Short History of the Orthodox Church of the Culdees

– TABLE OF CONTENTS –

– Short Definition of Culdee – 

– The First Century Church –

– Numerous British 1st-5th Century Saints –

– British Israelites –

– Triumphant Christian Israelites –

– Orthodox and Israelite Liturgies –

– Archbishops and Patriarchs –

– Charters of Glastonbury –

– Kings, Queens, Popes, and Heirs –

– The Rights Transferred to the Descendants in Spiritual Anointing –

– Glastonbury Rights to Ban and Set Free –

– Culdees’ Church at Southern California –

– Our Current Primace of the OCC, Dr. Stephen MK d’Guelph Brunswick ThD, PhD –

– Special Note on the Sabbath – 

– Appendix – 

Short Definition of Culdee.

You can read the Basic Definition of Culdee in the 1911 British Encyclopedia, Volume 7. It conclusively defines the Culdees as “Britain’s earliest priests of God”. The encyclopedia then goes on to defend why that is the most accurate definition of Culdee. 

The Culdees are the original Celtic Orthodox Church. Typically most of the founders of each Celtic school can trace their background back to various Celtic lands, for example Wales, Cornwall, Ireland, Gaul France, and/or Scotland. The ancient Celtic churches of Gaul (France) were considered at the heart of the church. Other Celtic lands are proven to be as far East as Kiev,  and as far as the Black Sea, as was where St Andrew himself had converted the Scottish people to Christ (see their Declaration of Abroath).

However even back to the time of St Columba the Abbot of Iona, he was reputed to have  had several Saxon students (according to Adomnan).

The Saxon makeup of the church overall played a key part ever since the Saxons in the 8th Century King Ine made it law that Saxon Nobles could only marry Celtic and British native Nobles. There are many studies that show Saxons to be anciently of the same Celtic people, which is why they had no problem mixing to become the Anglo Saxon (or Celto-Saxon) nation of England.

We also accept the descriptions of the Culdees to be Irish, as these Clerics used the name in their establishments at the O’Neill’s territories till the most recent times (Ireland and Scotland).

The First Century Church.

The institution known as the “Church of the Culdees” is widely acknowledged to be the Celtic First Century Church at Glastonbury, together with the other Celtic churches already established by Jeremiah the Prophet in 500BC. We suggest you read for the most conclusive proof available on the topic, our article “Numerous Ancient Manuscripts Confirming St. Joseph (of the Sanhedrin) Founded the British Hebrew Priesthood at Glastonbury in 36AD” article published by our Primace Dr. Stephen Michael d’Guelph Brunswick.

Christ’s Uncle Joseph was a man of authority not only holding political and true sovereign rights, acknowledged by all sides, foreign and internal. He was also, as the leading merchant of Rome’s Tin coming out of Cornwall England, on the established protected trade routes of Rome, no doubt a most worthy caretaker of Christ during His “missing 18 years” (age 12 till 30 as documented in the Bible). All of the many caravans of Gold delivered to Christ (with the Frankincense and Myhrr) brought by the Magi/Wisemen was in his most capable hands for safe keeping.  Joseph being the successor to the Davidic Royal kingship on one hand, and the Levitical priesthood on the other, earned him much rights within the Jerusalem government (the Sanhedrin) itself. He had also earned ranks when he was trained in the Roman military, serving together on campaigns with Pilate himself, when he became a Roman “de curio”. The Bible tells us how he could walk in to any rank of Roman officials and throw his weight around.

In the many great ancient books called “the Welsh Genealogies of Saints” it catalogs St Joseph’s descendants as endowing their successors with their Culdean Churches, according to the Hebrew and local English (Biblical) method of inheritance (demonstrating 10 generations).

Numerous British 1st-5th Century Saints.

One of the prides of the Culdees church is our HUNDREDS of well documented Saints which predate the Roman St Augustine’s arrival. Today even the Greek and Russian Orthodox venerate dozens of our First and Second Century Celtic Saints.

150 early Culdee Missionaries are honored in Germany, 45 in France, 30 in Belgium, 13 in Italy, 8 in in Norway and Iceland, to say nothing of other places and Saints of whom mention is made in the British Martyrology. Their burial sites at their well known Monasteries are a great witness.

So many more are venerated by Ireland, Scotland and England, and the rest of the Western Church. The memorial biographies (Hagiographies / Vitas) widely document those of our Saints such as St Aristobulus and St Columbanus, as “CULDEAN” founders of the Church in Western Europe. Download the chapter “Spread of the Culdean Church [in Western Europe] from the book, “History of the Scottish Nation” or The History of The Celtic Church (All Three Volumes): History of Civilization From Pre-historic Times To Medieval Times – FREE PDF. For nearly every generation it has been, and still is acknowledged by historians worldwide that hundreds of British missionaries (Culdean Orthodox Saints) were sent from Britain to convert Western Europe long before Rome sent Augustine to England. (Download PDF From “the Culdee of Glastonbury” 133 British Saints Before Roman Augustine’s arrival – PDF 300 more Irish, Welsh and Scottish Saints are being added in the next release.)

