Diocese of Moray, Ross and Caithness


The Diocese of Moray, Ross and Caithness is one of the seven dioceses of the Scottish Episcopal Church. It covers Caithness and Sutherland, mainland Ross and Cromarty, and mainland Inverness-shire, Nairnshire, Moray and Banffshire. The diocesan centre is St Andrew's Cathedral in Inverness. The see is currently occupied by Mark Strange.
WWW moray.anglican.org

History

The three old dioceses united in the modern diocese were all founded during the 12th century. Moray was founded by Gregory in 1114, Ross by Macbeth in 1131 and Caithness by Aindréas of Caithness in 1146. Being more removed from the centre of political power during the Scottish Reformation, each of the dioceses managed to continue an unbroken line of bishops. However, its remoteness also caused problems for the appointment of new bishops under the period of the penal laws. For part of the 17th century, both Ross and Caithness were without a bishop, and, at the beginning of the 18th century, the Diocese of Orkney was united with Caithness. In 1707, Alexander Rose, Bishop of Edinburgh and the first Primus, united Moray with his diocese for reason of practical oversight. John Fullarton, Rose's successor in both roles, continued to oversee Moray until 1725, when it was felt more practical to combine it with the Diocese of Aberdeen, led by James Gadderar. However, in 1727, the new Primus, Andrew Lumsden, appointed William Dunbar as sole Bishop of Moray and Ross, combining the vacant northern see with Moray. In 1777, William Falconar, also Primus, united Orkney, Moray, Ross and Caithness under his rule. In 1819, David Low was appointed Bishop of Ross by itself, but, from 1838 he administered the entire former union and the see officially returned to the union in 1851. In 1857, Orkney was separated to unite with the Diocese of Aberdeen. Mark Strange was elected as the new bishop on 2 June 2007 and was consecrated and installed on 13 October 2007. In 2020, Synod Clerk Rev Canon Michael Last reported an increase in membership and in number of communicants.

Area and population

The diocese covers the historic counties of Caithness, Sutherland, mainland Ross and Cromarty, Inverness-shire except the Hebridean parts and Lochaber, Nairnshire, Morayshire, the Dufftown, Keith and Aberchirder areas of Banffshire, and the Huntly area of Aberdeenshire.
This total population of approximately 290,500 gives the diocese a ratio of one priest to every 18,200 inhabitants and one church to every 7,300 inhabitants.

List of churches

The diocese currently has 16 stipendiary clergy and 40 church buildings.
ParishChurchesFoundedLinkStipendiary clergy
AberchirderSt Marnan, Aberchirder1824Michael Last
KeithHoly Trinity, Keith1688Michael Last
HuntlyChrist Church, Huntly1719Michael Last
Fochabers Gordon ChapelGordon Chapel of St Elizabeth, Fochabers1834Michael Last
DufftownSt Michael, DufftownMichael Last
AberlourSt Margaret of Scotland, Aberlour1875Vacant since 2012
Elgin with LossiemouthHoly Trinity, Elginc. 1700Tembu Rongong
Elgin with LossiemouthSt Margaret, Lossiemouth1853Tembu Rongong
Elgin with LossiemouthBurghead MissionTembu Rongong
RothiemurchusSt John the Baptist, Rothiemurchus1904Vacant since 2001
Grantown-On-SpeySt Columba, Grantown-on-Spey1870Vacant since 2010
ForresSt John the Evangelist, Forres1841Hamilton Inbadas
NairnSt Columba, Nairn1853Alison Simpson
Inverness CathedralSt Andrew's Cathedral, Inverness1853Sarah Murray
John Cuthbert
Laura Symon
Ross Royden
Inverness St John the Evangelist, Inverness1691John Cuthbert
Inverness St Michael & All Angels, Inverness1881John Cuthbert
CullodenSt Mary-in-the-Fields, Culloden1973Vacant since 2012
StrathnairnSt Paul, Strathnairn1688Alison Simpson
GlenurquhartSt Ninian, Glenurquhart1853Rob Hardwick
GordonstounSt Christopher's Chapel & Michael Kirk
FortroseSt Andrew, Fortrose1688Alex Lane
ArpafeelieSt John the Evangelist, Arpafeelie1688Alex Lane
CromartySt Regulus, Cromarty1877Alex Lane
PooleweSt Maelrubha, Poolewe1950Vacant since 2013
Kishorn ChapelCourthill Chapel, Kishorn1901Vacant since 2013
LochalshSt Donnan, Lochalsh1943Vacant since 2013
StrathpefferSt Anne, StrathpefferJulia Boothby
DingwallSt James the Great, Dingwall1704Julia Boothby
InvergordonSt Ninian, Invergordon1915Julia Boothby
LochinverSt Gilbert's Mission, KinlochbervieClare Caley
LochinverSt Gilbert of Caithness, LochinverClare Caley
UllapoolSt Mary the Virgin, Ullapool1975Clare Caley
UllapoolSt Boniface of Ross, AchiltibuieClare Caley
TongueSt Mary-by-the-Cross, Tongue2003
Simon Scott
DornochSt Finnbarr, Dornoch1903
Simon Scott
TainSt Andrew, Tain1877
Simon Scott
LairgSt Maelrubha's Mission, Lairg
Simon Scott
BroraSt Columba of Iona, Brora1909
Simon Scott
ThursoSt Peter & Holy Rood, Thurso1884
WickSt John the Evangelist, Wick1870