View source for Diocese of Sodor and Man

{{Short description|Diocese of the Church of England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox diocese
|jurisdiction     = Diocese
|name             = Sodor and Man
|latin            = Dioecesis Sodorensis et Monensis
|local            = 
|coat             = Diocese of Sodor and Man arms.svg
|province         = [[Province of York|York]]
|parishes         = 15 (in 14 benefices)
|churches         = 43
|bishop           = [[Tricia&nbsp;Hillas]], [[Bishop of Sodor and Man]]
|archdeacon       = [[Irene Cowell]], [[Archdeacon of Man]]
|denomination     = [[Church of England]]
|cathedral        = [[Peel Cathedral]]
|deaneries        = Castletown, Douglas, Peel, Ramsey
|archdeaconries   = Man
|website          = [http://www.sodorandman.im sodorandman.im]
}}
The '''Diocese of Sodor and Man''' is a [[diocese]] of the [[Church of England]]. It is one of only two Church of England dioceses not within the [[United Kingdom]] (the other is the [[Diocese in Europe]]). Originally much larger, today it covers just the [[Isle of Man]] and its adjacent islets. Today, the bishop's office is in [[Douglas, Isle of Man|Douglas]] and the [[Peel Cathedral|cathedral]] is in [[Peel, Isle of Man|Peel]]. The diocese is ''not'' generally called either "Sodor diocese" or "Man diocese".

==Structure==
The diocese administers 40 churches, which are organised in 15 ecclesiastical parishes. Formerly there were 27 such parishes, but their number has been reduced by extensive pastoral reorganisation between 2012 and 2015.<ref>[http://www.gumbley.net/diocese.htm Isle of Man parishes and their churches and chapels]</ref> Each parish forms a separate [[Ecclesiastical benefice|benefice]], with the exception of two (Onchan; Lonan and Laxey) which are combined in a [[team ministry]] with a team rector and a team vicar.<ref>[http://www.tynwald.org.im/links/tls/SD/2012/2012-SD-0392.pdf Onchan, Lonan and Laxey Pastoral Scheme 2012 (SD 392/12)]</ref> The [[Archdeacon of Man]] is the incumbent (vicar) of the parish of St George and All Saints, Douglas.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Next Archdeacon Announced |url=https://www.sodorandman.im/next-archdeacon-announced/ |date=4 February 2022 |access-date=7 April 2022 |website=Diocese of Sodor and Man |archive-date=7 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220207170506/https://www.sodorandman.im/next-archdeacon-announced/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

The Cathedral Church of St German at Peel (informally styled Cathedral Isle of Man) is one of five churches in the parish of the West Coast, the incumbent (vicar) of which is ''ex officio'' [[Dean (Christianity)|Dean]] of the Cathedral.<ref>[https://www.legislation.gov.im/cms/images/LEGISLATION/PRINCIPAL/1895/1895-0001/ChurchAct1895_2.pdf Church Act 1895 (of Tynwald) section 4(2)]</ref>

The parishes are grouped into four "Mission Partnerships" (Eastern, Western, Southern and Northern) for purposes of mission and inter-parochial co-operation. Originally informal (from 2010), these mission partnerships became legal entities on 1 January 2013 under the Mission and Pastoral Measure (Isle of Man) 2012.<ref>[http://www.tynwald.org.im/links/tls/SD/2012/2012-SD-0654.pdf SD 654/12]</ref> They have completely replaced the traditional [[rural deanery]] structure, and the former deaneries and the office of rural dean have been legally abolished. Each mission partnership has a team leader appointed by the bishop from amongst the constituent clergy.<ref>[http://www.gumbley.net/mission_partnerships.pdf Gumbley, K F W (2014) ''Mission partnerships: the legal background'' (Diocesan Registry)]</ref>

In addition to the parish clergy, the bishop licenses a few ordained [[chaplain]]s. These include the school chaplain of [[King William's College]] (where there is an elegant Anglican chapel,<ref>Chapel outlined, with pictures, at the [https://www.kwc.im/chapelCollege website]{{Dead link|date=July 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}.</ref> with scissor-braced roof with canopied stalls designed by James Cowle), and the hospital chaplain of the island's main [[Noble’s Hospital]], where an interdenominational chapel is staffed by the Anglican chaplain together with two colleagues, one Roman Catholic, and one Free Church.<ref>Hospital Chapel and current Chaplains on the [https://www.gov.im/categories/health-and-wellbeing/hospitals-and-emergency-treatment/nobles-hospital/chapel-services/ Government website]</ref>

