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SOURCE MATERIAL: ďECCLESIASTICAL ANNALSĒ BY

CARDINAL BORONIUS

CURATOR OF THE VATICAN LIBRARY   

Following the crucifixion of Jesus, St Joseph of Arimathea was driven from his 

home and began a journey of conversion. He traveled to Glastonbury in an attempt

to bring Christianity to the Britons.  Joseph was the owner of the tomb in which

Jesus Christ's body lay from Good Friday till the third day, Pascha (Easter). 

Joseph was from Ramah that today is known as Ramallah.  It was the birth place 

of Samuel, the prophet, and is called in the Septuagint Arimathaim.  Josephus 

calls it Amartha. 

Upon their arrival and tired from the journey, he and his 12 

companions laid down to rest. As he did so, he thrust his staff into the hill. 

When he woke up, the staff had taken root and begun to grow. It flowers every 

Christmas (Old Style) and every spring. This became the site of the Glastonbury 

Abbey.

The original thorn was cut down by a Puritan soldier in 1653 and he was blinded 

when struck in the eye by a splinter. Many cuttings were taken from the original

before its destruction. The current thorn on the grounds of Glastonbury Abbey is

said to be a cutting from the original plant which was planted in secret after 

the original was destroyed. Botanically, the Glastonbury Thorn is a hawthorn, 

which usually blooms only in the spring.  Blooming at Christmas that falls in 

January is considered a miracle by God to honor the faith of Joseph of 

Ariamathia.

Joseph of Arimathea was the Virgin Mary's uncle. It was he, along with St. John 

who buried Jesus after the crucifixion. Joseph, in the tin trade, made a lot of 

trips to Britain, where being a rich merchant made close contact with British 

Royalty; namely Kings Beli, Lud, Llyr and Arviragus, who gave Joseph and his 

companions some 2000 acres of land, tax free. On these trips to Britain, Joseph 

took Jesus, as we know through many geographical, historical and traditional 

references. The details of this study are taken mainly from "The Drama of the 

Lost Disciples", by George F. Jowett. 

Historians William of Malmesbury, (Born 1080 died 1143), Polydore Vergil (Born 

1470 died 1555) and others all place Joseph of Arimathea at Glastonbury. Even 

the four Church councils of Pisa 1409, Constance 1417, Sienna 1424 and Basle 

1434, mention that "the Churches of France and Spain must yield in points of 

antiquity and precedence to that of Britain as the latter Church was founded by 

Joseph of Arimathea immediately after the passion of Christ."  

Three Celtic Orthodox Bishops (London, Lincoln and York) were

present at the Council of Arles in 314 A.D.

Joseph, with many disciples traveled from the holy land by boat and 

landed at Marseilles, in the Vienoise province of the Gauls 

(France). From there he went on to England 

where he established the church, sent out missionaries, and 

helped in the conversion of the Royal family. 

In his "Ecclesiastical Annals", Cardinal Baronius,  (1538-1607) 

Curator of the Vatican library, gives this account. "In that year the party 

mentioned was exposed to the sea in a vessel without sails or oars. 

The vessel drifted finally to Marseilles and they were saved. From 

Marseilles Joseph and his company passed into Britain and after 

preaching the Gospel there, died." 

How many of the disciples were with Joseph of Arimathea during his 

short stay in Gaul, before going on to England, is hard to say. 

Various existing records agree in part with the Cardinal Baronius 

record, naming among the occupants of the castaway boat Mary 

Magdlene, Martha, the hand-maiden Marcella, Lazarus whom Jesus 

raised from the dead, and Maximin the man whose sight Jesus 

restored. Other records state that Philip and James accompanied 

Joseph. Others report that Mary, the wife of Cleopas, and Mary, the 

mother of Jesus, were also in the boat. Here's Baronius' complete 

list of passsengers: 

            St. Mary, wife of Cleopas 

            St. Martha 

            St. Lazarus 

            St. Eutropius 

            St. Salome 

            St. Cleon 

            St. Saturninus 

            St. Mary Magdalene 

            Marcella, the Bethany sisters' maid 

            St. Maximin 

            St. Martial 

            St. Trophimus 

            St. Sidonius (Restitutus) 

            St. Joseph of Arimathea 

True to God's way, Philip was waiting for the travelers in 

France. There is a wealth of uncontroversial testimony asserting his 

commission in Gaul, all of which alike state that he received and 

consecrated Joseph, preparatory to his embarkation and appointment 

as the Apostle to Britain.

