Bishop Bossuet consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop James Coydon de Matignon, son of the Count de Thorigny, Doyen of Lisieux and
Abbe Commendataire de St. Victor at Marseilles, as Assistant Bishop of Condom in AD 1673, at
the Church of The Carthusian Fathers, Paris. Bishop de Matignon, by order of Pope Clement XI,
consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Dominique Maria Varlet as Bishop of Ascalon in partibus and Co-Adjutor to the
Bishop of Babylon, Persia, on 12 February 1719 in The Chapel attached to the House of the
Fathers of Foreign Missions at Paris, assisted by the Co-Adjutor Bishop of Quebec and the
Bishop of Claremont. Bishop Varlet consecrated four Archbishops of Utrecht; three died without
consecrating successors. The continued existence of the autocephalous Old Roman Catholic
Church of Holland was assured when Bishop Varlet consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Archbishop Petrus Johannes Meindaerts, Archpriest of Leeuwarden and Dean of Friesland
(who had been ordained a priest in Ireland by Bishop Fagan) as the tenth Archbishop of Utrecht
on St. Luke's Day, 18 October 1739. Archbishop Meindaerts consecrated to the Sacred
Episcopate:
Bishop Johannes van Stiphout as the fourth Bishop of Haarlem on 11 July 1745. Bishop
Stiphout consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Archbishop Walter Michael van Nieuwenhuisen as the eleventh Archbishop of Utrecht on
Sexagesima Sunday, 7 February 1768, assisted by Bishop Bartholomaeus Johannes Byeveld
(of Deventer). The new archbishop received letters of communion from bishops in Germany,
France, Italy and Spain, who recognized that the claims to canonical jurisdiction by The Church
of Holland were sound and her doctrine orthodox. Archbishop Nieuwenhuisen consecrated to
the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Adrian Johannes Broekman, President of the Amersfoort Seminary, on Pentecost II
Sunday, 21 June 1778, as Bishop of Haarlem. Bishop Broekman consecrated to the Sacred
Episcopate:
Archbishop Johannes Jacobus van Rhijn as the twelfth Archbishop of Utrecht on 5 July
1797, assisted by Bishop Nicholas Nellemans of Deventer. Archbishop van Rhijn consecrated to
the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Gisbertus de Jong as the fifth Bishop of Deventer on 7 November 1805, shortly after
the formation of the Batavian Republic in Holland by Napoleon. Bishop de Jong consecrated to
the Sacred Episcopate:
Archbishop Willibrord van Os as the thirteenth Archbishop of Utrecht on 24 April 1814.
Archbishop van Os consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Johannes Bon as the seventh Bishop of Haarlem on 25 April 1819. Bishop Bon was
the first Bishop of the autocephalous Dutch succession not to be excommunicated by Rome; in
1827 he was nominated by the King of Holland to the See of Bruges, without objection from
Rome. One Roman Cardinal is reported to have said of this nomination: Dominus Bonus no
potest esse pastor malus (It is not possible for Lord Good to be a bad pastor). Bishop Bon
consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Archbishop Johannes van Santen, parish priest of Schiedam, as fourteenth Archbishop of
Utrecht on the Sunday within the Octave of St. Willibrord, 13 November 1825, in The Cathedral
of St. Gertrude in Utrecht. The announcement of this consecration to The Pope is the first time
that the Archbishop of Utrecht called himself the Pope's brother (and not son). Archbishop van
Santen consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Hermann Heykamp as seventh Bishop of Deventer on 17 July 1853. Bishop
Heykamp consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Gaspardus Johannes Rinkel as the tenth Bishop of Haarlem and Bishop Josef
Hubert Reinkens as the first Bishop of The Old Catholic Church in Germany (Bonn) on 11
August 1873 in the Church of St. Lawrence and St. Mary Magdalene at Rotterdam. This is the
first time that the formal proofs of election were read during the Mass of Consecration instead
of the Papal Mandate; it is also the first time that the new Bishops did not notify Rome of their
consecrations. Bishop Rinkel consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Archbishop Gerardus Gul, parish priest of Hilversum, as the seventeenth Archbishop of
Utrecht, on 11 May 1892 in Hilversum, assisted by Bishop Cornelius Diependaal of Deventer
and Bishop Reinkens of The Old Catholic Church in Germany. Archbishop Gul consecrated to
the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Henricus Johannes Theodorus van Vlijmen as the thirteenth Bishop of Haarlem in
1916, assisted by Bishop Edward Herzog of The Old Catholic Church in Switzerland. Bishop van
Vlijmen consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Archbishop Franciscus Kenninck, President of the Amersfoort Seminary, as the eighteenth
Archbishop of Utrecht in 1920, assisted by Bishop Edward Herzog of The Old Catholic Church in
Switzerland (Berne) and Bishop Georg Moog of The Old Catholic Church in Germany.
Archbishop Kenninck consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Adolf Küry, Professor in the Old Catholic Theological Faculty at Berne, as the second
Old Catholic Bishop in Berne (Switzerland), on 14 September 1924. Bishop Küry consecrated to
the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Erwin Kreuzer, parish priest at Freiburg-in-Breisgau, as fifth Old Catholic Bishop in
Bonn (Germany), at Mannheim on 8 May 1935, assisted by Bishop Vlijmen (Haarlem) and
Bishop Johannes Hermannus Berends (Deventer). Bishop Kreuzer consecrated to the Sacred
Episcopate:
Bishop Albert D. Bell as Bishop for the North American Old Roman Catholic Church in 1939.
Bishop Bell consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Edgar Ramon Verostek as a Bishop of the North American Old Roman Catholic
Church --Utrecht Succession, on 9 March 1940. Bishop Verostek consecrated to the Sacred
Episcopate:
Archbishop Paul G. W. Schultz as a Bishop of The Order of Christian Renewal on 20 May
1978. Archbishop Schultz, Administrator of The Philippine Independent Catholic Church in
America and Archbishop of Los Angeles, consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Karl Julius Barwin as Primate of The Evangelical Catholic Church on The Feast of
Saint Addai and Saint Mari (5 August) 1989, in The Chapel of The Holy Guardian Angels in
Glendale, California, assisting Archbishop Bertil Persson (The Apostolic Episcopal Church),
Archbishop Emile Federico Rodriguez y Fairfield (Iglesia Ortodoxa Catolica Apostolica
Mexicana), Bishop Carroll T. Lowery (The Apostolic Episcopal Church), Archbishop Arthur J.
