The Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island is a diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America whose boundaries coincide with those of the state of Rhode Island. It consists of 65 parishes with more than 17,000 communicants. The see city is Providence. Pope Pius XI blesses Bishop Stephen Alencastre as fifth Apostolic Vicar of the Hawaiian Islands in a Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace window. ... The Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul in Washington DC is the National Cathedral of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. ... Official language(s) None Capital Providence Largest city Providence Area  Ranked 50th  - Total 1,214* sq mi (3,144* km²)  - Width 37 miles (60 km)  - Length 48 miles (77 km)  - % water 32. ... Nickname: Beehive of Industry, The Renaissance City Location in Rhode Island Coordinates: Country United States State Rhode Island County Providence Mayor David N. Cicilline (D) Area    - City 20. ...

The bishop is The Right Reverend Geralyn Wolf, who is the twelfth person to hold this office. One of the few women serving as diocesan bishop, she was consecrated in 1996.

History

The diocese was founded in 1790 by two clergymen and five members of the laity. Without sufficient resources to support a bishop of their own, they elected Samuel Seabury, who was Bishop of Connecticut, to hold the office of bishop of Rhode Island as well. Under Rhode Island's third bishop, Alexander Viets Griswold (1811-1843), the Episcopal Church in Rhode Island expanded from 200 communicants in four parishes to almost 2,000 in seventeen parishes. This growth continued under the next two bishops, Henshaw and Clark, and this trend was supported by the immigration of many English Anglicans. By the end of the nineteenth century, the diocese had grown to 35 parishes. Thomas March Clark served as bishop at this time. Samuel Seabury The Right Reverend Samuel Seabury (November 30, 1729 – February 25, 1796), was the first American Episcopal bishop, the second Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, USA, and the first Bishop of Connecticut. ... The Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut is a diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, encompassing the entire state of Connecticut. ... Motto: (French for God and my right) Anthem: Multiple unofficial anthems Capital London Largest city London Official language(s) English (de facto) Government Constitutional monarchy  - Queen Queen Elizabeth II  - Prime Minister Tony Blair MP Unification    - by Athelstan AD 927  Area    - Total 130,395 km² (1st in UK)   50,346 sq...

In the first part of the twentieth century, the Episcopal Church in Rhode Island focused on urban ministry with a focus on social concerns, led by Bishop McVickar. The first deaconess was ordained in 1890, and from 1910-1914 the number of women serving in this position and ordained by Bishop Perry had grown from one to seven. Under Perry and his successor, Bishop Benett, the number of parishes continued to grow.

From 1955 to 1972, the diocese was led by John Seville Higgins, who started campus ministries and a number of other missions. Bishop Belden led the Church through the transitions occasioned by the ordination of women to the priesthood (Patrica A. Smith was ordained as the first woman in the diocese to the diaconate in 1976 and to the priesthood in 1980) and adoption of the 1979 Book of Common Prayer. Belden was succeeded by George Hunt, who served as bishop from 1980 to 1994. Bishop Hunt led a crusade for accountability by the state government on the issues of corruption, organized crime, and gambling. He also insisted that the process for ordination in the Diocese would not discriminate against anyone on the basis of gender or sexual orientation. 1979 ECUSABCP The Book of Common Prayer[1] is foundational prayer book of the Church of England and also the name for similar books used in other churches in the Anglican Communion. ...

External link

• Official Web site of the Diocese of Rhode Island