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Apostolic Successions of Spiritis Church
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Apostolic Succession in General

SINCE the time of the Apostles, the Church catholic (universal) has existed. During the course of history, many branches of the One, Catholic, and Apostolic Church have evolved. One thing remains constant with all the branches, however, that each has maintained an unbroken line of succession from Christ and the Apostles to the present. The Apostles were the original Bishops of the Church, and their authority as episcopos has been passed down to this day. There are many Rites in the One, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. In designating the unity of these many Rites, the word catholic is used to mean universal, and does not infer preference to any one particular denomination.  Such denominations would include the Roman Rite, Anglican Rite, Celtic Rite, and Orthodox Rite, to suggest a few—in addition to the many that go unnamed. There have been many Bishops who continued the lineage and served the teachings of Christ in a relatively unstructured way.  Due to political factions, human disagreements, and poorly kept records, the fog of history has obscured some lines of succession.  Oftentimes, missing records have been used to justify accusations of invalid authority.  At the same time, other more devoted clergy and diligent scholars have set aside differences in favor of unity and historical accuracy.  It is consistently true throughout history that the authority and character of the Apostolic Church have been preserved less by doctrine and more by the lineages of consecrated leadership. Jesus established this at the very beginning when he sent the Apostles out to the world individually (not collectively) to teach the good news (Gospel).  St. Augustine was one of the early pillars of Christian philosophy.  In his theology it is stated that because of the indelible character of a consecration, a validly consecrated Bishop permanently retains episcopal powers notwithstanding any schisms or ex-communications. 

Hugh George de Willmott Newman, Mar Georgius I, Patriarch of Glastonbury, conducted extensive research and reconstructive history of the Church earlier this century, and published a work entitled “Successio Apostolica”.  In this work he explains how he sought to discover, clarify, and reinstate many different lines of succession.  Desiring to restore Orthodox Apostolic Catholicism of Undivided Christendom, he and those with him in the early days of his pontificate, became reconciled that all consecrations and ordinations of proven validity were equally efficacious regardless of any particular denomination or line of Apostolic Succession. He fortified the authenticity of Apostolic Succession by achieving Episcopal Consecrations in many authentic lines of succession. This brought into being an Ecumenical Apostolic Succession derived from every part of The One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.

The lines of succession enumerated on the following pages are a result of the reconstructive research conducted by Mar Georgius I, sixth Patriarch of Glastonbury, England.   As this history reveals, twenty lines of succession lead to the consecration of the Bishops of Spiritis Church.  What is known of these lines is presented with the desire to cement ecumenical relationships and shorten the period until the whole Church, the Body of Christ, will be fully united. 

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I. SYRIAN - ANTIOCHENE

THE GOSPEL was first preached in Antioch in Syria by Jewish converts returning there from Jerusalem after the Day of Pentecost and afterwards by refugees who fled Jerusalem during the persecution at the time of the martyrdom of St. Stephen. Some years later, St. Barnabas fetched St. Paul from Tarsus and they went to Antioch, being called to the Apostleship: "And the disciples were called Christians first at Antioch" (Acts 11:26) then taking it to Rome and consecrated as his successor in Antioch, St. Evedius who was in turn succeeded by St. Ignatius, called "Theophoros." The 125th Patriarch of Antioch, counting from St. Peter, was Ignatius Jacobus II (1847-1872), upon whose instructions:

1. Mar Ignatius Peter in, Syrian-Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch, then Metropolitan of Emesa (Horns) on June 2, 1866, consecrated:

2. Raimond Ferrette, Mar Julius, Bishop of lona, who, on March 6, 1874, consecrated: 

3. Richard Williams Morgan, Mar Pelagius I, First British Patriarch of the Patriarchate of Antioch, who on March 6, 1879, consecrated:

