On the Feast of St. Cuthbert, Saturday, 22 March 2025, the Convocation of Anglican Churches initiated a reorganization that created the Diocese of St. Cuthbert (Florida, Georgia, South Carolina). The Convocation of Anglican Churches took this opportunity to convene a Mass for the Anglo-Catholic Consecration of Bishop-Elect, the Reverend Canon David Sokol – who is currently the Chaplain and Inspector for the Priory of The Temple Church – to become the first Bishop Ordinary of the new Diocese.
The Consecration was conducted at Reverend Canon David Sokol‘s home church, St. Martin’s Anglican Church in Ocala, Florida. Members of the Priory of The Temple Church’s ExCom, including two Past Priors from the Temple Church Council of Elders, were blessed to not only attend but participate in the ceremony itself.
Bishop-elect Rev. Canon Sokol invited members of the Order to participate in the Processional wearing our distinctive white mantles emblazoned with the red Templar cross. Temple Church Chancellor Chev. Thomas Beaton, GOTJ, and Commander of the Commandery of The Holy Trinity CAPT. Chev. Howard Giraldo, KCTJ, acted as sword bearers in the Processional, Recessional, and posted at the altar rail during the Examination of the Bishop-Elect and Consecration, holding their arming swords inverted to form a cross as they expressed the ancient tradition of protection of the Church.
As Prior (and David’s original sponsor), I was extremely honored to participate in the Consecration by standing behind Bishop-elect Sokol and holding above his head an authentic facsimile copy of the Gospel of Lindisfarne as the Archbishop and co-consecrators lay their hands on him and the Prayer of Consecration was concluded.
Present to celebrate with Bishop Sokol was a church filled to overflowing with parishioners, community members, and several generations of the Sokol family. The group included 11 Temple Church members, counting Bishop Sokol and Chvse. Patricia Sokol, plus Postulant Ronald Wetherington and future Postulant Rev. Father William Bates – both men recommended and sponsored by the Sokols.
Commented Grand Chancellor H.E. Chev. Frederick Kienle, PhD, GCTJ, on this occasion, “Please pass along our sincere congratulations and best wishes to all. What a great day for the Sokols and for our Order!”
After the Mass of Consecration, Bishop Sokol graciously personally blessed every Temple Church member individually just prior to a well-attended and abundantly supplied fellowship feast on the church grounds where Priory members were able to talk with many attendees and answer multiple questions about SMOTJ and our modern Templar mission.
It is interesting to note that St. Cuthbert was born just about a decade after the conversion of King Edwin of Northumbria to Christianity in 627. Cuthbert’s hometown of Dunbar was in Northumbria, which is now East Lothian, Scotland. The “Wonder Worker of Britain” was known for his asceticism, generosity to the poor, charm, gifts of healing, and spiritual insight.
The Lindisfarne Gospels is an illuminated manuscript presumed to be created about 715 –720 AD at the monastery at Lindisfarne off the coast of Northumberland and currently resides in the British Library in London. Considered one of the finest works in the unique style of Insular or Hiberno-Saxon art (which combines Mediterranean, Celtic and Anglo-Saxon elements), it is believed the Gospels was produced in honor of St. Cuthbert who was Bishop of Lindisfarne from 26 March 685 through Christmas 686 AD when he returned to his life as a hermit preparing for his death in his early 50’s from a “painful illness” on 20 March 687.
Another fascinating fact is that St. Cuthbert’s pectoral (bishop’s) cross, while reflecting Celtic and Byzantine design elements, is reminiscent of the cross pattée later adopted as the Templar cross. The first recorded example of the cross pattée in early medieval art dates from a metalwork treasure binding given to the Basilica of St. John the Baptist in Monza, Italy (near Milan) by Queen Theodelinda of Lombard before 628 AD. Theodelind was a Catholic Bavarian Princess who married Lombard King Authari and convinced him to convert from his pagan beliefs to Christianity.