James Seth (bishop)

Seth was born posthumously in Madagascar in 1913,[2] the son of Baba Seth, a teacher,[3] and Christine Tatelo. Seth was the grandson of Marie Celeste, the first Christian convert of the Anglican mission in Tamatave.[4] He was educated at mission schools and at a government school.[5]

He trained for ordination at St Paul's Theological College, Antananarivo,[6] and St Boniface College, Warminster,[7] which trained ordinands specifically for missionary work. He was ordained deacon in 1942 and priest in 1945.[8] He served his title at Ampasimanjeva (1942-45) and was then Priest-in-Charge (1945-49), before becoming Priest-in-Charge of Tamatave (1949-61).[9]

He was consecrated bishop in the chapel at Lambeth Palace in 1961 and was then an assistant bishop in what was then the Diocese of Madagascar.[10] At the time of the announcement of his appointment as a bishop, he was Rural Dean of Tamatave.[11] On the splitting of the Diocese into three dioceses in 1969, he became the inaugural bishop of the Diocese of Tamatave.[12] He died in 1975,[13] and was succeeded by Samuel Rafanomezane, Archdeacon of Tamatave.[14] After his death both the town and diocese of Tamatave were renamed Toamasina.[15]

Seth remained in post during the 1947 Malagasy Uprising.[16] He was made an Officer of L’Ordre National de la République Malgache in 1964.[17]

A school in Toamasina is named after Seth,[18] as is a street.[19]