The Bulgarian Old Catholic Church is pleased to share that Rev. Fr. Ashley R. Deutschmann, who was ordained to the priesthood under our authority in 2025 using the Byzantine rite, is due to be consecrated bishop on Pentecost Sunday, 24 May 2026, in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Fr. Ashley continues to serve as Rector of the Apostolic Old Catholic Mission, a small but growing community rooted in the early Church’s values of sacrament, simplicity, and inclusion. His episcopal name will be Mar Theophilos (meaning friend of God), reflecting a ministry of humble service, companionship, and theological depth.
The consecration is to be presided over by Archbishop Ronald Saunders of the Apostolic Catholic Church (ACC) — apostolic-catholic.net — with planned participation and support from other bishops, including:
- Archbishop Svetoslav Vasilev, Bulgarian Old Catholic Church — oldcatholic.bg
- Bishop Dylan Littlefield, Presiding Bishop, Old Catholic Union of the West — oldcatholicusa.org
- Archbishop Joseph C. Richards, Inclusive Catholic Church — inclusivecatholicchurch.org
This joyful gathering reflects the rich diversity of apostolic succession carried in our shared tradition — Roman, Old Catholic (Utrecht), West and East Syriac, Coptic, and Anglican — and echoes the practice of the early Church, in which bishops from across the Christian world would participate in one another’s consecrations as a sign of unity.
A personal episcopal coat of arms has also been prepared, honouring the theological and apostolic breadth of this moment.
Episcopal Coat of Arms
The personal coat of arms of Bishop-Elect Ashley R. Deutschmann (Mar Theophilos) reflects the unity and diversity of his apostolic succession.
Each symbol honours a co-consecrating bishop:
– The Chi-Rho and keys for the Mission’s calling
– The Agnus Dei for Bishop Dylan Littlefield
– The white elephant for Archbishop Ronald Saunders
– The ichthys for Archbishop Svetoslav Vasilev
The motto, Defensor fidei extra muros — “Defender of the Faith Outside the Walls” — expresses a ministry committed to Christ at the margins, and unity in the spirit of the early Church.
You are warmly invited to attend this special celebration of faith and unity in Sofia. All are welcome to mark the date and begin making travel plans. More details will be shared in the coming months. A fuller announcement will follow on the Apostolic Old Catholic Mission’s website in the weeks ahead – click here for more.
Please continue to pray for Fr. Ashley and for all involved in this joyous occasion, and as we prepare for this important step in the life of the Church.
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