Diocese of the Isles facts for kids
The Diocese of the Isles, also known as the Diocese of Suðreyar or Diocese of Sodor, was an important church area in Scandinavian Scotland during the Middle Ages. Think of a diocese as a large region managed by a bishop, who is a senior leader in the Christian church.
This diocese was first part of Norway. But after the Treaty of Perth in the mid-1200s, it became one of the 13 dioceses in Scotland. The main church, or "seat," for the bishop was originally on St Patrick's Isle near Peel, Isle of Man. Later, after some changes, the bishop's seat moved north to places like Snizort and then Iona.
Where Was the Diocese of the Isles?
The Diocese of the Isles covered a large area. It included the Outer Hebrides and most of the Inner Hebrides. These islands are off the west coast of Scotland. Some of the islands included were Iona, Skye, Raasay, Canna, Eigg, Coll, Tiree, and Mull.
It also included Colonsay, Islay, Jura, and Gigha. However, some nearby islands like Lismore were part of a different diocese, the Bishop of Argyll's area. The diocese also covered the Isle of Bute, the Isle of Arran, and the Isle of Man (often called Mann).
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How Did the Diocese Change Over Time?
For a long time, from the 1000s, the Isle of Man and the other islands in the diocese were under the control of the Archbishop of York. This changed when the Archdiocese of Niðarós was created in Norway. After that, the Diocese of the Isles formally became part of Niðarós, which is now called Trondheim in Norway.
Later, in the 1300s, England took control of the Isle of Man. This caused the diocese to split. The part of the diocese on the Isle of Man became separate from the Scottish islands.
A big change happened in 1472. The Norwegian areas of Orkney and Shetland became part of Scotland. This was part of a marriage agreement for King James III of Scotland. After this, the Bishopric of St. Andrews in Scotland became a much more important church area, an "archdiocese." The Scottish parts of the Diocese of the Isles then came under the control of St. Andrews.
The way the diocese worked changed a lot after the Scottish Reformation. This was a time in the 1500s when the church in Scotland moved away from the Catholic Church. The diocese continued to exist within the Church of Scotland, which was episcopal (meaning it had bishops). However, there was a short time between 1638 and 1661 when bishops were removed.
After the Revolution of 1688, bishops were permanently removed from the main church in Scotland. But the Diocese of the Isles continued for a short time in the Scottish Episcopal Church, which was a different church group. This lasted until 1702. Later, in 1847, a new combined church area was created: the Diocese of Argyll and The Isles.
See also
- Bishop of the Isles, a list of the bishops who led the Diocese of the Isles
- Diocese of Sodor and Man, the part of the diocese that continued on the Isle of Man