4. Charles Isaac Stevens, Mar Theophilus I, Second British Patriarch, who on May 4, 1890, consecrated:

5. Leon Chechemian, Mar Leon, Archbishop of Selsey, who on November 2, 1897, consecrated:

6. Andrew Charles Albert McLaglan, Mar Andries, Fourth British Patriarch, who on  June 4, 1922, consecrated:

7. Herbert James Monzani Heard, Mar Jacobus II, Fifth British Patriarch, who on June 13, 1943 consecrated:

8. William Bernard Crow, Mar Basilius Abdullah III, Patriarch of Antioch of the Ancient  Orthodox Catholic Church, who on April 10, 1944, consecrated:

9. Hugh George de Willmott Newman, Mar Georgius I, Patriarch of Glastonbury, Catholicos of the West, Sixth British Patriarch, who on July 6, 1956, consecrated sub-condition by way of additional commission:

10. Charles Dennis Boltwood, who on October 16, 1966, consecrated:

11. Albert J. Fuge, who of May 27, 1972, consecrated:

12. John Lawrence Brown, who on December 31, 1973, consecrated:

13. Donald Lawrence Jolly, who on March 16, 1980, consecrated:

14. Robert Vincent Bernard Dawe, for the Independent Catholic Church International, Archbishop of California and later ICCI Primate of the USA and International Primus, who on October 18, 1981, consecrated:

15. Francis Thorne-Coley of San Antonio, Texas, for the Community of the Companions of St. Francis, who on August 20,1998, consecrated:

16. Lee Allen Petersen, who on November 18, 1998 consecrated:

17. Laurence Allan Jensen, Ph.D, D.D., who on January 1,2000, in company with Lee Allen Petersen, consecrated:

18. Glenda Alen Green, D.D., who on May 18, 2002, in company with Laurence Allan Jensen, Ph.D, D.D, for Spiritus Sancti, consecrated:

19. Christopher J. Hegarty, Ph.D, D.D.

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II SYRIAN-MALABAR

THE APOSTLE St. Thomas and the indigenous Indian first preached Christianity in India Church was called "The Christians of St. Thomas."  Being without a bishop, the St. Thomas Christians seceded in some numbers in 1665 and placed themselves under the jurisdiction of the Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch.  The origin of which is given in Table I, from which See they received a hierarchy and were thereafter called the Syrian-Orthodox Church of Malabar, being under the jurisdiction of those Patriarchs of Antioch:

1. Moran Mar Ignatius Yacob II, Syrian Patriarch of Antioch, who on February 12, 1865, consecrated:

2. Joseph Pulikottil, Mar Dionysios V, Metropolitan of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church,  who on July 29, 1889, consecrated:

3. Antonio Francisco Xavenda Alvarez, Mar Julius, Archbishop of the Malankara Orthodox  Syrian Church in Ceylon, Goa and India, who on May 29, 1892, consecrated:

4. Joseph Rene Vilatte, Mar Timotheos, Archbishop-Exarch of North America, who on December 29, 1915, consecrated:

5. Frederick Ebenezer John Lloyd, Bishop of Illinois, afterward Primate of the American Catholic Church, who on September 8, 1929, consecrated:

6. John Churchill Sibley, Missionary Archbishop for England, who on October 6, 1935, consecrated:

7. John Sebastian Marlow Ward, Archbishop of Olivet, who in August 25, 1945, consecrated:

8. Hugh George de Willmott Newman, Mar Georgius I, who on July 6, 1956, consecrated:

9. Charles Dennis Boltwood, who on October 16,1966, consecrated:

10. Albert J. Fuge, who of May 27,1972, consecrated:

11. John Lawrence Brown, who on December 31, 1973, consecrated:

12. Donald Lawrence Jolly, who on March 16, 1980, consecrated:

13. Robert Vincent Bernard Dawe, who on October 18,1981, consecrated:

14. Francis Thorne-Coley, who on August 20, 1998, consecrated:

15. Lee Allen Petersen, who on November 18, 1998 consecrated:

16. Laurence Allan Jensen, Ph.D, D.D., who on January 1,2000, in company with Lee Allen Petersen, consecrated:

17. Glenda Alen Green, D.D., who on May 18, 2002, in company with Laurence Allan Jensen Ph.D, D.D, for Spiritus Sancti, consecrated:

18. Christopher J. Hegarty, Ph.D, D.D.

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III. SYRIAN-GALLICAN

IN THE DISPUTE between France's Third Republic and the Roman Catholic Church, Archbishop Villatte arrived at an understanding- with the French politicians in an attempt to rally the Gallican school of Roman Catholic thought and institute the Catholic Apostolic Gallican Church in opposition to Rome. Though that church did not thrive in France, it did survive.

1. Joseph Rene Vilatte, Mar Timotheos, on May 6, 1900, consecrated:

2. Paulo Miraglia Gullotti, Bishop of Piacenza, who on December 4, 1904, consecrated:

3. Ernest Louis Rene Houssay, Mar Julius, Metropolitan of the Gallican Catholic Church, who on June 21, 1911, consecrated:

4. Louis Marie Francois Giraud, Archbishop of Almyra, Gallican Patriarch, who on December 28, 1921, consecrated:

5. Pierre Gaston Vigue, who on June 3, 1924, consecrated:

6. Aloysius Stumpfl, Mar Timotheos II, Regionary Bishop of Aquileia, who on June 28, 1947, consecrated:

7. Charles Leslie Saul, Archbishop of Suthronia, Mar Leofric, who on July 14, 1947, consecrated:

8. Hugh George de Willmott Newman, Mar Georgius I, who on July 6, 1956, consecrated:

9. Charles Dennis Boltwood, who on October 16,1966, consecrated:

10. Albert J. Fuge, who of May 27, 1972, consecrated:

11. John Lawrence Brown, who on December 31, 1973, consecrated:

12. Donald Lawrence Jolly, who on March 16, 1980, consecrated:

13. Robert Vincent Bernard Dawe, who on October 18,1981, consecrated:

14. Francis Thorne-Coley, who on August 20,1998, consecrated:

15. Lee Allen Petersen, who on November 18, 1998 consecrated:

16. Laurence Allan Jensen, Ph.D, D.D., who on January 1,2000, in company with Lee Allen Petersen, consecrated:

17. Glenda Alen Green, D.D., who on May 18, 2002, in company with Laurence Allan Jensen Ph.D, D.D, for Spiritus Sancti, consecrated:

18. Christopher J. Hegarty, Ph.D, D.D.

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IV. SYRO-CHALDEAN
(Called Nestorian)

EAST SYRIA, Assyria, Persia and Mesopotamia were evangelized by St. Thomas the Apostle, assisted by St. Adai, one of the Seventy sent by Christ (Luke 10:1) and one of their disciples. Proceeding- from Palestine, they preached in those lands, and St. Thomas eventually reached India. The Metropolitan of Seleucia-Ctesiphon governed the Persian Church from its earliest days, the twin capitols of the Persian Empire, who was subject to the Patriarch of Antioch and of the East, but owing to difficulties of communication, the Patriarchal jurisdiction was delegated to the Metropolitan who was designated, "Catholicos of the East" (i.e. "holder of all") and Patriarch. The Syro-Chaldean Church (the official designation of the Catholicate of the East) at one time became the largest body of Christians in the world, extending throughout all Persia, Mesopotamia, India and China. It was eventually reduced to small numbers by the barbarian invaders. The Indian branch remained in communion with the Catholics until the Synod of Diamper in 1599, when the Latin missionaries forced the Indian Christians to sever their connection with the See of Seleucia- Ctesiphon and submit to Rome. As stated in Table II, a number of them effected a union with the Syrian-Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch in 1665 and were constituted as the Syrian Orthodox Church of Malabar. For some 250 years, though cut off from their historic center of jurisdiction, a faithful remnant was perpetuated, and it was not until 1862 that the Syro-Chaldean jurisdiction in India was restored; and in this manner:

1. His Sacred Beatitude, Maram Mar Rowell Shimun XVIII, Reuben, Patriarch of Seleucia-Ctesiphon and Catholicos of the East, who on December 17, 1862, consecrated:

2. Anthony Thondanatt, Mar Abd Ishu, Metropolitan of Trichur, who on Jul 24,1899, consecrated:

3. Luis Mariano Scares, Mar Basileus, Metropolitan of India, Ceylon, Mylapore, Socotra and Messina, who on November 30, 1902, consecrated:

4. Ulric Vemon Herford, Mar Jacobus, Bishop of Mercia and Middlesex, who on February 28, 1925, consecrated:

5. William Stanley McBean Knight, Mar Paulus, Bishop of Kent, who on October 18, 1931, consecrated:

6. Hedley Coward Bartlett, Bishop of Siluria, who on May 20, 1945, consecrated:

7. Hugh George de Willmott Newman, Mar Georgius I, who on July 6, 1956, consecrated:

8. Charles Dennis Boltwood, who on October 16,1966, consecrated:

9. Albert J. Fuge, who of May 27, 1972, consecrated:

10. John Lawrence Brown, who on December 31, 1973, consecrated:

11. Donald Lawrence Jolly, who on March 16, 1980, consecrated:

12. Robert Vincent Bernard Dawe, who on October 18, 1981, consecrated:

13. Francis Thorne-Coley, who on August 20,1998, consecrated:

14. Lee Allen Petersen, who on November 18, 1998 consecrated:

15. Laurence Allan Jensen, Ph.D, D.D., who on January 1, 2000, in company with Lee Allen Petersen, consecrated:

16. Glenda Alen Green, D.D, who on May 18, 2002, in company with Laurence Allan Jensen Ph.D, D.D, for Spiritus Sancti, consecrated:

17. Christopher J. Hegarty, Ph.D, D.D.

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V. CHALDEAN-UNITIATE

IN 1445, A SECTION of the Syro-Chaldean Church (Table IV) resident in Cyprus entered into union with Rome and Pope Eugenius IV threatened with ex-communion anyone who dared to continue to call them "Nestorienas." In 1552, owing to a contested patriarchal election, a division took place in the main body in their homelands and part seceded to Rome. Pope Julius VI invested their leader, John Sulaka, as Uniate Patriarch on April 20, 1553. However, his eventual successor. Mar Shimun XIII repudiated the union with Rome in 1662 and is the predecessor of the Syro- Chaldean Patriarchs from then until the present time. A group remaining in communion with Rome were for some years governed by a line of Patriarchs all bearing the name of Joseph, but on July 5, 1830, Pope Pius VIII suppressed the Josephite line and declared John VIII Homez to be Patriarch of Babylon of the Chaldeans and as such, head of the Chaldean-Uniate Rite, of which:

1. Petrus Elia XIV, Abu-Al-Yunan, Patriarch of Babylon for the Chaldean Catholic Church, on July 24, 1892, consecrated:

2. Yosif Khayatt, Maran Mar Yosif Emmanuel II Thomas, Patriarch of Babylon for the Chaldean Catholic Church on May 27. 1917, consecrated:

3. Antoine Lefbeme, Special Commissariat (Legate), who on May 4, 1925, consecrated:

4. Albert Wolfert Brooks, Mar John Emmanuel, Titular Bishop of Sardis, afterwards Titular Archbishop of Ebbsfleet and Administrator of the Metropolitan Synod of the Apostolic Episcopal Church of the USA, who on November 16, 1934, consecrated:

5. Charles William Keller, who on April 29, 1945, consecrated:

6. Hugh George de Willmott Newman, Mar Georgius I, who on July 6, 1956, consecrated:

7. Charles Dennis Boltwood, who on October 16,1966, consecrated:

8. Albert J. Fuge, who of May 27. 1972, consecrated:

9. John Lawrence Brown, who on December 31, 1973, consecrated:

10. Donald Lawrence Jolly, who on March 16, 1980, consecrated:

11. Robert Vincent Bernard Dawe, who on October 18,1981, consecrated:

12. Francis Thorne-Coley, who on August 20,1998, consecrated:

13. Lee Allen Petersen, who on November 18, 1998 consecrated:

14. Laurence Allan Jensen, Ph.D, D.D., who on January 1, 2000, in company with Lee Allen Petersen, consecrated:

15. Glenda Alen Green, D.D., who on May 18, 2002, in company with Laurence Allan Jensen Ph.D, D.D, for Spiritus Sancti, consecrated:

16. Christopher J. Hegarty, Ph.D, D.D.

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VI. COPTIC-ORTHODOX

ANCIENT TRADITION points to Alexandria, where there was a large colony of Jews as the scene of the Missionary activities of St. Mark the Evangelist. The APOSTOLIC CONSTITUTIONS (VIII, 46) tells us that he consecrated one Anienus as the first Bishop of Alexandria and that St. Luke the Evangelist consecrated the second of that See, Abilios. The Gospel spread rapidly throughout Egypt of which Alexandria became the Primatial See, being subsequently raised to the dignity of a Patriarchate, ranking third in order next after Rome and Constantinople. Despite severe Moslem persecutions, and today sadly shorn of its former strength, the Coptic-Orthodox Church has managed to continue its existence down to our own times and owing to the presence of numerous Africans in the USA, established a mission there, under:

1. Archbishop St. John-the-Divine Hickersayon, who on May 27, 1947, consecrated:

2. Davison Quartey Arthur, Mar Lukos, Bishop of Lagos, Accra and Trinidad. who on February 19, 1951, consecrated:

3. Hugh George de Willmott Newman, Mar Georgius I, who on July 6, 1956, consecrated:

4. Charles Dennis Boltwood, who on October 16, 1966, consecrated:

5. Albert J. Fuge, who of May 27, 1972, consecrated:

6. John Lawrence Brown, who on December 31, 1973, consecrated:

7. Donald Lawrence Jolly, who on March 16, 1980, consecrated:

8. Robert Vincent Bernard Dawe. who on October 18, 1981, consecrated:

9. Francis Thorne-Coley, who on August 20, 1998, consecrated:

10. Lee Allen Petersen, who on November 18,1998 consecrated:

11. Laurence Allan Jensen, Ph.D, D.D., who on January 1, 2000, in company with Lee Allen Petersen, consecrated:

12. Glenda Alen Green, D.D., who on May 18, 2002, in company with Laurence Allan Jensen, Ph.D., D.D., for Spiritis Sancti, consecrated:

13. Christopher J. Hegarty, Ph.D., D.D.

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VII. ARMENIAN-UNIATE

THE ORIGINAL FOUNDATION of the Holy Apostolic Church of Armenia may be traced to Sts. Thaddeus and Eustatius (two of the Seventy). The honor of converting the Armenians, as a nation, to Christ, was gained by St. Gregory the Diuminator, who is 302 was consecrated Archbishop of Etchmiadzme by St. Leontius Exarch of Caesarea in Cappadocia, originally within the Patriarchate of Antioch, and afterward within that of Constantinople. In 364, the Armenian church was granted full autonomy as an autocephalous catholicate within the One Holy and Apostolic Church under the Patriarch of Etchmiadzine, Supreme Catholicos of all the Armenians. In the 12th century, some of the Armenians began to contemplate union with Rome and the Catholicos was present as a guest of honor at the Latin Council of Antioch C1141) and later, at the Council of Florence (1439), formal union was proclaimed; but it remained a dead letter. From 1701 attempts were made to found a Uniate body and in 1712, a line of Patriarchs of Cihcia of the Armenians was inaugurated by Rome in the person of Peter Abraham I, from which time the Armenian-Uniate Church has continued to this day. During the reign of the Patriarch, Antonios Peter DC (Hassun):