==Early history==
{{see also|Diocese of the Isles}}
[[Image:Kingdom of Mann and the Isles-en.svg|thumb|left|The [[Kingdom of Mann and the Isles]] about the year 1100.  Sodor and Mann in red.]]
The [[Norway|Norwegian]] diocese of Sodor was formed in 1154, covering the [[Hebrides]] and the other islands along the west coast of Scotland. The name in the original [[North Germanic languages|Norse]] was ''Suðreyjar'' (''Sudreys'' or "southern isles"), in contrast to the ''Norðreyjar'', the "northern isles" of [[Orkney]] and [[Shetland]]. The Isle of Man was included in with these southern isles. This diocese was a [[Suffragan bishop|suffragan]] of the [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Nidaros|archdiocese of Nidaros (Trondheim)]].<ref name=EB1911>{{Cite EB1911|wstitle=Sodor and Man |volume=25 |page=343}}</ref>

[[Image:St Germans' Cathedral, Peel Castle, Isle of Man.jpg|thumb|Original Peel Cathedral]]
Norway [[Kingdom of Mann and the Isles|controlled]] all these islands until 1266, when they were ceded to Scotland. The [[Isle of Man]] was detached from the Scottish islands and came under the [[suzerainty]] of the Kings of England in 1334.<ref name=EB1911/> Thereafter it was held by feudal Lords of Man (the Stanleys, [[Earls of Derby]], from 1406 to 1736 and the [[Dukes of Atholl]] from 1736) until the lordship was [[Revestment (Isle of Man)|purchased]] by the [[Great Britain|British]] [[The Crown|Crown]] in 1765. The right to appoint the [[Bishop of Sodor and Man]] belonged to the [[Lord of Mann|Lords of Man]], and continued to be exercised by the Dukes of Atholl after the revestment in 1765 until it was surrendered to the Crown in 1828. The Isle of Man was never incorporated into the [[Kingdom of England]], or the [[United Kingdom]], but is a [[Crown Dependency]]. In common with the rest of the Church of England, at the [[English Reformation]] the Diocese left the [[Roman Catholic Church]] under [[Henry VIII of England|Henry VIII]]. The bishop [[Thomas Stanley (bishop)|Thomas Stanley]] was not a supporter of the reforms (particularly the reallocation of his Diocese from the [[Province of Canterbury]] to the [[Province of York]] in 1542) and was deprived of office by Henry, but was briefly reinstated under [[Mary I of England|Mary I]], who restored Stanley to office,<ref>{{cite ODNB  | last =Phillips| first =Gervase| title =Thomas Stanley (d. 1569), in Stanley, Edward, first Baron Monteagle (c.1460–1523) | year = 2004  | url = http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/26261/26280?docPos=3| format =Subscription required  | doi = 10.1093/ref:odnb/26280| access-date = 2008-10-14 }}</ref> but was separated{{clarify|date=May 2013}} once again under the [[Elizabethan settlement|religious settlement]] under [[Elizabeth I of England|Elizabeth I]]. Since the Isle of Man was not part of the Kingdom of England, the [[Act of Uniformity 1662]] passed at the [[English Restoration]] did not apply to it, so [[Thomas Wilson (bishop)|Thomas Wilson]] was free to introduce worship in the [[Manx language]] during his episcopate (1697–1755), and to resolve issues of clergy discipline resulting from the Isle of Man's unique status.<ref name="odnb">{{cite ODNB  | last =Watterson Troxler  | first =Carole | title =Wilson, Thomas, (1663–1755)   | year = 2004  | url = http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/29691  | doi = 10.1093/ref:odnb/29691 | access-date = 2007-10-18 }}</ref>

==Usage of Sodor and Man==
As stated above, the Isle of Man was included in the Southern islands ("Sudreys"); the addition of "and Man" may have been made in the 17th century in ignorance of the proper application of the name of Sodor to the bishopric of Man.<ref>Moore, A W (1909) ''History of the Isle of Man'' (London), p.178</ref> It is suggested that [[St Patrick's Isle]], being the location of the cathedral for the Norse diocese of Sodor, by some confusion itself became known as Sodor.<ref>Moore, A W (1893) ''Sodor and Man'' (London), p.42</ref> By the late 16th century the terms "Sodor" and "Man" had become interchangeable, the bishopric being named in legal documents as "Sodor" or "Man" or "Sodor and Man", or sometimes all three, for the avoidance of doubt (e.g. the grant of the lordship of the Island to the Earl of Derby in 1610 included "the Patronage of the Bishopricke of the said Isle of Mann, and the Patronage of the Bishopricke of Sodor, and the Patronage of the Bishopricke of Sodor and Mann").<ref>Mills, M A (1821) ''Ancient Ordinances and Statute Laws of the Isle of Man'' (Douglas) p.517</ref>

Until 1604 the bishops signed themselves "''Sodorensis''"; from 1604 to 1684, sometimes they used "''Soderensis''" and sometimes "Sodor and Man"; between 1684 and 2007 all bishops signed "Sodor and Man" or "Sodor and Mann". However, the present bishop signs "''Sodor as Mannin''", the [[Manx language|Manx Gaelic]] equivalent, as did her predecessor.