Garrow (The Archiepiscopate Ordinariate of Healing Arts Missionaries & Chaplains in America)
and Archbishop Howard D. van Orden (Order of St. Jude, The Philippine Independent Catholic
Church in the Americas), each assisting, coöperating and co-consecrating by laying on hands
and uttering all the words of consecration. Assisting in this consecration as Co-Consecrators
were Bishop Eric T. Ong Veloso (Orthodox Catholic Church in The Philippines), Bishop
Christopher J. Rogers (Philippine Independent Catholic Church in The Americas), and Exarch
Marciel (Michael Marshall, Orthodox Old Catholic Church). On 4 May 1991 Bishop Karl Julius
Barwin consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Arthur (Alexis) Longacre of the American Catholic Church. Assisting Bishop Barwin
was Bishop Eric T. Ong Veloso of the American Orthodox Catholic Church, Bishop Carl Smith
and Bishop Paul Schultz of the Philippine Independent Catholic Church in the Americas. On 4
January 1997 consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Louis David Chinavare of the American Catholic Church. Assisting Bishop Longacre
was Archbishop John Robert Collier of the Order of Caring Chaplains, Archbishop Patrick
Randolph Connolly of the American Catholic Church and Bishop Benedict Clouse. On 7 May
2006 consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Richard A. Kalbfleisch, OCF, Independent Catholic Church, Diocese of
Summerville, South Carolina, USA, Pastor of Saint Francis of Assisi Old Catholic Church,
Summerville, SC, and Minister General of the Order of Franciscan Clerics Minor (OCF).
Old Catholic Lines through Archbishop William Montgomery Brown
Archbishop Gerard Gul (Old Catholic Church of Utrecht), assisted by Bishop Johannes
Jacobus van Thiel and Bishop Nicholas Bartholomaeus Petrus Spit (both with The Old Catholic
Church of Utrecht) and Bishop Josef Demmel (Old Catholic Church in Germany), consecrated
to the Sacred Episcopate:
Archbishop-Primate Arnold Harris Mathew on 28 April 1908 as Archbishop of London and
Primate of the Old Catholic Church in England. Archbishop Mathew consecrated to the Sacred
Episcopate:
Bishop Rudolf Franziskus Eduard de Landas Berghes et de Rache on 29 June 1913 as
Missionary Bishop for Scotland. In 1916 Prince de Landas Berghes became Archbishop-Primate
of The National Catholic Church in North America. Archbishop de Landas Berghes et de Rache
consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop William Henry Francis Brothers on 3 October 1916 for The Old Roman Catholic
Church. In 1917 Bishop Brothers became Archbishop and Metropolitan of The Old Catholic
Church in America. Archbishop Brothers consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop William Montgomery Brown on 24 June 1925, assisted by Bishop Jozef Zielonka
(Polish Old Catholic Church of America) and Bishop Albert Jehan (Bishop of Chicago, the Old
Catholic Church in America). Bishop Brown consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Wallace David de Ortega Maxey on 2 January 1927, assisted by Bishop Jozef
Zielonka (Polish Old Catholic Church of America), Bishop Albert Jehan (Bishop of Chicago, the
Old Catholic Church in America), and Archbishop William Henry Francis Brothers (Primate, the
Old Catholic Church in America). Archbishop de Ortega Maxey consecrated to the Sacred
Episcopate:
Archbishop Nils Bertil Alexander Persson as Primate of The Apostolic Episcopal Church on
7 November 1986, assisted by Archbishop Robert Ronald Ramm (Apostolic Episcopal Catholic
Church). Archbishop Persson also serves as the Missionary General for Scandinavia and All
Europe for both the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (Philippine Independent Catholic Church,
confirmed 15 June 1988; this is a member jurisdiction of The Anglican Communion) and the
Igreja Católica Apostólica Brasiliera (Brazilian Catholic Apostolic Church, confirmed 14 June
1987). Archbishop Persson consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Karl J. Barwin as Primate of The Evangelical Catholic Church on 5 August 1989,
assisted by Archbishop Emile Federico Rodrigues y Fairfield (Iglesia Ortodoxa Catolica
Apostolica Mexicana), Bishop Carroll T. Lowery (The Apostolic Episcopal Church), Archbishop
Arthur J. Garrow (The Archiepiscopate Ordinariate of Healing Arts Missionaries & Chaplains in
America) and Archbishop Howard D. van Orden (Order of St. Jude; Archbishop of Albuquerque
and Dependencies, The Philippine Independent Catholic Church in The Americas), each
assisting, coöperating and co-consecrating by laying on hands and uttering all the words of
consecration. Assisting in this consecration as Co-Consecrators were Archbishop Paul Christian
Gerald W. Schultz (Archbishop of Los Angeles and Administrator of The Philippine Independent
Catholic Church in The Americas), Bishop Petros (Eric Tan Ong Veloso, Orthodox Catholic
Church in The Philippines), Bishop Christopher J. Rogers (Suffragan Bishop of Los Angeles, The
Philippine Independent Catholic Church in The Americas), and Bishop Marciel (Michael Marshall,
Orthodox Old Catholic Church).
Bishop Arthur (Alexis) Longacre of the American Catholic Church. Assisting Bishop Barwin
was Bishop Eric T. Ong Veloso of the American Orthodox Catholic Church, Bishop Carl Smith
and Bishop Paul Schultz of the Philippine Independent Catholic Church in the Americas. On 4
January 1997 consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Louis David Chinavare of the American Catholic Church . Assisting Bishop Longacre
was Archbishop John Robert Collier of the Order of Caring Chaplains, Archbishop Patrick
Randolph Connolly of the American Catholic Church and Bishop Benedict Clouse. On 7 May
2006 consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Richard A. Kalbfleisch, OCF, of the Independent Catholic Church, Diocese of
Summerville, South Carolina, USA, Pastor of Saint Francis of Assisi Old Catholic Church,
Summerville, SC, .and Minister General of the Order of Franciscan Clerics Minor (OCF).
The Apostolic Succession (Russkaya Pravoslovnay Tserkov)
In the ninth century the Rus (or Varangians) became masters of what is now western Russia
and the indigenous Slavic population. Their chief centers of population were Novgorod, in the
north, and Kiev, in the south (now part of the Ukraine). This ruling minority of mostly Swedish
Vikings soon adopted the Slavonic tongue and customs of their subjects.
Tradition credits Saint Andrew The First-Called with planting the seeds of Christianity in the
area about Kiev. These seeds were nurtured by the ministry of Saints Cyril & Methodius, now
known as the Apostles of the Slaves, in The Ukraine beginning in AD 864, using the native
language. They invented a Slavic alphabet (based upon the Greek), which is still used today.
The north shore of The Black Sea had been settled by Christians at least as early as the fourth
century. The Khazars, rulers of what is now southern Russia, had adopted Judaism. However,
the missionary efforts supported by Patriarch Photius of Constantinople to the Khazars was so
successful that they soon asked for a Bishop of their own. Just a few years later Emperor Basil
I ("The Macedonian") and Patriarch Ignatius commissioned a missionary Bishop to the
Russians, who made many converts.
