The primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, styled "The Most Reverend the Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church", is the presiding bishop of the Scottish Episcopal Church. The current Primus is the Most Revd. Mark Strange who became primus on 27 June 2017.
The word primus literally means "first" in Latin and is cognate to the related episcopal title Primate.
The Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church has the following tasks:
The primus does not have any metropolitan jurisdiction. Metropolitan responsibilities are held by the diocesan bishops. The last head of the Scottish Episcopal Church to hold both primate and metropolitan titles was Arthur Rose, Archbishop of St Andrews, up to his death in 1704.[1] The last bishop to exercise metropolitan authority was Alexander Rose, Bishop of Edinburgh, up to his death in 1720.[2]
Holders of the role since the creation of the post in the early 18th century.[3]
Primuses of the Scottish Episcopal Church | |||
---|---|---|---|
From | Until | Incumbent | Notes |
1720 | 1727 | ![]() |
Bishop of Edinburgh, 1720–1727. |
May 1727 | Oct 1727 | ![]() |
Bishop of Edinburgh, May–Oct 1727. |
1727 | 1731 | ![]() |
Bishop of Edinburgh, 1727–1733. |
1731 | 1738 | ![]() |
Bishop of Galloway, 1731–1733; Bishop of Edinburgh, 1733–1739. |
1738 | 1743 | ![]() |
Bishop of Dunkeld, 1727–1743. |
1743 | 1757 | ![]() |
Bishop of Caithness, Orkney and The Isles, 1731–1757. |
1757 | 1761 | ![]() |
Bishop of Fife, 1743–1761. |
1762 | 1782 | ![]() |
Bishop of Moray, 1742–1778; Bishop of Edinburgh, 1776–1784. |
1782 | 1788 | ![]() |
Bishop of Aberdeen, 1768–1786. |
1788 | 1816 | ![]() |
Bishop of Aberdeen, 1786–1816. |
1816 | 1837 | ![]() |
Bishop of Brechin, 1810–1840. |
1837 | 1841 | ![]() |
Bishop of Edinburgh, 1830–1841. |
1841 | 1857 | ![]() |
Bishop of Aberdeen, 1816–1857. |
1857 | 1862 | ![]() |
Bishop of Edinburgh, 1841–1872. |
1862 | 1886 | ![]() |
Bishop of Moray, Ross & Caithness, 1851–1886. |
1886 | 1901 | ![]() |
Bishop of Brechin, 1875–1903. |
1901 | 1904 | ![]() |
Bishop of Moray, Ross & Caithness, 1886–1904. |
1904 | 1907 | ![]() |
Bishop of St Andrews, Dunkeld & Dunblane, 1893–1907. |
1908 | 1934 | ![]() |
Bishop of Brechin, 1904–1934. |
1935 | 1943 | ![]() |
Bishop of Moray, Ross & Caithness, 1904–1943. |
1943 | 1946 | ![]() |
Bishop of Edinburgh, 1939–1946. |
1946 | 1952 | ![]() |
Bishop of Glasgow & Galloway, 1938–1952. |
1952 | 1962 | ![]() |
Bishop of Argyll & The Isles, 1942–1962. |
1962 | 1973 | ![]() |
Bishop of Glasgow & Galloway, 1952–1973. |
1974 | 1977 | ![]() |
Bishop of Argyll & The Isles, 1963–1977. |
1977 | 1985 | ![]() |
Bishop of Edinburgh, 1975–1985. |
1985 | 1990 | ![]() |
Bishop of Brechin, 1975–1990. |
1990 | 1992 | ![]() |
Bishop of Argyll & The Isles, 1977–1992. |
1992 | 2000 | ![]() |
Bishop of Edinburgh, 1986–2000. |
2000 | 2006 | ![]() |
Bishop of Aberdeen & Orkney, 1992–2006. |
2006 | 2009 | ![]() |
Bishop of Glasgow & Galloway, 1998–2009. |
2009 | 2016 | ![]() |
Bishop of St Andrews, Dunkeld & Dunblane, 2004–2016. |
2017 | present | ![]() |
Bishop of Moray, Ross, & Caithness, 2007–present |