A NEW star of the first magnitude, Nova Archiepiscopi, has appeared in the ecclesiastical firmament, and we opened our Daily Express on Monday morning to find that we had an Archbishop of Windsor, Primate and Patriarch-elect, whose congregation on the previous day had consisted of three women. We understand that the seat of the new patriarchate is in Maiden Lane, and that His Grace’s throne is erected in what was formerly the Rehearsal Theatre and is now a church dedicated to men who fell in the war. His Grace, who tells the readers of the Daily Express that he became a doctor of divinity when he became a bishop, feels that there is a definite need for this movement. His Church is orthodox in every way, but he has made it far more broad-minded than any other, “we admit Nonconformists and spiritualists to our pulpit.” He does not, however, go so far as his venerable brother of Constantinople, or believe that Anglican orders are as valid as Roman. Questioned by a representative of the Star, he said that he accepted the doctrine of consubstantiation, not the doctrine of transubstantiation. But when the erudite interviewer explained to His Grace what the Tridentine definition of transubstantiation was, the Archbishop accepted the explanation, and agreed with it. The Patriarch-elect has already three priests, and expects the submission of others. A brand-new Catholic Church, of course, needs a little time to establish itself. But on present information we do not think that “going over to Windsor” is very much more likely to become the vogue than “going over to Mercia” has been.

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