Episcopal Diocese of Southwestern Virginia

Diocese of Southwestern Virginia
Location
CountryUnited States
TerritoryCounties of Alleghany, Amherst, Augusta, Bath, Bedford, Bland, Botetourt, Buchanan, Campbell, Carroll, Craig, Dickinson, Floyd, Franklin, Giles, Grayson, Henry, Highland, Lee, Montgomery, Nelson, Patrick, Pulaski, Roanoke, Rockbridge, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, Wise, & Wythe.
Ecclesiastical provinceProvince III
Statistics
Congregations50 (2023)
Members8,338 (2023)
Information
DenominationEpiscopal Church
EstablishedDecember 10, 1919
Current leadership
BishopMark Allen Bourlakas
Map
Location of the Diocese of Southwestern Virginia
Location of the Diocese of Southwestern Virginia
Website
www.dioswva.org

Episcopal Diocese of Southwestern Virginia is the diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America located in the southwest area of Virginia. It is in Province III (for the Middle Atlantic region). The diocese includes 50 parishes in the state's southwestern region, including the cities of Lynchburg and Roanoke.

The Diocese of Southwestern Virginia was created as a split from the Diocese of Southern Virginia in 1919. Although there has been an Anglican presence in southwestern Virginia since the mid-18th century, the Diocese of Southern Virginia had been formed in 1892 from the Diocese of Virginia covering most counties in the historic Commonwealth, and by the end of World War I with more than 260 congregations was the third largest diocese in the nation. Upon creation of the Diocese of Southwestern Virginia, Roanoke was named see city of the first Bishop, Robert Carter Jett, and its St. John's Church housed the diocesan offices until shortly after World War II, when Evans House was built.[1]

Mark Bourlakas was consecrated the Sixth Bishop of Southwestern Virginia in a ceremony held at the Roanoke Performing Arts Theatre on July 20, 2013,[2][3]

The diocese has two retreat centers: Grace House on the Mountain in Wise County and the Phoebe Needles Center in Franklin County.[4][5]

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References

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  1. ^ "A Historical Sketch of the Diocese of Southwestern Virginia Retrieved on 16 December 2023.
  2. ^ "New Bishop Elected in Episcopal Diocese of Southwestern Virginia", Anglican Communion News Service, London, 11 March 2013. Retrieved on 26 January 2020.
  3. ^ Modisett, C.E. "Mark Allen Bourlakas ordained as Southwestern Virginia bishop", Episcopal News Service, New York, 23 July 2013. Retrieved on 26 January 2020.
  4. ^ https://gracehouse.dioswva.org/ [bare URL]
  5. ^ https://phoebeneedles.org/ [bare URL]

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