In the early period of the church, the Culdees are renown for having already founded 12 monasteries in England, 13 in Scotland, 7 in France, 16 in Bavaria, 15 in Rhoetia, Germany and Switzerland, 10 in Alsace, 7 in Lorraine, 12 in Armorica and 6 in Italy.

British Israelites.

There are over 3,000 books written on the topic of “British Israelism”, that highlight these facts of the First Century Culdean / British Church.

The Jerusalem Church Moved To Britain, and the Apostolic See of Glastonbury, later called the “Second Rome”. Many 1st-2nd Century British Saints attest to this, see attached PDF of Saints

Some say the Culdees went into hiding. It is true that many “True Orthodox” Dissenter churches(later called Seventh day Baptists) were all formed by high ranking original English Orthodox Clergy in the mid 1600’s. However, the hiding was not for long. Many came to realize that in the present form of the church that they could still follow all the orthodox liturgies, including doing communion of the Saturday 7th day Sabbath. The British church embraced it’s roots as Israel and used the ancient liturgies of Israel. This included not only in the church, but also the Nobility. The Kings and Queens being descendant of King David.  The current Queen of England, when she was crowned was proclaimed by the Archbishop to be “Queen of Israel”, when her coronation was syndicated live on international television. That isn’t to say in every generation they weren’t perfect. Even the Israelites when they lived in Jerusalem had many wicked kings who even let the people forget God’s commandments.

Triumphant Christian Israelites.

In the years just after Christ, there became more of a stronger remnant than Israel ever had in the Old Testament. We who are part of His firstfruits have His law as our delight, that the Holy Spirit has written on our hearts. Some may argue still only there was a remnant among the wider true Israel nations of Christendom, that’s no problem, we can also debate the percentages etc. Christ gave us the keys that the heirarchies of Royalty which originally came from true Israel already understood. The structures put in place by Jeremiah the prophet (sometimes mislabled as Druidism)  were all more than ready to do as Christ told us to pray “His Kingdom come and be done on earth”. The Church Triumphant has had it’s many days of peril, but while governments come and go, the Church has emerged as victors outliving every Government. Under the House of Joseph promises to have the name Israel together with all its birthrights, we see that only fulfilled in the descended nations of Great Britain and America have had such great Kingdom blessings of providence. This has included having the widest space available for protecting the pure religion, where our Orthodox Hebrew beliefs have been maintained through the ages.  Although there has been a general “great falling away” of the rest of the church. We consider those who forgot about His laws to simply be “asleep” and in need of awakening. If they don’t awaken now to be numbered within the “called” “first-fruits” then they will need to stay in the grave an extra 1,000 years till “the second Resurrection”.

Numerous studies can show that throughout the many splits, schisms and governmental interventions, still our true Israelite faith has thrived among the peoples of the remnant Culdees. The kindred peoples known as Culdees are not only Celtic, but span the ranks of Saxon, Norman and Dane (all cousins historically, ie Scots came from “greater Scythia” just as the Saxon). The close kindred connections were maintained although separated by the English channel. Much of France is known as Celtic in origin, just as much of Eastern Europe is documented to hold.

Many can trace their genealogies back to Joseph of Arimathea. Even many in Ireland today trace by DNA their ancestry back to King Neil of Nine hostages, to the original Royal House of Judea of 500BC. As documented in the Welsh Genealogies of Saints you have the physical, not only the spiritual anointings. The spiritual however God also ordained to “seeds” ie the “sons of the prophets” being interchangable with the “sons of Aaron” and “sons (and daughters) of Levi”.

In these ancient celtic lands the physical inheritance was more well maintained together with the spiritual. This is further evident in the Culdees’ succession of Bishops from Saint David of Wales, or of Culdean churches of the original Waldenses(under the Celtic Bishops of Lyon). The Waldensian Bishops of Lyon France claimed succession from the Holy Apostle St John, as did the whole of Asia Minor, that Rome had persecuted for separating to continue observing the original Hebrew festivals. The first Culdees (Bishop Aristobulus, St Joseph Arimathea, and St Philip) had united with them all in the First Century. This is documented in our booklet on the first 500 years of British Saints. These all are shown to have been long holding to the true orthodoxy in the face of extreme persecution. These things come and go, and are often only temporary political matters. You may wish to further learn of this topic, how the remnant have prevailed, in our book on the Holy Orthodox Christian Sabbath on Saturday:

“Honoring of the Sabbath in the Historic Orthodox Church” BOOK PUBLISHED BY OUR CHURCH

There is a consensus among historians that the early American Pilgrims were “Neo-Culdees”. They were indeed more orthodox than the ones we’ve known the last 50 years. Even the most non-conformist congregationalist churches of early America still used the Orthodox English liturgy (BCP text), and have continued using our Orthodox liturgy until very recently.

