Communion Welcomes Spanish Church
Episcopal News Service. November 20, 1980 [80421]
Madrid, Spain -- The century-old Spanish Reformed Episcopal Church is the newest member of the Anglican Communion.
At ceremonies here in early November, the Rt. Rev. Ross Hook, administrative assistant to the Archbishop of Canterbury, signed the documents of integration.
A similar action took place in July in Lisbon when the Lusitanian Church was also integrated into the Anglican Communion following a strong recommendation of the 1978 Lambeth Conference.
The two churches have their origin in the reform movement in Spain and Portugal 100 years ago. Neither church regarded itself as "new" but rather as a restoration of the primitive church of the land.
From the earliest days the two churches have been deeply influenced by Anglican doctrine and practice. For many years they have been in full communion with Anglican churches around the world,
The special ceremony of integration took place at the Cathedral of the Redeemer during the celebration of the centenary synod which was attended by delegates and many visitors from the principal cities of the country.
At the conclusion of the synod, three deacons were ordained by the Rt. Rev. Ramon Taibo, Bishop of the Spanish Reformed Episcopal Church. One of them, Leonedes Chavez, arrived here almost 20 years ago as a political refugee from Havana where he was a public accountant and served as treasurer of the Episcopal Church in Cuba.
Bishop Taibo hailed the day as "joyous, simple, but solemn and memorable." He praised those "who have preceded us and remained faithful under the most difficult circumstances" and expressed hope in the years to come. "Now we are officially what we have been in spirit and in truth during all these years," he said.
In a telegram to Bishop Taibo, the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, the Rt. Rev. John M. Allin, said: "We thank God for your constant and courageous witness during all your history. We rejoice in your becoming part of the Anglican Communion."
The Church in Spain as well as the Church in Portugal is now under the metropolitical authority of the Most Rev. and Rt. Hon. Robert Runcie, Archbishop of Canterbury, as president of the Lambeth Conference and the Anglican Consultative Council.
The ceremony was attended by Bishop John Krumm of the Convocation of American Church in Europe and Bishops Luis R. Pereira and Fernando Soares, of the Lusitanian Church in Portugal.