First Scottish Orthodox Bishop Since the Great Schism Consecrated in Paris

Photo: Orthodox Community of the Archangel Gabriel, Glasgow/Facebook

PARIS — Bsp. Augustine (McBeth) was consecrated to the episcopacy this past weekend in Paris, marking a significant milestone for the Archdiocese of Orthodox Churches of Russian Tradition in Western Europe and for Orthodox Christians in Scotland.

The consecration service, held with clergy and faithful gathered in prayer, formally elevated Bsp. Augustine to episcopal ministry within the Archdiocese. He becomes the first Scottish-born Orthodox bishop since the Great Schism, a historic moment welcomed by Orthodox communities across Western Europe. While other Orthodox bishops currently serve in Scotland and Great Britain—such as Bsp. Raphael of Ilion in Edinburgh, who serves under the Ecumenical Patriarchate—they are not Scottish by birth.

Church leaders and faithful expressed gratitude to God for the consecration and called on the faithful to pray for Bsp. Augustine as he begins his ministry, asking that he be granted wisdom, strength, and grace in his new role.

The consecration is of particular importance to the Orthodox Community of the Archangel Gabriel in Glasgow, where Bsp. Augustine has served as pastor. 

Previously, the UOJ reported on Met. Saba's powerful reflections on the episcopacy. 

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