Abba Seraphim
Abba Seraphim (born William Henry Hugo Newman-Norton, 27 February 1948) is a British independent Oriental Orthodox bishop. He is the Patriarch of Glastonbury and head of the British Orthodox Church[1] with the self appointed title of "His Beatitude Patriarch Seraphim, the British Patriarch of Glastonbury".
Abba Seraphim | |
|---|---|
| Patriarch of the British Orthodox Church | |
.jpg.webp) Abba Seraphim | |
| Church | British Orthodox Church |
| Metropolis | Metropolis of Glastonbury |
| See | Glastonbury, United Kingdom |
| Appointed | 28 February 1979 |
| Predecessor | Mar Georgius |
| Personal details | |
| Born | William Henry Hugo Newman-Norton 27 February 1948 |
| Denomination | Independent Oriental Orthodox |
| Coat of arms |  |
In 1975, abba Seraphim also succeeded William Bernard Crow as head of the Order of the Holy Wisdom.[2]: 294
Life and ministry
Norton was born on 27 February 1948.[2]: 294
On 27 February 1971, he was ordained priest by his uncle, Hugh George de Willmott Newman, with as co-ordainers Peter Martin Smethurst and Michel France Marie Raoult. On 9 July 1977, the same three people consecrated him bishop, with Newman as main consecrator.[2]: 294
In 1979, Norton succeeded Newman as head of the Catholicate of the West which was sometimes called Orthodox Church of the British Isles.[2]: 294 [3]
The Orthodox Church of the British Isles split from the Celtic Orthodox Church in 1994, under Mar Seraphim (William Henry Hugo Newman-Norton): the Orthodox Church of the British Isles joined the Coptic Orthodox Church and changed its name to British Orthodox Church.[4][5]
On 4 October 2015 the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate, in response to a request from the British Orthodox Church, agreed to the British church returning to its pre-1994 status as an independent jurisdiction, with Seraphim as primate. This action led to a restoration of the situation in which the British Orthodox Church was not in communion with any of the Oriental Orthodox churches.[6]
On 7 January 2019, it was announced that Metropolitan Seraphim would be known as "His Beatitude Patriarch Seraphim". The church he leads continues to be known as the British Orthodox Church. He is considered by the British Orthodox Church as its VIIth patriarch, having ceased to use the title of Patriarch during the period of union with the Coptic Orthodox Church out of courtesy to Pope Shenouda III.[7]
References
- "About the British Orthodox Church". Retrieved 8 November 2015.
- Ward, Gary L.; Persson, Bertil; Bain, Alan, eds. (1990). "Newman-Norton, William Henry Hugo". Independent Bishops: An International Directory. Preface by J. Gordon Melton. Apogee Books. ISBN 978-1-55888-307-9.
- Melton, J. Gordon (2009). "Apostolic Episcopal Church-Order of Corporate Reunion". Melton's encyclopedia of American religions (8th ed.). Detroit: Gale Cengage Learning. p. 106. ISBN 978-0-7876-9696-2.
- Pearson, Joanne (27 June 2007). Wicca and the Christian Heritage: ritual, sex and magic. Taylor & Francis. p. 53. ISBN 978-0-415-25413-7. Retrieved 9 November 2012.
- "Joint announcement from the Coptic Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom and the British Orthodox Church of the British Isles - The British Orthodox Church". Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- "Joint announcement from the Coptic Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom and the British Orthodox Church of the British Isles" (PDF) (Press release). 5 October 2015. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
- "The British Patriarchate Restored After 24 Years In Commission". 7 January 2019. Archived from the original on 21 January 2019. Retrieved 21 January 2019.