Monday 24 March 2008

Ecclesiastical Attire


In a previous posting I suggested that the Most Reverend Alan Harper, OBE, had resurrected the Anglican episcopal tradition of wearing mitre and cope in Northern Ireland and in the Irish Republic too. Not so. I have seen a photograph of his counterpart, the Most Reverend John Neill having been enthroned as Archbishop of Dublin in 2002 at Christchurch Cathedral in Dublin; and His Grace is seen wearing a mitre and cope.

It seems that the Archbishop of Armagh was beaten to it. His Grace the Most Reverend Alan Harper is Archbishop of Armagh, Primate of All Ireland and Metropolitan.

2 comments :

Nebuly said...

It was said in my youth ( I was a chorister at the Primatial Cathedral in Armagh in the 1960's ) that Frederick Julian Mitchell, then Lord Bishop of Down and Dromore worn Cope and Mitre from time to time. In those days D & D, now Lower than a tarts garter, ( forgive me ) were C of I High!

To my certain knowledge the present Archbishop of Dublin, when Bishop of Tuam, some two decades ago, wore Cope and Mitre in the Cathedral of Tuam.

Also Bishop Darling, sometime of Limerick, Killaloe and all to may others, was wearing the same - as I believe may have his predecessor in those Sees, Walton Empey.

It is a curse of our native province that only that when happens within our confines seems to matter - and hence much goes un-noticed!

Thank you for your blog

Michael Thompson, Clerk in Holy Orders

Timothy Belmont said...

Hello Michael,

Very good! Bishop Mitchell: He wasn't ever Rector of St Mark's, was he?

I've seen a photo of the Archbishop of Dublin in cope & mitre indeed.

All the best,

Tim