The first known Christian ruler over the Kievan State is Saint Olga (Olha), dowager regent,
who received Christian baptism in AD 950. Although she sent to Emperor Otto I of Germany for
missionaries, they seemed to have had no marked success. It is Saint Vladimir (Volodymyr
The Great), the grandson of St. Olga, who accepted baptism himself about AD 986 and then in
AD 988 commanded the Christianization of his entire State, who is recognized as having
initiated the conversion of Russia. Although St. Vladimir received delegates from The Pope and
sent representatives to Rome, it was The Church of Constantinople which won his support. At
the time of his death, in AD 1015, there were three bishoprics in his domains; based upon the
foundations laid by St. Vladimir, Christianity continued its gradual, steady spread throughout
Russia. The Metropolitan of Kiev, for centuries the administrative head of The Russian Church,
was appointed by the Patriarch of Constantinople; he was usually a Greek, unfamiliar with The
Faithful of Russia. The clergy were poorly trained and almost always too few for the size of the
country. The priests were chosen by their parishioners, while the bishops (a substantial
minority of whom were also foreigners with little understanding of the customs or language of
their flocks) were selected by the local princes.
The establishment of an independent Russian Church coincided with the decline of The
Byzantine Empire, and the simultaneous rise of The Russian Empire. This process was helped
when Kiev was destroyed during the Tartar invasion, and the Metropolitan consequently forced
to move to Moscow (AD 1320). After the Grand Duke of Moscow (Ivan III) married a daughter
of the nearest relative of the last Emperor of Constantinople, he claimed to be the legitimate
successor of the Byzantine Emperors. He even adopted the double-headed eagle, symbol of
Imperial Byzantine power. Later, beginning in AD 1547, the princes of the Russian State, as
successors of the Byzantine Emperors, began calling themselves Czar (i.e., "Caesar"). It was
only natural that they would seek the prestige of a self-governing independent Church in order
to bolster their own temporal claims. Although the Russian Church claimed autocephaly from
AD 1448, when the Russian Bishops began electing their own Primate (the Metropolitan of
Moscow), official recognition of this independence by the ancient and historic patriarchates was
not secured until AD 1590 (one year after Jeremiah II, Patriarch of Constantinople, was
persuaded to invest Iob, the 46th Metropolitan of Moscow, as the first Russian Patriarch --
although Iob had been promoted to the rank of Patriarch by the Russian Bishops in AD 1453)
at a meeting in Constantinople of all the Patriarchs of the historic Sees. When Constantinople
fell to the Moslems on 29 May 1453, Russia became the only nation where the freedom of The
Orthodox Church remained unrestricted; this favorably influenced their claim for an
independent Patriarchate.
The Time of Troubles (civil war) which began in AD 1598 upon the death of Czar Fedor
(Theodore), the childless son of Ivan IV, increased the Patriarch's political influence. It reached
its height under Patriarch Filaret, whose son, Michael, at the age of sixteen, became the first
Czar of the Romanov Dynasty. When Patriarch Adrian died in AD 1700, Czar Peter The Great
refused to allow the election of a new Patriarch, leaving Stefan Iavorskii as Locum Tenens for
21 years. In AD 1721 Czar Peter finally promulgated a new constitution for The Church, which
suspended the office of Patriarch and placed the governance of The Church under an Holy
Synod.
Copying the example of Henry VIII of England, the government-imposed new Church
constitution made The Czar the Head of The Church of Russia. It went further than King Henry,
however, by providing for a Lay Procurator (a government official) to administer The Church's
day-to-day affairs. This "constitutional" subjugation of The Church to the Russian State
established the precedent of direct governmental control over and interference in all the affairs
of The Russian Orthodox Church -- a practice continued until the end of the 20th century by the
atheistical government of the U.S.S.R.
After the overthrow of Czar Nikolai II in March of AD 1917, The Russian Orthodox Church
immediately convened a national Sobor to reform The Church and revive the Patriarchate of
Moscow, which Czar Peter The Great had suspended. Metropolitan Tikhon, who had earlier
been Russian Archbishop in America, won the election and assumed the office of Patriarch of
Moscow and All Russia in November of that year, almost simultaneously with the outbreak of
the Communist Revolution. This All-Russian Council (Sobor) attempted to restore sobornost --
the active participation of the whole Church (bishops, clergy, and laity) in every aspect of the
Church's life, in contrast to the bureaucratic centralization which had ruled The Church under
the secular and often hostile government of Russia since the creation of The Holy Synod by
Czar Peter The Great.
The new reäctionary Communist government of Russia immediately placed severe restrictions
upon the revitalized and reforming Church of Russia. In view of the vigorous anti-religion
activities of the new Russian government, Patriarch Tikhon issued a statement in AD 1917
urging The Russian Faithful to act independently to preserve The Church. Some of the Bishops
of The Russian Church attempted to heed The Patriarch's advice by establishing a separate
independent Church administration in southeastern Russia. The advance of the Bolsheviks,
however, forced these faithful shepherds into exile.
In November of 1920 these refugee Bishops organized The Supreme Church Administration for
Churches Outside of Russia in Istanbul (Constantinople), with the approval of The Öcumenical
Patriarch. At the invitation of The Patriarch of Serbia, The Supreme Church Administration
moved to Yugoslavia. Twelve of these Bishops, with representatives of the clergy and laity,
organized a Sobor at Sremski Karlovtsi, Yugoslavia, on 21 November to 2 December 1921,
under the presidency of Anthony Khrapovitski, Metropolitan of Kiev and Galich and under the
canonical authority of an ukase (i.e., an Edict having the force of law) issued in AD 1920 by
Patriarch Tikhon. The result of this meeting was the organization of The Russian Orthodox
Church Outside Russia, sometimes called The Synodal Church.
Patriarch Tikhon, who vigorously opposed the inhumane and atheistic policies of the
revolutionary regime, was cruelly imprisoned on 9 May 1922. The Communists refused to
permit an election for his successor when he died in AD 1925. Metropolitan Petr of Krutica
became Locum Tenes (Patriarchal Vicar), but he, too, was almost immediately imprisoned. He
was succeeded later that year by Sergii, the Metropolitan of Nizhni-Novgorod, who tried to
make peace with the new Soviet government. Although he suffered temporary imprisonment
(December AD 1926 to April 1927), he issued a declaration in July of AD 1927 changing The
Church's official stance towards the Communist government from one of hostility to one of
praise and coöperation. Outside observers have called this declaration of The Metropolitan
either the great betrayal or the great salvation of The Russian Church.
The Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia naturally disapproved of the coöperation between
the Patriarchal Church and the atheistic Communist government in Russia, as first formulated
in the letters issued by Metropolitan (later Patriarch) Sergii in AD 1926 and AD 1927. Because
of the inappropriate influence seemingly exercised by the anti-religious government of Russia,
The Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia refused to recognize The Patriarch of Moscow
and All Russia in any way on the grounds that the Communist government completely
controlled the patriarchate.
With the invasion of Mother Russia by the Nazis (Russia's former ally in the partition of Poland
at the beginning of World War II), the political climate changed in Moscow. Metropolitan Sergii
urged The Faithful to sincerely support the Russian war effort against the Nazis; he issued calls
to arms, organized fund raising rallies, and did everything possible to ensure the protection of
his people and the defense of The Church. By 1 October 1944 The Church had donated
150,000,000 rubles, as well as gifts "in kind," to the Communist government. These many
sacrifices and contributions for Russia gained him the favorable attention of the then current
Communist Dictator, Josef Stalin, who finally granted the Metropolitan's request for new
patriarchal elections. Sergii was elected Patriarch on 7 September 1943; he unfortunately died
within six months. After that The Kremlin permitted subsequent elections within a year of each
vacancy and had made The Orthodox Church of Russia one of the few officially recognized
Christian organizations in the Soviet Union -- following the precedent established by Czar Peter
The Great. The Sobor to elect the new Patriarch was held 31 January to 2 February 1945. The
Patriarch of Alexandria, Patriarch of Antioch, and the Catholicos of Georgia attended this
Sobor, together with 44 Russian Bishops, 126 clergy, and representatives of the laity. The
Sobor elected Alexis as the new Russian Patriarch. They thus established a "working model" for
the other European Communist countries to follow in dealing with Religion. However, all other
potential national Orthodox jurisdictions within the then-U.S.S.R., with the exception of the
ancient and historic patriarchates of Armenia and Georgia, were merged into the Moscow
Patriarchate, as were some Eastern-Rite Roman Catholics and many other Christian
jurisdictions and sects.
The Orthodox Church of Russia has been increasingly active in international Orthodox and
ecumenical affairs during the last few decades of the 20th Century. She has been particularly
vocal before the World Council of Churches and elsewhere in encouraging anti-nuclear and anti-
war movements throughout the world. The Primate of The Church of Russia bears the title:
Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. The official language of The Church is naturally Russian.
Metropolitan Antonii became the first head of The Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia,
with his Seat at Geneva, Switzerland. He was succeeded in AD 1936 by Metropolitan Anastasii
(who died in AD 1965), who was followed on his retirement by Metropolitan Filaret, in 1964.
The chief See of the Metropolitan was moved during World War II to Munich, Germany, and in
AD 1952 to New York City. Since then The Synodal Church has attracted The Faithful from
other exiled jurisdictions, particularly those with origins in the formerly communist-controlled
nations of eastern European. The recent collapse of communism has not resulted in any
rapproachment between the exile-jurisdictions and their mother churches.......yet. With the
Moscow Patriarchate's vigorous pursuit of the return of Church property in foreign lands which
has been administered since the Communist Revolution in Russia by The Synodal Church, the
rift between the Synodal Church and the Moscow Patriarchate may never be healed.
Apostolic Succession from The Russian Orthodox Church through Saint Peter
Bishop Aleksij (Sergiy Vladimirovich Simanskij, 1877-1970) was consecrated 28 April 1913
by Patriarch Gregorios IV of The Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All The East in
Russia as Bishop of Tichvin. In 1945 he was elected Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.
Patriarch Aleksij, assisted by Metropolitan Nikolaj (Boris Dorofeevic Jaruevic), Archbishop
Makarij (Sergej Konstantinovic Daev), Archbishop Jurij (Vjaeslav Michaijlovic Egorov), Bishop
Aleksij (Viktor Aleksandrovic Konoplev) and Bishop Pimen (Sergij Izvekov), consecrated to the
Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop John (Konstantin Nikolaevich Wendland, 1909-1989), Patriarchal Exarch of The
Russian Orthodox Church in America, on 28 December 1958. On 3 August 1963 Bishop John
became Metropolitan of The Russian Orthodox Church in America. He was recalled to Russia on
10 July 1967. Metropolitan John, assisted by Bishop Dositheus (Michail Ivanchenko of The
Russian Orthodox Church in America), consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Joseph (Joseph John Skureth, 01/08/1933 -- ), as Exarch, The Western Orthodox
Catholic Church in America, Exarchate of The Patriarchates of Moscow and Antioch (a Western
Rite body within The Russian Orthodox Church in America) on 17 April 1966. Bishop Dosifej
(Dositheus/Michail Ivanchenko) had ordained Bp. Joseph priest on 3 July 1963. Exarch Joseph
is also affiliated with The Syrian-Antiochian Orthodox Church. Bishop Joseph, assisted by
Archbishop Francisco de Jesus Pagtakhan (The Philippine Independent Catholic Church, Manila)
and Bishop Lawrence Lee Shaver (The Philippine Independent Catholic Church in The
Americas), consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Bertil (Nils Bertil Alexander Persson, 11/10/1941 -- ) as Archbishop of The Apostolic
Episcopal Church on 28 February 1989). Archbishop Bertil, together with Archbishop Emile
Federico Rodrigues y Fairfield (Iglesia Ortodoxa Catolica Apostolica Mexicana), Bishop Carroll
T. Lowery (The Apostolic Episcopal Church), Archbishop Arthur J. Garrow (The Archiepiscopate
Ordinariate of Healing Arts Missionaries & Chaplains in America) and Bishop Howard D. van
Orden (Order of St. Jude), each assisting, coöperating and co-consecrating by laying on hands
and uttering all the words of consecration, and assisting in this consecration as Co-
Consecrators by Archbishop Paul Christian Gerald W. Schultz (Archbishop of Los Angeles and
Administrator of The Philippine Independent Catholic Church in The Americas), Bishop Petros
(Eric Tan Ong Veloso, Orthodox Catholic Church in The Philippines), Bishop Christopher J.
Rogers (Suffragan Bishop of Los Angeles, The Philippine Independent Catholic Church in The
Americas), and Bishop Marciel (Michael Marshall, Orthodox Old Catholic Church), consecrated
to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Karl (Karl Julius Barwin, 10/16/1943 -- ) as Primate of The Evangelical Catholic
Church on The Feast of Saint Addai and Saint Mari (5 August) 1989, in The Chapel of The Holy
Guardian Angels in Glendale, California, consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Arthur (Arthur Alexis Longacre) of the American Catholic Church. Assisting Bishop
Barwin was Bishop Eric T. Ong Veloso of the American Orthodox Catholic Church, Bishop Carl
Smith and Bishop Paul Schultz of the Philippine Independent Catholic Church in the Americas.
