Episcopal Diocese of the Virgin Islands

Diocese of the Virgin Islands
Location
Ecclesiastical province	Province II
Information
Rite	Episcopal
Cathedral	All Saints, Charlotte Amalie
Current leadership
Bishop	E. Ambrose Gumbs

The Episcopal Diocese of the Virgin Islands is a diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America (ECUSA) which includes both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands. The diocese is a part of Province II of the Episcopal Church. The current Diocesan Bishop of the Virgin Islands is the Right Reverend E. Ambrose Gumbs. The cathedral church of the diocese is the Cathedral Church of All Saints, Charlotte Amalie. The diocese currently comprises 14 churches. There is a functioning parish school on St. Thomas All Saints Cathedral School there was an academic campus on St. Croix, St. Dunstan's Episcopal High School. St. Dunstan's closed in the 1990's.

History

In 1917 when the United States bought the Danish West Indies from Denmark, the three Anglican parishes and one mission on the islands were under the Anglican Bishop of Antigua who was part of the Diocese of Barbados. The Presiding Bishop appointed the Bishop of Puerto Rico as bishop-in-charge of the new mission district. In 1962 the Right Rev. Cedric Mills was appointed Bishop of the Virgin Islands by the House of Bishops and he arrived in 1963 and assumed jurisdiction over all Anglican and Episcopal churches in the Virgin Islands. In 1972, the diocese became able to elect its own bishop.

Bishops of the Diocese

The Bishops of the Diocese are:

• 1. The Right Rev. Cedric Mills (1962–1972);
• 2. The Rt. Rev. Edward M. Turner (1972–1985);
  • Interim Bishop: The Rt. Rev. Richard M. Martin (1985–1986);
• 3 The Rt. Rev. E Don Taylor, elected by the Bishops of Province II, (1986–1996)
  • Interim Bishop: The Rt. Rev. Telésforo A. Isaac (1996–1997);
• 4. The Rt. Rev. Theodore Daniels (1997–2003);
  • Interim Bishop: The Rt. Rev. Telésforo A. Isaac (2004–2005); and
• 5. The Rt. Rev. E. Ambrose Gumbs (2005–present).

Deaneries

In accordance with the usage in the ECUSA, the diocese is divided into three deaneries each headed by a dean and named as follows:

• 1. St. Thomas-St. John Deanery;
• 2. St. Croix Deanery; and
• 3. British Virgin Islands Deanery.

See also

• Episcopal Church in the United States of America
• Christianity
• Anglican Communion
• All Saints Cathedral School

External links

• Diocesan website
• Bishop Gumbs biography
• History
• Anglican Communion listing for diocese
• The Episcopal Church in the United States of America