==Later history==
[[Image:Peel Cathedral 2006.jpg|thumb|The modern Peel Cathedral]]
The original [[cathedral]] of the Diocese of Sodor and Man was on St Patrick's Isle at [[Peel, Isle of Man|Peel]]. This cathedral fell into disuse during the 18th century and for many years the bishop's chapel at [[Bishopscourt, Isle of Man|Bishopscourt]], near [[Kirk Michael]], served as a [[pro-cathedral]]. This was a [[Gothic architecture|Gothic building]], rebuilt in 1814 and again in 1858, and dedicated to [[Saint Nicholas|St Nicholas]].  In 1979 Bishopscourt was sold, and the following year the parish church of St German in Peel was designated as "the Cathedral Church of St German" by [[Act of Tynwald]].<ref>Cathedral Church Act 1980 (of Tynwald)</ref>

An 1836 proposal to subsume the diocese into the [[Diocese of Carlisle]] was defeated, as was the 1875 proposal that the [[Anglican Diocese of Liverpool|Diocese of Liverpool]] (then at the planning stage, founded 1880) should include the Isle of Man.<ref>Bray, G. L. (2005) ''Records of Convocation: Sodor and Man 1229-1877'' (London: Boydell and Brewer), p. 406; Anon. ed. (1875) ''Diocese of Sodor and Mann: Documents relating to the proposed amalgamation of that diocese with Carlisle in 1836, and with Liverpool in 1874'' (London: Hatchards)</ref>

Since the Isle of Man is not part of the United Kingdom, the bishop is never a [[Lords Spiritual|Lord Spiritual]] and cannot sit in the [[House of Lords]] of the United Kingdom. However he is an ''ex officio'' member of the [[Legislative Council (Isle of Man)|Legislative Council of the Isle of Man]]. Nevertheless, in common with other [[Appointment of Church of England bishops|Church of England Crown Appointments]], the appointment of the bishop is still made on the advice of the [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom]]. However, unlike diocesan bishops in England, who are formally elected by the canons of the cathedral church in accordance with the monarch's ''[[congé d'elire]]'',<ref>Hill M. (2007), ''Ecclesiastical Law'' (3rd ed, Oxford), paras.4.57-4.59</ref> the Bishop of Sodor and Man is appointed directly by the monarch by [[letters patent]].<ref>Gumbley, K F W (1994), ''Church Legislation in the Isle of Man'', 3 Eccles. L.J. at p.294 [http://www.gumbley.net/article.htm]</ref>

== List of churches ==
''Last fully updated 18 September 2018.''

=== Statistics ===
{| class="wikitable"
!Paid clergy
!Churches
!Population served
!People/clergy
!People/church
!Churches/clergy
|-
|12
|31
|83,314 (2016 census)
|6,942
|2,687
|2.6
|}

=== Eastern Mission Partnership ===
{| class="wikitable"
!Benefice
!Churches
!Link
!Clergy
|-
|[[Braddan]]
|
* Kirk Braddan (St Brendan)
*Old Kirk Braddan (St Brendan)
|[http://kirkbraddan.im]
|
* ''Vicar:'' Daniel Richards
* ''Associate Vicar:'' Joanna Fisher
|-
|[[Douglas, Isle of Man|St George and All Saints, Douglas]]
|
* [[St George's Church, Isle of Man|St George, Douglas]]
|[http://www.sgaschurch.im/]
|

* ''Vicar:'' Irene Cowell
* ''Assistant Priest:'' Andrew Coleman
* ''Assistant Curate:'' Ian Quayle
|-
|St Matthew, Douglas
|
* St Matthew the Apostle, Douglas
|[http://www.stmatthewsiom.org/pages1/index.htm]
|
* ''Priest in Charge:'' Michael Brydon
* ''Assistant Priest:'' Andrew Coleman
|-
|St Ninian, Douglas
|
* St Ninian, Douglas
|[http://www.stninians.im/]
|
* ''Vicar:'' Vacant
* ''NSM:'' Johnny Guilford
|-
|St Thomas, Douglas
|
* St Thomas the Apostle, Douglas
|
|
* ''Vicar:'' Liz Hull
|-
|Onchan, Lonan and Laxey
|
* St Peter, Onchan
* Christ Church, Laxey
|[http://www.stpeterschurch.org.im/]
|
* ''Rector:'' Alessandra di Chiara
|}

