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| British Orthodox Church | |
|---|---|
.png){kind=logo} Logo of the British Orthodox Church | |
| Type | Oriental Orthodox |
| Classification | Independent Oriental Orthodox (independent sacramental movement) |
| Orientation | Alexandrian |
| Scripture | Septuagint,New Testament |
| Theology | Miaphysite |
| Structure | Episcopal |
| Primate | PatriarchJacobus III |
| Language | English |
| Liturgy | Alexandrian Rite |
| Headquarters | 10 Heathwood Gardens,Charlton,London,United Kingdom |
| Territory | British Isles |
| Founder | Jules Ferrette (claimed) |
| Branched from | Coptic Orthodox Church (2015) |
| Merged into | Coptic Orthodox Church (1994–2015) |
| Official website | britishorthodox.org |
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TheBritish Orthodox Church (BOC), formerly theOrthodox Church of the British Isles,[1] is an independent church, having its roots inOriental Orthodoxy.
The British Orthodox Church has not been incommunion with any of the Oriental Orthodox churches since a 2015 decision to return to an independent status.
The British Orthodox Church was led bySeraphim (born William Henry Hugo Newman-Norton), as British Patriarch, until his death on November 12th, 2025.
The church claims to be the continuation of theAncient British Church ofJules Ferrette.[2][3][4]
Metropolitan Seraphim of Glastonbury served as the metropolitan of the Metropolis ofGlastonbury andPatriarch of theOrthodox Church of the British Isles, succeedingHugh George de Willmott Newman.
The Orthodox Church of the British Isles and theCeltic Orthodox Church split in 1994, underMar Seraphim (William Henry Hugo Newman-Norton). For its part, the Orthodox Church of the British Isles joined theCoptic Orthodox Church and changed its name toBritish Orthodox Church.[5][6]
On 6 April 1994, a protocol enacting the merge of the Orthodox Church of the British Isles into theCoptic Orthodox Church was signed by both parties. The Orthodox Church of the British Isles, headed bySeraphim, changed its name toBritish Orthodox Church for the union, and became "adiocese of the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria withjurisdiction over the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands". The British Orthodox Church was distinct from theother communities in the British Isles of the Coptic Church. Seraphim, primate of the British Orthodox Church, was notreordained, but received achrismation. On 19 June 1994, Seraphim "wasconsecrated as aMetropolitan in the Coptic Patriarchate by His HolinessPope Shenouda assisted by some seventy Metropolitans andBishops". Seraphim then became member of theHoly Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church.[3][4]
On 4 October 2015 theCoptic Orthodox Patriarchate, in response to a request from the British Orthodox Church, "in the same spirit with which this union came into being", agreed to the British Orthodox Church returning to its pre-1994 status "in fulfilment to what it sees as its current mission in the light of the developments and changing dynamics of the Middle East and Britain". The British Orthodox website spoke of it "amicably returning to its original status in order to fulfil its mission more effectively".[6] This resulted in the British Orthodox Church returning to a non-canonical status, outside ofcommunion with any church.
On 29 October 2017, Metropolitan Seraphim, actingsolus, consecrated Father David Seeds as Bishop David ofPriddy.[7]
In January 2019, the BOC announced that Seraphim was once again considered as itsPatriarch, since from the moment of the union with the Coptic Church Seraphim had ceased to use this title.[2]
On 23 February 2019, Patriarch Seraphim, acting with Bishop David of Priddy, consecrated Father James Maskery as Abba James, Archbishop Titular of Caerleon-upon-Usk andMafrian of the British Orthodox Church.[8] Mafrian is a title used in the Syrian Orthodox Church for the Catholicos of the East, and the primate of the church in theSassanid Empire, now Iran and Iraq.
Through the church press it publishes theGlastonbury Review, the only English-language journal committed to regular reporting about the activities of the Oriental Orthodox churches and it has also begun to republish some theological works.[9]
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