Diocese of Down and Dromore: Difference between revisions

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|picture=Downpatrick Cathedral - geograph.org.uk - 350059.jpg
|picture=Downpatrick Cathedral - geograph.org.uk - 350059.jpg
|county=Down
|county=Down
|arms=Diocese of Down and Dromore arms.svg
|parishes= 77
|parishes= 77
|churches= 111
|churches= 111

Latest revision as of 07:31, 7 March 2018

Diocese of Down and Dromore
Church of Ireland
Province: Armagh
Arms of the Bishop of Down and Dromore
Arms of the Bishop of Down and Dromore
Bishop: Harold Creeth Miller
Cathedral: (1) Down Cathedral
(2) Dromore Cathedral
Organisation
No. of parishes: 77
No. of churches: 111
Details
Website: downanddromore.org

The Diocese of Down and Dromore (also known as the United Dioceses of Down and Dromore) is a diocese of the Church of Ireland in the Province of Armagh. The geographical remit of the diocese covers County Down, including the metropolitan parts within the City of Belfast, and those parts of County Armagh east of the River Bann (the Barony of Oneilland East).

The Diocese is the second largest of the Church of Ireland in terms of church population, with around 91,000 people and more than one hundred serving ordained clergy. It is divided up into 79 parishes, with a total of 115 churches.

Overview and history

The Diocese results from reorganisation of the Church of Ireland in 1842 and 1944. In the Middle Ages there was a Diocese of Down and a Diocese of Dromore; Down covered the northeast of Downshire, with its cathedral at Downpatrick, whilst Dromore covered the southwest of the county and Oneilland East, with its cathedral at Dromore, County Down. In 1442 The Diocese of Down was merged with the Diocese of Connor (County Antrim) to create the Diocese of Down and Connor.

Over the centuries, numerous dioceses were merged in view of declining population and declining church membership. In 1842 Down and Connor were united with Dromore to create the 'United Dioceses of Down, Connor and Dromore', then in 1944, the Diocese of Connor was separated, the remaining area becoming the 'United Dioceses of Down and Dromore.

As a result of this history, the diocese has three cathedrals, one of which is shared with Connor.

Cathedrals

The three cathedrals of the diocese are:

  • Down Cathedral, or 'Holy Trinity Cathedral', in Downpatrick
  • Dromore Cathedral or 'the Cathedral of Christ the Redeemer', in Dromore
  • St Anne's Cathedral, Belfast, shared with the Diocese of Connor
Holy Trinity Cathedral, Downpatrick
Dromore Cathedral
St Anne's Cathedral, Belfast

Bishops

Although the United Diocese works under a single Bishop, each of the two original dioceses within it has its own set of officers. The bishops since the days of Queen Elizabeth I have included:

Bishops of Down and Connor
From Until Incumbent Notes
1596 1601 John Charden
1635 1661 Henry Leslie
1661 1667 Jeremy Taylor
1667 1672 Roger Boyle
1743 1752 John Ryder Later Archbishop
1823 1842 Richard Mant
Bishops of Down, Connor and Dromore
From Until Incumbent Notes
1842 1848 Richard Mant
1849 1886 Robert Bent Knox
1886 1892 William Reeves
1907 1911 John Baptist Crozier
1911 1919 Charles Frederick D'Arcy
1919 1934 Charles Thornton Primrose Grierson
1942 1944 Charles King Irwin
Bishops of Down and Dromore
From Until Incumbent Notes
1980 1986 Robert Eames Translated to Armagh
1997 present Harold Miller

Outside links


Church of Ireland dioceses

Province of Armagh:   Armagh  • Clogher  • Connor  • Derry and Raphoe  • Down and Dromore  • Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh  • Tuam, Killala and Achonry
Province of Dublin:   Cashel and Ossory  •
Cork, Cloyne and Ross  • Dublin and Glendalough  • Limerick and Killaloe  • Meath and Kildare

References