By Florida Catholic staff - Florida Catholic
Subsequent to the reading of the papal bull (written in Latin but read in English) by Archbishop Christophe Pierre, the Apostolic Nuncio to the U.S., Archbishop Thomas Wenski leads Bishop Gregory Parkes to the cathedra, the chair which signifies his position as chief teacher of the Diocese of St. Petersburg. Cathedra is also the root of the word "cathedral," which is, essentially, the bishop's church, and so the principal church in a diocese.
Archbishop Thomas Wenski hands Bishop Gregory Parkes the crozier, a symbol of his office as chief shepherd of the Diocese of St. Petersburg, during the installation Mass at St. Jude Cathedral Jan. 4.
Bishop Gregory Parkes holds his crozier while sitting in the cathedra of St. Jude Cathedral after his installation as the new bishop of the Diocese of St. Petersburg. His coat of arms is visible on the glass back of the cathedra: Nomini tuo da gloriam, which means "to thy name give the glory."
Photography: COURTESY| Sr. Elizabeth Worley
St. Petersburg, Fla. | During a ceremony livestreamed on the Web and attended by all the other bishops of Florida, Bishop Gregory L. Parkes was installed as fifth bishop of the Diocese of St. Petersburg.
The ceremony took place Jan. 4 at the Cathedral of St. Jude in St. Petersburg, with Archbishop Thomas Wenski presiding. This was Archbishop Wenski's second installation of Bishop Parkes: He celebrated Bishop Parkes’ episcopal ordination and installation as bishop of Pensacola-Tallahassee June 5, 2012.
Bishop Parkes is originally a priest of the Orlando Diocese. Archbishop Wenski had appointed him chancellor for Canonical Affairs when the archbishop served as bishop of that diocese.
Bishop Parkes succeeds Bishop Robert Lynch, a Miami priest who retired in November after serving as bishop of St. Petersburg since Jan. 26, 1996.