Orthodox and Israelite Liturgies. 

The present and ancient English liturgy reflects the facts that the Christian nations have always believed they are Israelites. The Hebrew Shama Prayer is used in the oldest of our Culdee Christian liturgies, and is today in the Anglican Book of Common Prayer (also used by Roman Catholics) as part of the Eucharist. It is also the oldest prayer that is recited by the Jews (originally from the Great Sanhedrin of 450BC. [That is around the time Jeremiah transplanted much of the priesthood, David’s literal throne (stone of scone), and the remaining heirs of the Judean throne to Ireland]). The English congregations chant the Shama much like Israel did. It is chanted at the Eucharist (also a Hebrew bread feast that Christ pointed to as fulfillment of the shewbread). The shama is typically sung or recited before the Decaloge (or 10 Commandments). Some versions of the liturgy say you can optionally recite the Hebrew Shama text “Hear O Israel.. etc” rather than reciting the full 10 Commandments.

The Didache and the English Liturgy (BCP) as rooted in the Sarum Missal remain our primary Orthodox liturgy.

The Saturday Sabbath is also called the day of rest in the “Collect for Saturday”. While most of the Hebrew feasts are already listed in the Book of Common Prayer, the preface says, a Bishop may add or reduce the feasts based on the local needs and availability of Ministers. Read more on this topic in the sub-chapters on the British Church in the booklet “Honoring the Sabbath in the Orthodox Church“.

Archbishops and Patriarchs.

Archbishop Parker, the first Archbishop of Canterbury in the reign of Queen Elizabeth promised in his letter to Calvin, concerning the proposal of a union among all Protestants, reminding him that the Church of England would “retain her Episcopacy; but not as from Pope Gregory, who sent Augustine the monk hither, but from Joseph of Arimathea.” (Gildas, 1525, also in “The Life and Acts of Archbishop Parker” By John Strype, Published in 1711.) [Note that Gregory was fiercely opposed by Saint Columbanus the Culdee from the Luxeuil Abbey.]

The Patriarch Cyril Lucaris of Constantinople also reached out to the Orthodox English (also called Dissenters and Protestants). He made a confession of faith that was in absolute agreement with the Orthodox Culdees. It sounded exactly as Calvin agreed. Calvin also followed more the Orthodox liturgy himself, much moreso than those today claiming to be in Calvin descended churches.

There were numerous recognitions within the churches of the world, that they would yield to Glastonbury on points of antiquity and precedence.

At the Synod of Pisa in 1409, Council of Constance in 1417, Synod of Sienna in 1424, and the Council of Basel in 1434. There was reached a consensus that the Churches of France and Spain must yield in points of antiquity and precedence to that of Britain. This was for the sole basis of Glastonbury being the first church of the Hebrew Apostles of Christ.

All Eastern Patriarchates together with the Tsars of Russia have often formally agreed Britain is an independent Orthodox jurisdiction from the First Century. (“History of the Nonjurors…” by Lathbury)

The Orthodox worldwide celebrate the First Century Bishop of Britain, St Aristobulus, assistant of the Holy Apostle St Andrew.

The Russian Orthodox decided in 1907 that the English BCP Liturgy is Canonical, rooted in the Sarum Missal and purely Orthodox.

Roman Catholics officially endorsed to the validity of our Protestant (Western or Eastern) Orthodox sacraments.

Charters of Glastonbury.

Numerous Royals, Clergy, Bishops and Archbishops claimed and proved Glastonbury’s rightful status as England’s birthright to exert their independence from Rome, and seniority in spiritual matters of the church. In each case, even Rome and the Vatican had to passively accept Glastonbury’s claim of a higher status that wasn’t even subject to Rome. Not only in numerous Royal charters going back to the first century, but this status was also confirmed and endorsed in about 30 Papal Bulls. Such rights confirmed in the Charters and Papal Bulls were higher than any order of Clergy have ever had, not even the Knights Templar had as many rights/obligations. We will get into some of those living rights in the following chapters.

Kings, Queens, Popes and Heirs.

