Our Lady Flight Into Egypt ~ Mary is honoured as the Chief Patron of our Diocese of Port Elizabeth. In accordance with the official liturgical Pastoral Guide it is therefore elevated to a solemnity (big feast) for the local church and celebrated on the Sunday that occurs on 4th February or between the 4th and 10th February each year.

bishops archive

Bishop Michael has now opened the archives to researchers and on
application, they can have access to books and certain documents
dealing with our history. There is a fee, but pensioners, clergy and
deacons are exempt.

We have on CD most of the baptismal, marriages and burial orders of the diocese from the 1840's to the 90's. Most of the modern records are with the actual parishes. For a fee of usually R40 a name, we can trace family members back to the 1840's

Visitors here may for R40 access all records they want; but we
close at 1.00 (opening hours 8.30 - 13.00)

We have a library of books dealing with the early settlers in the Eastern Cape, missions, 1820 Settlers etc. Also books of early Ireland but these are still being catalogued. Also the "Chronicon" which is a dairy of daily events since Bishop Moran came to the Cape in the 1850's, up to Bishop Macsherry's time (1890's). and many documents too various to mention.


Our coffee table book compliled by Helena Glanville, covering the history
of the Diocese is well worth a read. Availably through your local parish
or the Diocease Office in Port Elizabeth.

The Diocesan Archives has recently opened an exhibition
room, with various items on display.


There are several old Religious books dating from 1564 to the early I9th Century, including an early copy of Priestley’s Notes on all the books on Scripture, printed in America in 1804. There are also two old bibles printed in Paris in 1666 by Vitrie.

Further items on display are letters written by Father George Corcoran who arrived in Port Elizabeth in 1838 with the intention of setting up the first Mission in the Eastern Cape. He was shipwrecked off the Tsitsikamma coast but still managed to get to Port Elizabeth to begin his mission. The correspondence between him and his Bishop in Cape Town make interesting reading! There is also on display his last letter written from South America where he died of Fever on a fund-raising mission.

There are also two display cases containing memorabilia of the Religious who risked their lives and even gave their lives for the Diocese. A display cabinet contains historic items relating to St. Augustine’s, the first Parish in Port Elizabeth.

One corner of the Exhibition Room has been set up to resemble part of a presbytery as it might have looked in the 19th Century.

There are also old vestments on display, together with old sacred artifacts.

The Exhibition Room can be visited by members of the public on
appointment. (041-3732854)

For further information, please contact Helena Glanville at the Diocesan Office
Tel: 041 373 2854 Email

useful link: http://www.ancestry24.co.za

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