# Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church

The primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, styled "The Most Reverend the Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church", is the presiding bishop of the Scottish Episcopal Church. The current Primus is the Most Revd. Mark Strange who became primus on 27 June 2017.
The word primus literally means "first" in Latin and is cognate to the related episcopal title Primate.

## Roles

The Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church has the following tasks:
* to preside at all provincial liturgical functions
* to preside at all meetings of the General Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church
* to preside at all meetings of the Episcopal Synod
* to declare and carry out the resolutions of the General Synod, the Episcopal Synod and the College of Bishops
* to represent the Scottish Episcopal Church in its relation to all other churches of the Anglican Communion and other communions
* to perform the functions and duties of primus as specified in the canons of the Scottish Episcopal Church
* to correspond on behalf of the Scottish Episcopal Church with primates, metropolitans and the secretary general of the Anglican Consultative Council.

## History

The primus does not have any metropolitan jurisdiction. Metropolitan responsibilities are held by the diocesan bishops. The last head of the Scottish Episcopal Church to hold both primate and metropolitan titles was Arthur Rose, Archbishop of St Andrews, up to his death in 1704. The last bishop to exercise metropolitan authority was Alexander Rose, Bishop of Edinburgh, up to his death in 1720.

## Bishops elected as primus

Holders of the role since the creation of the post in the early 18th century.
Primuses of the Scottish Episcopal Church :
| From | Until | Incumbent | Notes |
| 1720 | 1727 | John Fullarton | Bishop of Edinburgh, 1720–1727. |
| May 1727 | Oct 1727 | Arthur Millar | Bishop of Edinburgh, May–Oct 1727. |
| 1727 | 1731 | Andrew Lumsden | Bishop of Edinburgh, 1727–1733. |
| 1731 | 1738 | David Freebairn | Bishop of Galloway, 1731–1733; Bishop of Edinburgh, 1733–1739. |
| 1738 | 1743 | Thomas Rattray | Bishop of Dunkeld, 1727–1743. |
| 1743 | 1757 | Robert Keith | Bishop of Caithness, Orkney and The Isles, 1731–1757. |
| 1757 | 1761 | Robert White | Bishop of Fife, 1743–1761. |
| 1762 | 1782 | William Falconer | Bishop of Moray, 1742–1778; Bishop of Edinburgh, 1776–1784. |
| 1782 | 1788 | Robert Kilgour | Bishop of Aberdeen, 1768–1786. |
| 1788 | 1816 | John Skinner | Bishop of Aberdeen, 1786–1816. |
| 1816 | 1837 | George Gleig | Bishop of Brechin, 1810–1840. |
| 1837 | 1841 | James Walker | Bishop of Edinburgh, 1830–1841. |
| 1841 | 1857 | William Skinner | Bishop of Aberdeen, 1816–1857. |
| 1857 | 1862 | Charles Terrot | Bishop of Edinburgh, 1841–1872. |
| 1862 | 1886 | Robert Eden | Bishop of Moray, Ross & Caithness, 1851–1886. |
| 1886 | 1901 | Hugh Jermyn | Bishop of Brechin, 1875–1903. |
| 1901 | 1904 | James Kelly | Bishop of Moray, Ross & Caithness, 1886–1904. |
| 1904 | 1907 | George Wilkinson | Bishop of St Andrews, Dunkeld & Dunblane, 1893–1907. |
| 1908 | 1934 | Walter Robberds | Bishop of Brechin, 1904–1934. |
| 1935 | 1943 | Arthur Maclean | Bishop of Moray, Ross & Caithness, 1904–1943. |
| 1943 | 1946 | Logie Danson | Bishop of Edinburgh, 1939–1946. |
| 1946 | 1952 | John How | Bishop of Glasgow & Galloway, 1938–1952. |
| 1952 | 1962 | Thomas Hannay | Bishop of Argyll & The Isles, 1942–1962. |
| 1962 | 1973 | Francis Moncreiff | Bishop of Glasgow & Galloway, 1952–1973. |
| 1974 | 1977 | Richard Wimbush | Bishop of Argyll & The Isles, 1963–1977. |
| 1977 | 1985 | Alastair Haggart | Bishop of Edinburgh, 1975–1985. |
| 1985 | 1990 | Ted Luscombe | Bishop of Brechin, 1975–1990. |
| 1990 | 1992 | George Henderson | Bishop of Argyll & The Isles, 1977–1992. |
| 1992 | 2000 | Richard Holloway | Bishop of Edinburgh, 1986–2000. |
| 2000 | 2006 | Bruce Cameron | Bishop of Aberdeen & Orkney, 1992–2006. |
| 2006 | 2009 | Idris Jones | Bishop of Glasgow & Galloway, 1998–2009. |
| 2009 | 2016 | David Chillingworth | Bishop of St Andrews, Dunkeld & Dunblane, 2004–2016. |
| 2017 | present | Mark Strange | Bishop of Moray, Ross, & Caithness, 2007–present |