Springfield, Diocese of

The 1877 General Convention voted to divide the Diocese of Illinois into the dioceses of Illinois, Quincy and Springfield. The primary convention of the Diocese of Springfield met at St. Paul's Church, Springfield, Dec. 18-19, 1877. It includes the following counties: Carr, Champaign, Christian, Clark, Coles, Cumberland, De Witt, Douglass, Edgar, Greene, Jersey, Logan, Macon, Macoupin, Mason, McLean, Menard, Montgomery, Morgan, Moultrie, Platt, Sangamon, Scott, Shelby, Tazewell, and Vermillion. As early as 1906, St. Paul's Church, Springfield, was recognized as the “Cathedral of St. Paul,” but there was some confusion within the diocese with regard to its status. The status of St. Paul's was clarified on Dec. 11, 1979, when a constitution and by-laws were adopted establishing the Cathedral Church of St. Paul.