On 4 January 1997 consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Louis (Louis David Chinavare)
of the American Catholic Church. Assisting Bishop Longacre was Archbishop John Robert
Collier of the Order of Caring Chaplains, Archbishop Patrick Randolph Connolly of the
American Catholic Church and Bishop Benedict Clouse. On 7 May 2006 consecrated to the
Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Richard (Richard A. Kalbfleisch, 08/04/1955 --)
of the Independent Catholic Church, Diocese of Summerville, South Carolina, USA, Pastor of
Saint Francis of Assisi Old Catholic Church, Summerville, SC, and Minister General of the Old
Catholic Order of Saint Francis (OCF).
The Russian Orthodox Church through Saint Andrew
Bishop Makarij (Michael Nevskij, 1835 - 02/16/26) was consecrated in 1884 by Bishop Nikon
of The Russian Orthodox Church. He was elected Archbishop in 1906 and served as
Metropolitan of Moscow and Kolomenskoe from 1912-1917. Bishop Makarij consecrated to the
Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Evdokim (Basil Michaelovic Meschersky, 1869 - 1935) as Vicar Bishop, Diocese of
Moscow, on 4 January 1904. Bishop Evdokim became the Archbishop of The North American
Diocese of The Russian Orthodox Church in 1914. Archbishop Evdokim consecrated to the
Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Aftimios (Abdullah Ofiesh, 1880 - 1966) as Bishop of Brooklyn on 13 May 1917.
Bishop Aftimios became Archbishop of The Syrian Orthodox Mission of The North American
Diocese of The Russian Orthodox Church in 1923. Archbishop Aftimios consecrated to the
Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Sophronios (Sophronios Bishara, 1888 - 1940) as Bishop of Los Angeles on 26 May
1928, assisted by Elias, Metropolitan of Tyre and Sidon (The Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate of
Antioch and All The East) and Bishop Emmanuel (Rizkallah Abo-Hatab, The Syrian Orthodox
Mission of The North American Diocese of The Russian Orthodox Church). Bishop Sophronios
became Archbishop of The Syrian Orthodox Mission of The North American Diocese of The
Russian Orthodox Church in 1933. Archbishop Sophronios consecrated to the Sacred
Episcopate:
Bishop Chrysostomos (John M. More-Moreno, + 1958), assisted by Archbishop-Exarch
Benjamin (Ioann Athenasievich Fedchenkov of The North American Diocese of The Russian
Orthodox Church, in November of 1933. Bishop Chrysostomos became the Ruling Bishop of
The Holy Eastern Orthodox Catholic and Apostolic Church in North America . Bishop
Chrysostomos consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Mar Nikolaus (Perry Nikolaus Cedarholm, 05/18/1890 - 08/06/1979) as Bishop of Brooklyn
and Staten Island for The Apostolic Episcopal Church, assisted by Rev'd Fr. David Leondarides,
The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, on 6 December 1949. Mar Nikolaus returned to
Sweden in 1951 and was acknowledged as a Bishop by the Church of Sweden. He was
enthroned as Bishop of Scandinavia for The Apostolic Episcopal Church in 1953 by Bishop
Herman Philippus Abbinga of the Osterns Apostoliske Episkopale Kirke. In 1969 he assumed
the position of Archbishop of The Apostolic Episcopal Church. Mar Nikolaus consecrated to the
Sacred Episcopate:
Mar Alexander (Nils Bertil Alexander Persson, 11/10/1941 -- ) as Titular Bishop of Smyrna on
12 December 1971. Mar Alexander succeeded Archbishop Nikolaus (Cedarholm) as Archbishop
of Scandinavia of The Apostolic Episcopal Church on 22 July 1977. He was enthroned as
Primate of The Apostolic Episcopal Church by Archbishop Wallace David de Ortega Maxey on 7
November 1986. Archbishop Persson also serves as the Missionary General for Scandinavia
and All Europe for both the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (Philippine Independent Catholic
Church, confirmed 15 June 1988; this is a member jurisdiction of The Anglican Communion)
and the Igreja Católica Apostólica Brasiliera (Brazilian Catholic Apostolic Church, confirmed 14
June 1987). Archbishop Persson consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Karl (Karl Julius Barwin, 10/16/1943 -- ) as Primate of The Evangelical Catholic
Church on 5 August 1989, assisted by Archbishop Emile Federico Rodrigues y Fairfield (Iglesia
Ortodoxa Catolica Apostolica Mexicana), Bishop Carroll T. Lowery (The Apostolic Episcopal
Church), Archbishop Arthur J. Garrow (The Archiepiscopate Ordinariate of Healing Arts
Missionaries & Chaplains in America) and Bishop Howard D. van Orden (Order of St. Jude;
Archbishop of Albuquerque and Dependencies, The Philippine Independent Catholic Church in
The Americas), each assisting, coöperating and co-consecrating by laying on hands and
uttering all the words of consecration. Assisting in this consecration as Co-Consecrators were
Archbishop Paul Christian Gerald W. Schultz (Archbishop of Los Angeles and Administrator of
The Philippine Independent Catholic Church in The Americas), Bishop Petros (Eric Tan Ong
Veloso, Orthodox Catholic Church in The Philippines), Bishop Christopher J. Rogers (Suffragan
Bishop of Los Angeles, The Philippine Independent Catholic Church in The Americas), and
Bishop Marciel (Michael Marshall, Orthodox Old Catholic Church). Bishop Karl consecrated to
the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Arthur (Arthur Alexis Longacre)
of the American Catholic Church. Assisting Bishop Barwin was Bishop Eric T. Ong Veloso of the
American Orthodox Catholic Church, Bishop Carl Smith and Bishop Paul Schultz of the
Philippine Independent Catholic Church in the Americas. On 4 January 1997 consecrated to the
Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Louis (Louis David Chinavare)
of the American Catholic Church. Assisting Bishop Longacre was Archbishop John Robert
Collier of the Order of Caring Chaplains, Archbishop Patrick Randolph Connolly of the
American Catholic Church and Bishop Benedict Clouse. On 7 May 2006 consecrated to the
Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Richard (Richard A. Kalbfleisch, 08/04/1955 --)
of the Independent Catholic Church, Diocese of Summerville, South Carolina, USA, Pastor of
Saint Francis of Assisi Old Catholic Church, Summerville, SC, and Minister General of the Old
Catholic Order of Saint Francis (OCF).