Although there are some who would argue for France being first, most 

records agree that Britain, at Glastonbury was the Root of the 

Christian movement. One would expect that history would show that 

the missionary activities would flow out of the well-spring of 

Christianity. And well does history record this. The Gaulic records 

state that for centuries the Archbishops of Treves and Rheims were 

all Britons supplied by the mother church at Glastonbury-Avalon. St. 

Cadval, a famed British missionary, going out from Glastonbury, 

founded the church of Tarentum, Italy, A.D. 170. Did you notice that 

this was four hundred years before St. Augustine? And as we'll see 

later, even this date was at least fourteen years after King Lucius 

Christianized all of Britain in A.D. 156.  

Converts literally flooded into Glastonbury for conversion, baptism, 

instruction and missionary assignment. Philip sent, from Gaul alone, 

one hundred sixty disciples to assist Joseph and his team with the 

crowds. And it is surely known that helpers were sent from other 

places beside France.

One of the first to go out from Glastonbury was Mary and Martha's 

brother Lazarus. He headed straight back to Marseilles where he held 

the Bishopric for seven years. But that was only natural. France was 

a Family thing for the Bethany household. 

Many famous names are recorded as having been associated with 

Glastonbury-Avalon. 

Sidonis, Saturninus, and Cleon taught and supported other 

Missionaries in Gaul, then returned to Britain. 

Martial's parents, Marcellus and Elizabeth were there along with St. 

Zacchaeus. Many faithful Judeans moved to Britain. 

Parmena, disciple of Joseph, was appointed the first Bishop of 

Avignon. Drennalus, helped Joseph found the church at Morlaix.

He was then appointed to Treguier as it's first Bishop. 

Beatus founded the church in Helvetia, after receiving his baptism 

and education at Avalon. Beatus was baptized by St. Barnabas,

the brother of Aristobulus. Beatus was sent in advance 

by St. Paul to Britain. He is referred to in scripture 

as Joses, the Levite. 

Mansuetus was consecrated the first Bishop of the

Lotharingians A.D. 49, with his See at Toul. He also founded 

the church at Lorraine. 

Mansuetus was a constant visitor at the Palace of the British at 

Rome after Claudia had married Pudens. Mansuetus was a

friend of Linus, the first Bishop of Rome, and brother of Claudia. 

At the age of 17, Claudia (former name Gladys (means Princess) 

the Younger, married Pudens a Roman Senator. 

Many Apostles especially Paul were frequent 

visitors to the home of Claudia and Pudens. St. Paul was the half 

brother of Pudens, the husband of Claudia. Priscilla was mother 

to St. Paul and Puden. Eurgain (Claudiaís sister) was the first 

woman Baptized in Britain and she was Baptized by St. Joseph of Arimathea.

Linus, the first Bishop of Rome who had been consecrated by St. Paul 

was the Grandson of Joseph of Arimathea.  In 66 A.D. Claudia,

her husband and children were able to claim the mutilated body 

of St. Paul from the Romans and bury him on Pudens estate. 

After the death of St. Clement, Mansuetus became

the third official Bishop of the British 

Church at Rome. Thus we have three disciples of Avalon, instructed 

by St. Joseph, to become, in succession, Bishops of Rome. 

Iltigius, in "De Patribus Apostolicis", quotes St. Peter as saying; 

"Concerning the Bishops who have been ordained in our lifetime, we 

make known to you that they are these. Of Antioch, Eudoius, ordained 

by me, Peter. Of the Church of Rome, Linus, son of Claudia, was 

first ordained by Paul, and after Linus's death, Clemens the second, 

ordained by me, Peter."

St. Joseph built a little chapel on the hills of Glastonbury 

in southern England. The church stood on the same spot 

until Cromwell had in torn down in 1665. 

With the disruptions caused by the pagan Anglo-Saxons, 

the Celtic Church was forced to the fringes of the Celtic Britain, 

hiding in caves and on small islands. 

It took on the monastic-style of leadership. There was 

considerable monastic influence from the Coptic Church 

(Coptic Orthodox who were Egyptian).

The Northern portion of the Island (Scotland and England) 

was primarily Evangelized by the Celtic Church in Iona.

The Celtic Orthodox Church was also strong in Cornwall 

and Wales. In the South, centering on Kent and Canterbury,

The Celtic Orthodox Church remains vibrant and committed

to the ancient faith and praxis of the early church. The Celtic

Orthodox church remains a church in resistance to modernism and

remains a member if the Catacomb Church Movement.

HOW ROME ATTEMPTED TO DESTROY 

THE CELTIC ORTHODOX 

Because the Celtic Church never submitted to the authority of Rome, the Vatican 

was determined to destroy them and all of the Johannine branch of the church in 

favor of the Pauline branch of the church. 

