North African Crozier

The Diocese of North Africa recently consecrated its new Diocesan Bishop, Bishop Ashley Null. For the consecration, the new Bishop asked for a crozier that was made from wood only available in North Africa. This request was passed to the Algiers Chaplaincy where, it was assumed, we could easily source some wood to the specification. Unfortunately, what was not known is that Algeria is quite environmentally aware as their eco system is fragile. To the south, the Sahara would happily encroach on the fertile Atlas Mountains and do away with all the wonderful forests and fields if given a chance. To avoid this, commercial forestry is not allowed in Algeria and they generally import their wood from elsewhere. As Algeria was the only country in the Diocese that could find wood that was unique to North Africa, this presented the chaplaincy with a challenge.

Bishop Ashley Null with his crozier made from wood found in the Atlas Mountains.

We were told by a craftsman that he would consider going into the Atlas Mountain forests to find Algerian Oak from which to make the crozier. He would have to search for the wood as it cannot be cut from the trees, and must be found to have fallen to the ground naturally. Sadly, with three days to go, this craftsman had not responded to us and we were wondering if the Lord had decided that the Bishop could not have his desired crozier. Then we remembered the Arts teacher at the Italian school (who rent premises from us) and her husband who was also a craftsman. A meeting was arranged and he agreed to go into the Atlas Mountains to search out the required naturally occurring wood and then make a crozier from it. 

On the morning of our departure for the ICS conference and then the consecration, he met the verger half way between Algiers and his home, a two-hour drive away, to exchange the crozier. This was then brought to the chaplain and his wife, who transported it to Tunis via Switzerland. The Bishop was delighted and in his short address at the consecration, spoke of the North African oak as having been repurposed like the dry bones of Ezekiel’s prophecy, and would now be used in God’s service and to His glory.

It would seem the Lord wanted the Bishop to have his distinctively North African crozier after all!

Bishop Robert attended the consecration, you can read about it in his blog here.