Apostolic Sucession from the Russian Orthodox Church through Archbishop
Theophanies Fan Stylian Noli
Bishop Makarij (Michael Nevskij, 1835 - 02/16/26) was consecrated in 1884 by Bishop Nikon
of The Russian Orthodox Church. He was elected Archbishop in 1906 and served as
Metropolitan of Moscow and Kolomenskoe from 1912-1917. Archbishop Makarij (Macarius)
consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Evdokim (Basil Michaelovic Meschersky, 1869 - 1935) as Vicar Bishop, Diocese of
Moscow, on 4 January 1904. Bishop Evdokim became Archbishop of Alaska and North America
for The Russian Orthodox Church in 1914. Archbishop Evdokim consecrated to the Sacred
Episcopate:
Bishop Aftimios (Abdullah Ofiesh, 1880 - 1966) as Bishop of Brooklyn on 13 May 1917,
assisted by Bishop Stephen Alexander Dzubay of Pittsburgh and Bishop Alexander
Alexandrovich Nemolovksy, Bishop of Canada. Bishop Aftimios became Archbishop of The
Syrian Orthodox Mission of The North American Diocese of The Russian Orthodox Church in
1923. In 1927, urged on by the chaotic conditions in Russia, the canonical Russian Patriarchial
Bishops in the U.S.A. acted upon instructions and advice issued earlier by Patriarch Tikhon of
Moscow, and emphasized by his successor, the Locum Tenens (Sergius), and Commissioned
Bishop Aftimios to be Archbishop and to found and head an autocephalous American Orthodox
Catholic Church. Archbishop Aftimios consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Sophronios (Sophronios Bishara, 1888 - 1940) as Bishop of Los Angeles on 26 May
1928, assisted by Elias, Metropolitan of Tyre and Sidon (The Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate of
Antioch and All The East) and Bishop Emmanuel (Rizkallah Abo-Hatab, The Syrian Orthodox
Mission of The North American Diocese of The Russian Orthodox Church). Bishop Sophronios
became Archbishop of The Syrian Orthodox Mission of The North American Diocese of The
Russian Orthodox Church in 1933. Archbishop Sophronios consecrated to the Sacred
Episcopate:
Bishop Christopher Kontogiorgios (Contogeorge; 1894 - 8/30/50) on 10 February 1934 at
St. John the Baptist Church in New York City, assisting Theophanies Fan Stylian Noli,
Archbishop of The Albanian Orthodox Diocese in America (consecrated 4 December 1923 in St.
George's Cathedral in Korcha, Albania, by Metropolitan Kristofor Kissi [Bishop of Syradon] and
Metropolitan Hierotheos [Andon Yahd, Bishop of Korcha & Plenipotentiary Exarch of the
Patriarchate of Constantinople] as Metropolitan of Durazzo, Gora & Shpata; Primate & Exarch
of All Illyria, of the Western Sea & of all Albania; 1924: President of Albania) as Metropolitan of
Pentapoleos. Bishop Kontogiorgios was appointed Exarch of the Greek Orthodox Catholic
Church under the Patriarchate of Alexandria in 1947. Exarch Kontogiorgios consecrated to the
Sacred Episcopate:
Archbishop Konstantin Jaroshevich in 1949, assisted by Archbishop Arsenios Saltas
(consecrated 25 August 1934 by Abp. Kontogiorgios and Abp. Theophan Noli) and with the
blessing and concurrence of Metropolitan Theophan Noli. In 1954 Abp. Jaroshevich was
appointed Exarch of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa in the United
States. Archbishop Jaroschevich consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Peter Andreas Zhurawetsky (12/07/01 - 1994) in Sts. Peter and Paul Russian
Orthodox Church of Springfield, Massachusetts, on 15 October 1950, assisting Patriarch Joseph
Klimovich (of the American Holy Orthodox Catholic Eastern Church; Ptr. Klimovich was
consecrated 14 October 1930 by Constantine Kuryllo of the Ruthenian Orthodox Church)
together with Metropolitan Nicholas Bohatyretz (of the Ukrainians in the Orthodox Catholic
Church in America; Met. Bohatyretz was consecrated 16 November 1913 by Bp. Paulo Louis
Prota Guirleo Miraglia Gulotti, Bishop of Piacenza of the Italian National Episcopal Church),
Metropolitan Joseph Zielonka (Polish Old Catholic Church of America and Europe) and Bishop
Peter M. Williamowich (consecrated by Met. Fan Noli), as Suffragan Bishop, The Polish Old
Catholic Church. In December 1960 Bp. Zhurawetsky succeeded Metropolitan Zielonka and
immediately changed the name of this jurisdiction to Christ Catholic Church of the Americas
and Europe, and taking the name of Peter II. In 1978, His Beatitude, Pope Nikolaus VII of
Alexandria and All Africa wrote a letter recognizing Abp. Petros Zhurawetsky as a canonical
Orthodox bishop. Patriarch Peter II consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Robert Gerald John Schulyer Zeiger (01/01/29 - 1998) in the Russian Orthodox
Church of the Holy Trinity and St. Olga, New Brunswick, New Jersey, on 1 July 1961, assisted
by Primate Hubert Augustus Rogers, Bishop Julian Lester Smith, and Bishop James Hubert
Rogers (all of The North American Old Roman Catholic Church) as Bishop for The Orthodox
Catholic Patriarchate of America. He later left Ptr. Zhurawetsky's jurisdiction in 1961 and
founded the American Orthodox Catholic Church. In 1964 he resigned as Primate of that
jurisdiction while remaining Archbishop Metropolitan of Denver. On 10 August 1976, Abp.
Zeiger was consecrated at St. Paul's Monastery, La Porte, Indiana, by Abp/Primate Joseph John
Skureth (Western Orthodox Catholic Church) assisted by Bishop Joseph Gabriel Sokolowski, O.
S.B. (Abbot General, St. Paul's Monastery, La Porte, Indiana; consecrated 16 March 1970 by
Abp. Joseph John Skureth & Bp. Frank Blevins). Abp. Zeiger consecrated sub conditione to the
Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Andre Leon Zotique Barbeau (11/22/12 - 2/14/94) on 8 August 1976, assisted by
Bishop Gordon Albert Da Costa (Anglican Church of the Americas; consecrated 19 June 1971
by Bp. Benjamin C. Eckardt of the Free Protestant Episcopal Church, assisted by Bp. Charles
Kennedy Samuel Steward Moffat and Bp. Albert J. Fuge). He was earlier consecrated on 14
May 1968 at the Pro-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Mirabel, Quebec, Canada, by Bp.