Generations of Roman Catholic Irish have proclaimed loudly that the source of 

Ireland’s woes is the presence of the English. The Emerald Isle, once famed as a 

"land of Saints and Scholars," has been drenched in blood, as inhuman fiends, 

posing as patriots, murder, maim, massacre, rebel and wage civil war, often with 

the blessing of the Papal clergy, in the supposed cause of Irish "freedom."

However, the suppressed facts of history are that when King Henry II of England 

landed with an army of 4,000 at Waterford in October 1171, he came at the Pope’s 

behest, carrying as his authority the Papal Bull Laudabiliter, by which the 

Roman Pontiff claimed the right to bestow Ireland as a gift to the English King, 

on condition that he suppress the ancient Bible-believing Celtic Orthodox 

and bring the island and it’s people into submission to Rome. We 

reproduce herewith, the Bull Laudabiliter by which Pope Adrian IV gave Ireland 

to England:

PAPAL BULL LAUDABILITER BY POPE ADRIAN IV

"Adrian, bishop, servant of the servants of God, to our well beloved son in 

Christ, the illustrious King of the English, greeting and Apostolic Benediction. 

Laudably and profitably does your Majesty contemplate spreading the glory of 

your name on earth and laying up for yourself the reward of eternal happiness in 

heaven, in that as becomes a Catholic Prince, you propose to enlarge the 

boundaries of the Church, to proclaim the truths of the Christian religion to a 

rude and ignorant people (the Irish), to root out the growth of vice from the 

field of the Lord; and the better to accomplish this purpose, you seek the 

counsel and goodwill of the Apostolic See. In pursuing your object, the loftier 

your aim and the greater your discretion, the more prosperous we are assured 

with God’s assistance will be the progress you will make: for undertakings 

commenced in the zeal of faith and the love of religion are ever wont to attain 

to a good end and issue. Verily, as your Excellency doth acknowledge, there is 

no doubt that Ireland, and all the islands on which Christ the sun of 

righteousness has shone, and which have accepted the doctrines of the Christian 

faith, belong to the blessed Peter and the Holy Roman Church, wherefore the more 

pleased are we to plant in them the seed of faith acceptable to God, inasmuch as 

our conscience warns us that in their case a stricter account will hereafter be 

required of us.

"Whereas, then well beloved son in Christ, you have expressed to us your desire 

to enter the island of Ireland in order to subject its people to law (Papal 

Cannon Law) and to root out from them the weeds of vice (the ancient 

Bible-believing Celtic Orthodox faith) and your willingness to pay an annual 

tribute to the blessed Peter (the Pope) of one penny from every house, and to 

maintain the rights of the Churches of that land whole and inviolate. We 

therefore, meeting your pious and laudable desire with due favor; and according 

a gracious assent to your petition, do hereby declare our will and pleasure, 

that with a view to enlarging the boundaries of the Church, restraining the 

downward course of vice, correcting evil customs and planting virtue and for the 

increase of the Christian religion (Roman Church) you shall enter that island 

and execute whatsoever may tend to the honor of God, and the welfare of the 

land; and also that the people shall receive you with honor and revere you as 

their Lord, provided always that the rights of the Church remain whole and 

inviolate and saving to the blessed Peter and the Holy Roman Church the annual 

tribute of one penny for every house. If then you should carry your project into 

effect, let it be to your care to instruct that people in good ways of 

life...that the Church there may be adorned, that the Christian religion (Roman 

Catholicism) may take root and grow...that you may deserve at God’s hands the 

fullness of an everlasting reward and may obtain on earth a name renowned 

throughout the ages."

After King Henry’s victorious conquest of Ireland, and reception of 

congratulatory mail from Pope Adrian’s successor, Alexander III, one of his 

first acts was to call the Council of Cashel in 1172 at which the ancient Celtic 

Orthodox Church in Ireland was declared under the yoke of Roman bondage. The 

Celtic Orthodox Church in fact had gone underground.  Rome had killed off the 

Celtic Orthodox Bishops and Priests and installed Vatican Bishops.  A remnant of 

the Celtic Orthodox Church survived as the catacomb church in resistance. 

As for the Papal insults that the Irish, after the preaching of Patrick up to 

the 12th century, were a rude, ignorant, uncivilized people; had not the 

missionaries of Patrick’s Celtic Church brought the uncorrupted Gospel to many 

parts of the British Isles and the Continent of Europe during this time? Could a 

savage people produce the Book of Kells, and preserve the Christian faith in 

their communities even under Viking attack, while Papal Rome was sunk in the 

depths of vice and superstition?

HISTORY OF THE CELTIC ORTHODOX BENEDICTINE FATHERS

http://www.celticorthodoxchurch.com/two.html

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