Not only the Welsh and Saxon but the Norman French, German and even the Byzantine Imperial houses made many important decisions for their Empires based on Glastonbury

You may wish to read our article: Welsh and Celto-Saxon Kings Protecting Glastonbury (and the religion of the Culdees)

The Heir of Glastonbury, the Lord Prior John Nott, is not known so well. At the time of the Reformation, the ancient seat of the Culdees (Glastonbury) was destroyed by Henry VIII. Nearly all the monks signed Henry VIII’s Act of Supremacy, all but one. There was one Monk who refused to sign, and successfully kept the status alive. His name was John Nott. Only the monks could choose successors and so he was made senior (Lord Prior) and came with two other monks to petition the Queen. He raised formal written petition co-signed by his fellow monks, to make requests of the Queen Elizabeth. John Nott’s petition was acknowledged to be valid and was endorsed by her counsellors. So this was one of many legal recognitions to the Hebrew Culdees practices and tradition back to “Joseph of Arimathea“. The Queen recognized his petition of 1556. In it he maintained that the church belonged to Joseph of Arimathea and his heirs. He stood up for this most ancient church, and offered to maintain the grounds without a salary. He wrote that it would also be passed down to his successors (a Culdean priestly House which is documented back to the earlier Culdean Period of Oxfordshire, where they were Earls, and later had founded a branch of the de Arden family of Warwick).

Although legally John Nott won this, his heirs made a “new Glastonbury” in Connecticut, and the one at England was all but abandoned from the regular Monastic style of ministry. Those of the true faith moved to America and so did much of the anointing(House of Joseph Ephraim now going beneath the brother tribe of Manasseh as was prophesied and fulfilled in Saxon American Israel). So while no true church was reestablished at the old Glastonbury, it went into dormancy while the same Heirs of John Nott established a new Glastonbury, and had continued it’s most core Hebrew traditions. This should be observed in balance of compliance to the Hebrew prescriptivev law that has continually been embraced by the said family,  and of the reversion back to the original Glastonbury charters, the original laws, and those of inheritance under the regular Culdean practice of the firstborn sons of the priests. Like “the sons of the prophets”, the succession of priestly duties were not bound only to the lands, but to the ministry wherever it may lead. The offices of succession for this house are several lines of Judah and David, which have covenant to rule and serve the true Saxon-American-Manasseh Israel.

Some quotes on this type of succession is documented in Jamison’s “Ancient Culdees”, Chapter 2

“..like the priests under the law(Rabbis), they were succeeded by inheritance”

“..in the church of Saint Andrews the Culdees came into the office hereditarily”

“The Culdees of Ireland practiced hereditary succession, the Bishopric of Armagh, could demonstrate fifteen generations.” (Read more. Also read our article “Apostolic Succession” and “Glastonbury Led By Married Hebrew Priests“)

It is also further documented in other works such as the “ECCLESIASTICAL ANTIQUITIES OF THE CYMRY” OR THE ANCIENT BRITISH CHURCH ITS HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND RITES” – DOWNLOAD FULL BOOK PDF

Historically many of the Orthodox Monks had wives and children, and they retired there at the Glastonbury Abbey. Some of them were young students getting their early education there. Many Kings retired there to become a Monk, leaving their political duties, their wives and children only for visiting, and dedicating all their time to the Culdees’ church. For centuries celibacy was contested against at the Abbey. Like the orthodox priests, it was composed of married clergy. The Benedictine Monks came later, but these were also welcomed among the Culdee institutions.

Our articles on the physical descendants of the Celtic Monastics is well documented. The Hebrew purity laws already were enough of a guard against uncleanness during time of serving in priestly ceremony. This is better described in our article: “Celtic Priests Were Married, Most Abbots Were Married, Many Monks Were Married“.

The Rights Transferred to the Descendants in Spiritual Anointing.

The formal petition of the Glastonbury Cleric John Nott, that was received by the Queen had effectually retained several very important and ancient Culdean legal rights. These rights that originated in the First Century, were re-ratified and confirmed by numerous successive Kings, Clerics and Popes.

So the next in line of succession with the Glastonbury Culdean rights would be an early pioneer of America, who is also a genealogical descendant of Joseph of Arimathea. This family of Nott’s have demonstrated to have not only the physical genealogy (and DNA testing) but the humble and yet powerful spiritual anointing of David, Joseph of Arimathea and the Prophets. Among these is an important Culdee line of the O’Neill family, from which all the Abbots were chosen. This American family of John Nott is very well documented in leadership roles in America. One of which being the one who decreed as the chief judge at Wethersfield, to draw the lines of the New Glastonbury in 1653 and later order articles of drilling for the militia of Glastonbury.  He was the longest serving guard of several consecutive Governors of Connecticut. He was Judge of the said Courthouse at the time and place where it was written the first, and subsequent articles of “Perpetual Confederation” as being “for advancement of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, and maintaining the purity of the gospel”, as was adopted by the rest of the colonies as the “one aim” of America’s union, predating the English dominance of involvement in the said “First Constitution of America”(also called “the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut”) drafted at his courthouse. Among them were also Colonial Governor of Virginia Edward Nott, Supreme Court Justices, several representatives of state and federal senates and congress, the Patriarch of the New England Clergy Abraham Nott, and His son the Confederate Staff Officer and Medical Department Director, Dr Josiah C. Nott.

Glastonbury Rights to Ban and Set Free.