Charles Brearley (Old Holy Catholic Church; consecrated 16 June 1954 by Marziano II,
Basileus of Constantinople and of All the Christian Orient {Prince de Deols, Alessandro Licastro
de la Chastre Grimaldi-Lascaris}, claimant to the throne of the Holy Roman Empire of the
Orient as the 269th Emperor) and later on 26 July 1973 by Bishop Garry Robert Armstrong
(Liberal Catholic Church International; consecrated 8 October 1972 by Bp. William Henry Daw
of the Liberal Catholic Church International). He was further consecrated sub conditione on 19
August 1976 by Abp. Josef Maria Thiesen (Alt Roemisch Katholische Kirche in Germany;
consecrated 17 April 1949 by Bp. Aloysius Stumpfl) and on 12/12/76 s.c. at the Cite de Marie,
Mirabel, Quebec, Canada by Bp. George Bellemare (Eglise Universelle de la Nouvelle Alliance;
consecrated 7 July 1975 by Bp. Roger Caro, assisted by Bp. Maurice Auberger and Bp. Patrick
LeBar). Patriarch Barbeau consecrated sub conditione to the Sacred Episcopate:
Archbishop Leonard J. Curreri (07/27/46 - ) on 30 July 1977 at Mirabel, Quebec, Canada,
assisted by Archbishop Rainer Laufer (Old Holy Catholic Church of Canada; Abp. Laufer was
consecrated 18 November 1975 by: Bp. Charles Brearley of The Old Holy Catholic Church;
Abp. Andre LeTellier, Titular Archbishop of Hippo and Archbishop Coadjutor of Montreal,
Canada, Catholic Charismatic Church of Canada; and Bp. Jean-Marie Breault, Titular Bishop of
Bethlehem and Auxiliary Bishop of Montreal, Catholic Charismatic Church of Canada), as
Primate of The Tridentine Catholic Church. Abp. Curreri was first consecrated at Holy Cross
Polish Catholic Church, New York City, on 23 April 1977 by Bp. Francis Joseph Ryan
(Ecumenical Orthodox Catholic Church--Autocephalous; Bp. Ryan was consecrated in 1965 by
Ptr. Udladyslau Ryzy-Ryski), assisted by Bp. Holmes Bennett Dayhoff (Tridentine Catholic
Church) and Bp. John Basilo (American Orthodox Catholic Church; Bp. Basilo was consecrated
by Walter Myron Propheta). Archbishop Curreri consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Peter Paul Brennan (1941 - ) on 10 June 1978 at Our Lady Queen of Heaven
Church, Long Island, New York, assisting Bishop Richard Thomas McFarland (African Orthodox
Church). He was consecrated sub conditione on 4 October 1979 by Archbishop Leonard J.
Curreri (Tridentine Catholic Church), assisted by Archbishop Peter James G. Grazeloa
(American National Catholic Church) and Bp. Holmes Bennett Dayhoff. In 1984 Abp. Brennan
became head of the Ecumenical Catholic Diocese of the Americas based in West Hempstead,
New York. Abp. Brennan consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Howard D. van Orden ((1938 - ) on 14 October 1984, assisting Bp. Patrick J.
Callahan (Old Roman Catholic Church--Utrecht Succession; Bp. Callahan was consecrated on
17 April 1984 by Abp. Emile Federico Rodriguez y Fairfield and Abp. Paul G. W. Schultz) as
Bishop of The Western Rite Orthodox Catholic Church of Jesus in St. Stephen's Orthodox
Catholic Church of Savannah, Georgia. Bishop van Orden consecrated to the Sacred
Episcopate:
Bishop Karl Julius Barwin (10/16/43 - ) as Primate of The Evangelical Catholic Church on
The Feast of Saint Addai and Saint Mari (5 August) 1989 in The Chapel of The Holy Guardian
Angels in Glendale, California, assisting Archbishop Bertil Persson (The Apostolic Episcopal
Church), together with Archbishop Emile Federico Rodrigues y Fairfield (Iglesia Ortodoxa
Catolica Apostolica Mexicana), Bishop Carroll T. Lowery (The Apostolic Episcopal Church), and
Archbishop Arthur J. Garrow (The Archiepiscopate Ordinariate of Healing Arts Missionaries &
Chaplains in America), each assisting, coöperating and co-consecrating by laying on hands and
uttering all the words of consecration. Assisting in this consecration as Co-Consecrators were
Archbishop Paul Christian Gerald W. Schultz (Archbishop of Los Angeles and Administrator of
The Philippine Independent Catholic Church in The Americas), Bishop Eric T. Ong Veloso
(Orthodox Catholic Church in The Philippines), Bishop Christopher J. Rogers (Philippine
Independent Catholic Church in The Americas), and Exarch Marciel (Michael Marshall, Orthodox
Old Catholic Church). Bishop Barwin consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Arthur Alexis Longacre of the American Catholic Church. Assisting Bishop Barwin
was Bishop Eric T. Ong Veloso of the American Orthodox Catholic Church, Bishop Carl Smith
and Bishop Paul Schultz of the Philippine Independent Catholic Church in the Americas. On 4
January 1997 consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Louis David Chinavare of the American Catholic Church. Assisting Bishop Longacre
was Archbishop John Robert Collier of the Order of Caring Chaplains, Archbishop Patrick
Randolph Connolly of the American Catholic Church and Bishop Benedict Clouse. On 7 May
2006 consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Richard A. Kalbfleisch, OCF, (08/04/1955 --) of the Independent Catholic Church,
Diocese of Summerville, South Carolina, USA, Pastor of Saint Francis of Assisi Old Catholic
Church, Summerville, SC, and Minister General of the Order of Franciscan Clerics Minor (OCF).
Apostolic Succession through Bishop Joseph A. Zuk
Joseph A. Zuk (? - 2/23/34) was consecrated on 7 February 1932 by Bp. Aftimios (Abdullah
Ofiesh; Holy Eastern Orthodox Catholic and Apostolic Church in North America), assisted by
Bp. Sophronios Bishara (Bishop of Los Angeles) as Assistant Bishop of The Holy Eastern
Orthodox Catholic and Apostolic Church in North America with special oversight over The
Ukrainian Orthodox Church of America. The ecclesiastical jurisdiction of these bishops (Ofiesh,
Bishara & Zuk) is believed by many to be the sole canonical successor of The Russian
Orthodox jurisdiction established for North America by way of Alaska in 1763 under Canon Law
(Council of Chalcedon, 453 A.D.); thus this jurisdiction would be the only lawful (i.e., canonical)
Orthodox jurisdiction in the U.S.A. Bishop Zuk consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
William Albert Nichols (12/4/1867 - 2/6/1947) on 27 September 1932, together with Bp.