1. Archbishop Charchorunian on April 23, 1878. consecrated:

2. Leon Chechemian, Mar Leon, who on November 2, 1987, consecrated:

3. Andrew Charles Albert McLaglan, Mar Andries, Fourth British Patriarch, who on June 4, 1922, consecrated:

4. Herbert James Monzani Heard, Mar Jacobus II, Fifth British Patriarch, who on June 13, 1943, consecrated:

5. William Bernard Crow, Mar Basilius Abdullah III. Patriarch of Antioch of the Ancient Orthodox Catholic Church, who on April 10, 1944, consecrated:

6. Hugh George de Willmott Newman, Mar Georgius I, who on July 6, 1956, consecrated:

7. Charles Dennis Boltwood, who on October 16, 1966, consecrated:

8. Albert J. Fuge, who of May 27, 1972, consecrated:

9. John Lawrence Brown, who on December 31, 1973, consecrated:

10. Donald Lawrence Jolly, who on March 16, 1980, consecrated:

11. Robert Vincent Bernard Dawe, who on October 18, 1981, consecrated:

12. Francis Thorne-Coley, who on August 20, 1998, consecrated:

13. Lee Allen Petersen, who on November 18,1998 consecrated:

14. Laurence Allan Jensen, Ph.D, D.D., who on January 1, 2000, in company with Lee Allen Petersen, consecrated:

15. Glenda Alen Green, D.D., who on May 18, 2002, in company with Lawrence Allen Jensen, Ph.D., D.D., for Spiritis Sancti, consecrated:

16. Christopher J. Hegarty, Ph.D., D.D.

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VIII. GREEK MELKITE UNIATE CHURCH

THE WORD "Melkite" is derived from the Semitic word "meiek," meaning, "king" and literally means "royalists." Those known by that name are so called because in the disputes around the time of the council of Chalcedon (451) they followed the Emperor in repudiating the Monophysite heresy, and in denouncing the occupants of the Antiochene and Alexandrian Patriarchates as Monophysites. In most cases this is a matter of grave doubt.  However, the cause of the Melkites was espoused by the Byzantine Patriarchate.  They attached themselves loyally, and in the Great Schism of 1054 remained among the eastern churches. In 1686, under their Patriarch Athanasius IV of Antioch, they submitted to Rome and have since continued as the Greek Melkite Uniate Church. In the twentieth century, quite a number fled from Turkish persecution and from the troubles of the two World Wars to the United States.  In the meantime, (c 1911) whose who had already migrated here were visited by:

1. Athanasios Sawoya, Greek Melkite Archbishop of Beyrouth and Gebeil in Syria, who on October 9, 1911, consecrated:

2. Antoine Joseph Aneed, Exarch of the Greek Melkite Rite in the USA.  Both bishops were in full communion with Rome. Bishop Aneed, thereafter, on July 28, 1946, consecrated:

3. Odo Acheson Barry, Mar Columba, Titular Archbishop of Canada, who on July 17, 1955, consecrated:

4. Hugh George de Willmott Newman, Mar Georgius I, who on July 6, 1956, consecrated:

5. Charles Dennis Boltwood, who on October 16, 1966, consecrated:

6. Albert J. Fuge, who of May 27, 1972, consecrated:

7. John Lawrence Brown, who on December 31, 1973, consecrated:

8. Donald Lawrence Jolly, who on March 16, 1980, consecrated:

9. Robert Vincent Bernard Dawe, who on October 18, 1981, consecrated:

10. Francis Thorne-Coley, who on August 20, 1998, consecrated:

11. Lee Allen Petersen, who on November 18,1998 consecrated:

12. Laurence Allan Jensen, Ph.D, D.D., who on January 1, 2000, in company with Lee Allen Petersen, consecrated:

13. Glenda Alen Green, D.D., who on May 18, 2002, in company with Laurence Allan Jensen Ph.D, D.D, for Spiritus Sancti, consecrated:

14. Christopher J. Hegarty, Ph.D, D.D.

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