Iglesia Episcopal de Cuba
Encyclopedia
The Episcopal Church of Cuba (Spanish: Iglesia Episcopal de Cuba) traces its origins to the foundation of an Anglican
presence on the island of Cuba
in 1901. It consists of forty-six parish
es, and about 10,000 members. It is a part of the Anglican Communion
though part of no ecclesiastical province
, having the status of an extra-provincial
diocese
within the Anglican Communion
. As it is not part of a larger province
it has no primate
. Its governance includes a Metropolitan Council which exercises oversight "in matters of Faith and Order." The Metropolitan Council is chaired by the Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada
(currently Fred Hiltz
), the Archbishop of the Church in the Province of the West Indies
(currently John Walder Dunlop Holder), and the Presiding Bishop of the United States of America (currently Katharine Jefferts Schori
).
Internal divisions led to a long period of instability within the Iglesia Episcopal de Cuba, which found itself unable to elect a bishop of its own for many years. The Bishop of Uruguay in the Iglesia Anglicana del Cono Sur de las Americas
, the Right Revd Miguel Tamayo Zaldívar, served for many years as interim Bishop of Cuba until his retirement in November 2010. Bishop Tamayo Zaldívar is a native Cuban who moved to Uruguay
to serve as a missionary
.
Following a number of attempts at resolution of the problem, the Metropolitan Council, in February 2007, appointed Canon
Nerva Cot Aguilera and Ulises Mario Aguero Prendes as suffragan bishop
s of the Iglesia Episcopal de Cuba to carry out pastoral oversight under the direction of Bishop Tamayo Zaldívar. They were consecrated on June 10, 2007. Bishop Cot Aguilera was the first woman to be appointed an Anglican bishop
in Latin America
. After a short retirement, Bishop Cot Aguilera died suddenly on July 10, 2010 after a brief battle with severe anemia. She was 71.
Bishop Tamayo Zaldívar worked industriously to heal divisions within the diocese, but repeated attempts to elect his successor ultimately failed. Following Bishop Tamayo Zaldívar's announcement in 2009 of his wish to retire, and a further inconclusive election, the responsibility for an appointment fell again to the Metropolitan Council, which in January 2010 appointed the Right Revd Griselda Delgado Del Carpio as bishop coadjutor (assistant bishop with the right of succession). She was ordained to the episcopate on February 7, 2010 and installed as diocesan on November 28, 2010.
Anglican Communion
The Anglican Communion is an international association of national and regional Anglican churches in full communion with the Church of England and specifically with its principal primate, the Archbishop of Canterbury...
presence on the island of Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
in 1901. It consists of forty-six parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
es, and about 10,000 members. It is a part of the Anglican Communion
Anglican Communion
The Anglican Communion is an international association of national and regional Anglican churches in full communion with the Church of England and specifically with its principal primate, the Archbishop of Canterbury...
though part of no ecclesiastical province
Ecclesiastical Province
An ecclesiastical province is a large jurisdiction of religious government, so named by analogy with a secular province, existing in certain hierarchical Christian churches, especially in the Catholic Church and Orthodox Churches and in the Anglican Communion...
, having the status of an extra-provincial
Extra-provincial Anglican churches
The extra-provincial Anglican churches are a group of small, semi-independent church entities within the Anglican Communion. Unlike the larger member churches of the Communion, extra-provincial churches are not part of an ecclesiastical province and are, in most cases, subject to the metropolitical...
diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
within the Anglican Communion
Anglican Communion
The Anglican Communion is an international association of national and regional Anglican churches in full communion with the Church of England and specifically with its principal primate, the Archbishop of Canterbury...
. As it is not part of a larger province
Province
A province is a territorial unit, almost always an administrative division, within a country or state.-Etymology:The English word "province" is attested since about 1330 and derives from the 13th-century Old French "province," which itself comes from the Latin word "provincia," which referred to...
it has no primate
Primate
A primate is a mammal of the order Primates , which contains prosimians and simians. Primates arose from ancestors that lived in the trees of tropical forests; many primate characteristics represent adaptations to life in this challenging three-dimensional environment...
. Its governance includes a Metropolitan Council which exercises oversight "in matters of Faith and Order." The Metropolitan Council is chaired by the Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada
Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada
The Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada is elected by the General Synod of the Church from among a list of five bishops nominated by the House of Bishops...
(currently Fred Hiltz
Fred Hiltz
Frederick James "Fred" Hiltz is the current Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada.Hiltz was born in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia where he was also raised. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree at Dalhousie University in 1975 and obtained his Master of Divinity degree at the Atlantic School of...
), the Archbishop of the Church in the Province of the West Indies
Church in the Province of the West Indies
The Church in the Province of the West Indies is a member province in the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church comprises eight dioceses spread out over much of the West Indies area. The present position of archbishop and primate of the West Indies is held by The Most Rev. John Holder. The Most...
(currently John Walder Dunlop Holder), and the Presiding Bishop of the United States of America (currently Katharine Jefferts Schori
Katharine Jefferts Schori
Katharine Jefferts Schori is the 26th Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church of the United States. Previously elected as the 9th Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Nevada, she is the first woman elected as a primate of the Anglican Communion...
).
Internal divisions led to a long period of instability within the Iglesia Episcopal de Cuba, which found itself unable to elect a bishop of its own for many years. The Bishop of Uruguay in the Iglesia Anglicana del Cono Sur de las Americas
Iglesia Anglicana del Cono Sur de las Americas
The Anglican Church of the Southern Cone of America is the ecclesiastical province of the Anglican Communion that covers the countries of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay....
, the Right Revd Miguel Tamayo Zaldívar, served for many years as interim Bishop of Cuba until his retirement in November 2010. Bishop Tamayo Zaldívar is a native Cuban who moved to Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
to serve as a missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
.
Following a number of attempts at resolution of the problem, the Metropolitan Council, in February 2007, appointed Canon
Canon (priest)
A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
Nerva Cot Aguilera and Ulises Mario Aguero Prendes as suffragan bishop
Suffragan bishop
A suffragan bishop is a bishop subordinate to a metropolitan bishop or diocesan bishop. He or she may be assigned to an area which does not have a cathedral of its own.-Anglican Communion:...
s of the Iglesia Episcopal de Cuba to carry out pastoral oversight under the direction of Bishop Tamayo Zaldívar. They were consecrated on June 10, 2007. Bishop Cot Aguilera was the first woman to be appointed an Anglican bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
in Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
. After a short retirement, Bishop Cot Aguilera died suddenly on July 10, 2010 after a brief battle with severe anemia. She was 71.
Bishop Tamayo Zaldívar worked industriously to heal divisions within the diocese, but repeated attempts to elect his successor ultimately failed. Following Bishop Tamayo Zaldívar's announcement in 2009 of his wish to retire, and a further inconclusive election, the responsibility for an appointment fell again to the Metropolitan Council, which in January 2010 appointed the Right Revd Griselda Delgado Del Carpio as bishop coadjutor (assistant bishop with the right of succession). She was ordained to the episcopate on February 7, 2010 and installed as diocesan on November 28, 2010.
External links
- Iglesia Episcopal de Cuba official site
- Anglican Communion site
- Historical resources on Anglicanism in Cuba from Project CanterburyProject CanterburyProject Canterbury is an online archive of material related to the history of Anglicanism. It was founded by Richard Mammana, Jr. in 1999, and is hosted by the non-profit Society of Archbishop Justus...