Sophronios Bishara, assisting Abp. Aftimios (Abdullah Ofiesh). Bishop Nichols took the
ecclesiastical name of Ignatius. Against canon law and Church tradition, Bp. Ignatius (Nichols)
married in June of 1933, for which he was formally removed from Office by Bp. Bishara. Upon
the death of both Bp. Bishara and Bp. Zuk in 1934, Bp. Nichols assumed leadership of part of
The Holy Eastern Orthodox and Apostolic Church in North America, officially incorporating it in
the State of New York on 16 March 1936 under the name: The Holy Orthodox Church in
America. This newly incorporated jurisdiction also included the former Anglican Universal
Church of Christ in the United States of America (Chaldean), which allowed married bishops
and was headed by Abp. George Winslow Plummer. Ignatius, Archbishop of Washington, D.C.,
consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
George Winslow Plummer (8/25/1876 - 1/23/1944) on 8 May 1934, assisted by Bishop
Ambrosius (Maitland Raines of The Russian Orthodox Church; consecrated by Bp. Alexander
Vvedensky) and took the ecclesiastical name of Mar Georgius. Mar Georgius consecrated to the
Sacred Episcopate:
Stanislaus de Witow (born Stanislaus Witowski; 2/9/1890 - 4/1969) on 29 November 1936,
assisted by Abp. Ignatius (William Albert Nichols) and Bishop Irenaeus (Henry van Arsdale
Parsell; consecrated 19 September 1920 by Bp Manuel Ferrando of the Reformed Episcopal
Church assisted by Mar Georgius/Plummer) and took the ecclesiastical name Theodotus. Bp.
Theodotus became head of The Holy Orthodox Church in America on 14 April 1951 succeeding
Abp/Primate Roy C. Toombs (who had succeeded Mar Georgius on 23 January 1944). Abp.
Theodotus consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Walter Myron Propheta (1912 - 10/8/1972) in Springfield, Massachusetts, on 3 October
1964, assisting Ptr. Joachim Souris of the True Orthodox Church of Greece (consecrated 2 June
1951 by Ptr. Joseph Klimovicz of the American Holy Orthodox Catholic Eastern Church,
assisted by Ptr. Peter A. Zhurawetsky, Bp. Jozef Zielonka, and Bp. Clement I {John Cyril
Sherwood}). On 30 March1965 he was elevated to Archbishop by Abp. Theodotus and Bishop
Theoklitus Kantaris (Bishop of the Greek Orthodox Diocese of New York , consecrated by
Makarios III, Archbishop/Primate of Cyprus), and took the ecclesiastical name of Patriarch
Woldymyr I. Ptr. Woldymyr I consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
John Arthur Christian (Chiasson; born: John Christofer Saison; ? - 12/25/1984) on 31 July
1966, assisted by Abp. Theodotus (Stanislaus De Witow). He was elected to succeed Ptr.
Woldymyr I at a Synod of The American Orthodox Catholic Church on 18 November 1972,
taking the ecclesiastical name of Christian I. Ptr. Christian I consecrated sub conditione to the
Sacred Episcopate:
Harold James Donovan (? - 3/18/1996) in Chicago, Illinois, on 4 July 1982, at the request of
the Holy Synod of The Holy Orthodox Catholic Apostolic Church in the Philippines, taking the
ecclesiastical name of Mar Aftimios II. He had been previously consecrated on 16 March 1980
as Missionary Bishop for this jurisdiction by Bp. Tirso Cinco Noble, assisted by Bp. Miguel
Pestano Borja, Bp. Joel T. Borja, and Bp. Urbano A. Blanco (all Bishops within The Holy
Orthodox Catholic Apostolic Church in the Philippines). In co-operation with Ptr. Christian I,
Mar Aftimios II created an Exarchy in January 1983 of the Philippine Church later known as:
The American Orthodox Church. Mar Aftimios II was consecrated sub conditione on 19 January
1987 by Bishop-Primate Forest Ernest Barber of the Holy Orthodox Catholic Apostolic Church in
the Philippines (a part of the Igreja Catolica Apostolica Brasileira) assisted by Metropolitan
Mark (Senen C. Bordeos) of the Holy Orthodox Catholic Apostolic Church in the Philippines,
based in Los Banos. Mar Aftimios II consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Eric Tan Ong Veloso on 12 March 1989 in The Holy Guardian Angels Chapel,
Glendale, California, assisted by Abp. Paul G. W. Schultz (Archbishop of Los Angeles and
Administrator of The Philippine Independent Catholic Church in the Americas). Bp. Veloso had
been previously consecrated on 30 October 1988 in Our Mother of Perpetual Help Orthodox
Catholic Church of Los Angeles, California, by Abp. Howard D. van Orden, assisted by Bp. Jack
London Mette (of the Catholic Apostolic Church in North America/Patriarchate of Brazil;
consecrated by: Abp. de Ortega Maxey; Bp. Raymond Eugene Hefner; Ptr. Francis Jerome
Joachim; Bp. Charles David Luther) and Bp. Carroll T. Lowery, for the Orthodox Catholic
Church in The Philippines, taking the ecclesiastical name of Mar Petros. Mar Petros consecrated
to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Karl Julius Barwin (10/16/1943 - ) in The Holy Guardian Angels Chapel, Glendale,
California, on 5 August 1989, as Primate of The Evangelical Catholic Church, assisting
Archbishop Nils Bertil Alexander Persson (The Apostolic Episcopal Church), together with
Archbishop Emile Federico Rodrigues y Fairfield (Iglesia Ortodoxa Catolica Apostolica
Mexicana), Bishop Carroll T. Lowery (The Apostolic Episcopal Church), Bishop Howard D. van
Orden (Order of St. Jude; Archbishop of Albuquerque and Dependencies, The Philippine
Independent Catholic Church in The Americas), and Archbishop Arthur J. Garrow (The
Archiepiscopate Ordinariate of Healing Arts Missionaries & Chaplains in America), each
assisting, coöperating and co-consecrating by laying on hands and uttering all the words of
consecration. Assisting in this consecration as Co-Consecrators were Archbishop Paul Christian
Gerald W. Schultz (Archbishop of Los Angeles and Administrator of The Philippine Independent
Catholic Church in The Americas), Bishop Christopher J. Rogers (Philippine Independent
Catholic Church in The Americas), and Exarch Marciel (Michael Marshall, Orthodox Old Catholic
Church).Bishop Barwin consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Arthur Alexis Longacre of the American Catholic Church. Assisting Bishop Barwin
was Bishop Eric T. Ong Veloso of the American Orthodox Catholic Church, Bishop Carl Smith
and Bishop Paul Schultz of the Philippine Independent Catholic Church in the Americas. On 4
January 1997 consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Louis David Chinavare of the American Catholic Church. Assisting Bishop Longacre
was Archbishop John Robert Collier of the Order of Caring Chaplains, Archbishop Patrick
Randolph Connolly of the American Catholic Church and Bishop Benedict Clouse. On 7 May
2006 consecrated to the Sacred Episcopate:
Bishop Richard A. Kalbfleisch, OCF, (08/04/1955 --) of the Independent Catholic Church,
Diocese of Summerville, South Carolina, USA, Pastor of Saint Francis of Assisi Old Catholic
Church, Summerville, SC, and Minister General of the Order of Franciscan Clerics Minor (OCF).
| Most Rev. Richard A. Kalbfleisch, OCF through the Catholic Apostolic Church of Brazil (Igreja Catolica Apostolica Brasileira) Old Catholic Church of Utrecht & Russian Orthodox Church |