=== Northern Mission Partnership ===
{| class="wikitable"
!Benefice
!Churches
!Link
!Clergy
|-
|The Northern Plain
|
* [[St Andrew's Church, Andreas, Isle of Man|Kirk Andreas (St Andrew)]]
* St Jude, Andreas
* Kirk Ballaugh (St Mary the Virgin)
* St Mary de Ballaugh (Old Kirk Ballaugh)
* [[St. Patrick's Church, Jurby|Kirk Jurby (St Patrick)]]
* St Stephen, Sulby
|
|
* ''Rector:'' Vacant
|-
|Ramsey and the North East
|
* Kirk Bride (St Bridget)
* St Olave, North Ramsey
* St Fingan, Glen Auldyn
* Kirk Maughold (St Maughold)
* Christ Church, Dhoon
* [[St Paul's, Ramsey|St Paul, Ramsey]]
|
|
* ''Rector:'' Vacant
|}

=== Southern Mission Partnership ===
{| class="wikitable"
!Benefice
!Churches
!Link
!Clergy
|-
|Arbory and Castletown
|
* Kirk Arbory (St Columba, Ballabeg)
* St Mary's on the Harbour, Castletown
|
|
* ''Vicar:'' Simon Archer
* ''NSM:'' Colin Barry
|-
|Malew and Santan
|
* Kirk Malew (St Lupus)
* St Mary the Virgin, Ballasalla
* St Mark, St Mark's
* Kirk Santan (St Sanctain)
|
|
* ''Vicar:'' Ruth Walker 
|-
|Rushen
|
* Kirk Christ Rushen (Holy Trinity)
* St Catherine, Port Erin
* St Mary, Port St Mary
* St Peter, Cregneash
|
|
* ''Vicar:'' Joe Heaton
|}

=== Western Mission Partnership ===
{| class="wikitable"
!Benefice
!Churches
!Link
!Clergy
|-
|Marown, Foxdale and Baldwin
|
* Kirk Marown (St Runius)
* Old Kirk Marown (St Runius)
* St Paul, Foxdale
* St Luke, Baldwin
|[http://www.marownchurch.com/]
|
* ''Vicar:'' Janice Ward
* ''Assistant Curate:'' Steve Herron
|-
| The West Coast
|
* Cathedral Church of St German, Peel
* St John the Baptist (Royal Chapel), [[St John's, Isle of Man|St John's]]
* Kirk Michael (St Michael & All Angels, Kirk Michael)
* Kirk Patrick (Holy Trinity, Patrick)
*St James, Dalby
|
|
* ''Dean/Vicar:'' [[Nigel Godfrey]]
*''Curate:''  Mark Raadcliffe
*''NSM'': Margaret Burrow
*''NSM:'' Jeanette Hamer
*''Lay Minister:'' Cheryl Cousins
* ''Lay Minister:'' Karen Garrett
|}

==In fiction==
The [[Sodor (fictional island)|Island of Sodor]], the main setting of ''[[The Railway Series]]'' and ''[[Thomas & Friends]]'', is named after, and part of, the diocese.

==See also==
*[[List of churches on the Isle of Man]]
*[[Bishop of Sodor and Man]]
*[[Bishop of the Isles]]
*[[List of Church of England dioceses]]
*[[Sodor (fictional island)]]

==References==
<references />
*[http://www.cofe.anglican.org/info/statistics/churchstatistics2002 Church of England Statistics 2002] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070203171913/http://www.cofe.anglican.org/info/statistics/churchstatistics2002 |date=3 February 2007 }}
*[http://www.gumbley.net/mclintro.htm Manx Church Legislation]

==External links==
*[http://www.isle-of-man.com/manxnotebook/manxsoc/msvol29/index.htm An Account of the Diocese of Sodor and Man]

{{Coord|54|13|N|4|32|W|type:adm2nd_region:IM_dim:20000|display=title}}
{{-}}
{{Province of York}}
{{Diocese of Sodor and Man}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Diocese Of Sodor And Man}}
[[Category:Diocese of Sodor and Man| ]]
[[Category:1154 establishments in Europe]]
[[Category:Bishops of the Isles|*]]
[[Category:Christianity in medieval Scotland]]
[[Category:Dioceses established in the 12th century]]
[[Category:Dioceses of the Church of England|Sodor and Man]]
[[Category:Pre-Reformation dioceses in Nordic Europe|Sodor and Man]]
[[Category:Inner Hebrides]]
[[Category:Religious organizations established in the 1150s]]