By December 16, 2019 The Anglocatholic Church ministers in 28 countries in 95 parishes in nine archdioceses and nineteen dioceses with 24 bishops, 150 priests, and 52 deacons. Clergy total 226 men. Total membership of The Anglocatholic Church is 28,414 faithful members. (We do not have statistics concerning Burundi, Paraguay, Rwanda, Tanzania and Venezuela).
Based on our Canon Law 18.5, which says very clearly that in all our international gatherings the liturgical color is RED, so it will be also at our Second Conclave of The College of Bishops of The Anglocatholic Church. At the same time during the liturgies and Solemn Masses only the Patriarch is wearing RED mitre, all other Bishops are wearing White mitres.
When will the silly nonsense stop?
Once again this year we will hear from internet atheists about how “There is no evidence that Jesus ever existed. His “birthday” was simply the fact that the early Christians took over the Roman mid winter feast of Saturnalia and the birth of Sol Invictus -the unconquered Sun.”
First let’s use some common sense. The early Christians were Jews. They couldn’t stand the pagan Gentiles. The first Christians would rather die than offer even one grain of incense to the pagan gods. So we’re supposed to believe that they said, “I know! Those pagan feasts mid winter seem kind of fun. Let’s take them over and say Jesus was born then!” Hardly. It’s true that later missionary efforts “baptized” pagan sites and customs, but not during the early days.
Then let’s look at the evidence we do have. It’s called the New Testament, and far from the New Testament being a collection of far out fairy tales, it is rooted in something called “facts” and those facts can be put together to bring us to a conclusion which is true.
Here’s how it goes: We know that John the Baptist’s father, Zechariah was a priest who served in the temple at Jerusalem. While he was serving an angel appeared announcing that his wife Elizabeth would become pregnant and the boy’s name would be John. The Jewish priests were on a schedule according to their family lineage because the priesthood was hereditary. Zechariah was a priest of the class of Abijah. This is recorded in Luke 1:5. The class of Abijah was the eighth class of priests. This is recorded in Nehemiah 12:17. Each class served one week in the temple twice a year. The Abijah class took their turn during the second week of the Jewish month of Tishri. On our calendar that would fall between 22 and 30 September. Count ahead nine months. We celebrate the birth of John the Baptist on 24 June.
How does this connect with Jesus? When the angel comes to Mary to announce the conception of Jesus Christ after her assent, she goes to visit her cousin Elizabeth (John the Baptist’s mother and wife of Zechariah) when Elizabeth was six months pregnant. This is recorded in Luke 1:36. If John the Baptist was conceived around 25 September, this means Jesus was conceived around March 25 –the date Christians celebrate the Annunciation–. Count forward nine more months and you get December 25 as the date for the birth of Jesus Christ. If the early Christians were simply taking over the Saturnalia or the Feast of the birth of Sol Invictus they would have had to go back and fiddle with the details in Luke’s gospel–and not only that….they would also have had to somehow fiddle with the details of the Jewish schedule of priests serving in the temple.
Oh yes, the other detail is that there are records that Christmas was celebrated on December 25 from the time of St Telephorus–the seventh pope who was born in 115 AD. The cult of the birth of Sol Invictus was not established until 274 AD, so if anybody was copying celebrations, it is more likely that the Roman Emperor Aurelian was copying the already existing feast of Christmas–the birthday of Christ the Unconquered Son of God–than the other way around.
So, whether you are a Christian believer or not you will be celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ on December 25.
Last night got information from Primate Dr. Jeffrey Pangilinan Orellana, that our church building in the Philippines is in fire. His Eminence told about great losses financially as losses of vestments etc. Hope to hear more news. Lord have mercy! Christ have mercy!
On November 26, 2019 there was Solemn Evening Prayer Service at the Lutheran Cathedral of Virgin Mary in Tallinn, to celebrate the 70th anniversary of The Most Reverend Andres Põder, The President of Estonian Council of Churches and Archbishop Emeritus of The Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church. Among the invited guests were leaders of Estonian churches and society, President of Republic of Estonia, His Excellency Mr. Arnold Rüütel with his wife: Minister of Nationalities Mrs. Riina Solman, His Eminence, Archbishop Urmas Viilma from The Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church; His Excellency, Bishop Philippe Jourdan from The Roman Catholic Church in Estonia, His Excellency, Metropolitan Eugenius from Estonian Metropoly of Moscow Patriarchate, The Reverend Archpriest Reverend Mattias Palli from The Estonian Apostolic Orthodox Church, Reverend Erki Tamm, President of The Baptist Union of Estonia and many others. Also among invited guests was His Beatitude, The Most Reverend Dr. Heigo Ritsbek, MA, MDiv, DMin, LittD, DD, who participated at the Prayer Service and banquet after it.
(On the photo: Archbishop Emeritus Andres Põder with his wife Marje and Patriarch Dr. Heigo Ritsbek congratulating the Archbishop Emeritus and his wife. Photos by: Endel Apsalon).
God willing, there will be on December 28, 2019 in Moshi, Tanzania by His Eminence The Most Reverend Dr. Martin Lakwey Kiprotich, DD, Primate of All Eastern and Southern Africa of The Anglocatholic Church consecration Solemn Mass with two Bishop Elects – The Reverend Father Balthari Mtenga (Tanzania) and The Reverend Father Gerverse Nkaranga (Uganda).
Here on the first page on right in red is THE REVISED CODE OF THE CANON LAW OF THE ANGLOCATHOLIC CHURCH (2019) in five languages: English, French, Portuguese, Spanish and German. Thank you the wonderful translators!
On Sunday, November 10, 2019 His Eminence, The Most Reverend Dr. Martin Lakwey Kiprotich, DD, Primate of All Eastern and Southern Africa of The Anglocatholic Church, ordained 1 priest and 1 deacon in Kenya.
His Excellency, The Most Reverend Dr. Earl Lewis Frazier, BSc, DD, Former Bishop of The Catholic Apostolic National Church, has joined us and is incardinated into The Anglocatholic Church. Currently he serves the Veterans Service Organizations in the United States. He will be leading The Diocese of Saint Giles the Hermit of The Anglocatholic Church.
By the decree of The Presiding Patriarch, His Eminence, The Most Reverend Dr. David Smith, His Eminence, The Most Reverend Dr. Mauricio Isaias Largaespada Umana, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Jesus Christ the Redeemer of The Anglocatholic Church, was elevated as The Metropolitan Archbishop of The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Jesus Christ the Redeemer of The Anglocatholic Church and His Eminence, The Most Reverend Dr. Jeffrey Pangilinan Orellana, Archbishop of Divine Trinity of The Anglocatholic Church, was elevated as Metropolitan Archbishop of The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Divine Trinity of The Anglocatholic Church.
