Te Pihopatanga o Te Tairāwhiti is an episcopal polity or diocese of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia. Literally, the diocese is the Anglican bishopric of the East Coast, in Tairāwhiti, of the North Island of Aotearoa, New Zealand; also known as the synod (or in ).
The Pīhopatanga serves communities from Potaka in the north, to Woodville in the south. In general this covers the Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kahungunu and the Turanga-nui-a-kiwa iwi. , there are approximately 17,000 Māori Anglicans within this area. Te Tairāwhiti is one of five pīhopatanga, or episcopal units, that comprise Te Pīhopatanga o Aotearoa, the Māori Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand.
The current Pīhopa o (Bishop of) Te Tairāwhiti is Donald Tamihere.
Ministry The 2025 synod held at Omahu Marae, Hawkes Bay from October 31 - November 2 approved a new structure as part of a proposal presented by the bishop named Ka Tipu Ka Hua. The new structure consolidated the five former rohe (ministry units) into two Rohe Atirikona (archdeaconries).
The former rohe of Ngati Porou and Turanga-Whangara were combined to create Te Rohe Atirikona o Horouta (Horouta Archdeaconry). While the former rohe of Kahungunu ki te Wairoa, Matau a Maui, and Waipawa were combined to create Te Rohe Atirikona o Takitimu (Takitimu Archdeaconry).
On Sunday November 2 The Venerable Merekaraka Te Whiti was collated as the first Archdeacon for Horouta and the Venerable Ruihana Paenga was collated as the first Archdeacon for Takitimu. Parishes Te Tairāwhiti has around 30 parishes (pariha) spread across four rohe. Parish Area Te Rohe Atirikona o Horouta Te Rau College Gisborne St David's Church, Kaiti Gisborne Nikora Tapu Wainui Beach, Gisborne Toko Toru Tapu (Kaiti) Gisborne Toko Toru Tapu (Manutuke) Manutuke Mihaia Anglican Church Tolaga Bay Patoromu Church Whangara St Peter's Church, Waiherere Hexton, Gisborne Te Hunga Tapu Katoa Muriwai St Mary's Church Tokomaru Bay St Abraham's Church Waipiro Bay St Barnabas Church Hicks Bay St Stephen's Church Te Araroa Pokai Whare, Tikapa Ruatoria St Paul's Church Ruatoria St Michael's & All Angels Church Ruatoria Kariaka Marae Ruatoria St Andrew's Church Ruatoria St Mary's Church Tikitiki St John's Church Tikitiki Te Rohe Atirikona o Takitimu Tawhiti A Maru Marae Wairoa St Paul's Anglican Church Wairoa Nūhaka Māori Anglican Church Nūhaka Putahi Marae Frasertown St John's Church Omahu St Luke's Church Paki Paki St Matthew's Church Waipatu Kohupatiki Marae Clive Te Pou Herenga Waka o Te Whakapono Napier, New Zealand
The Pīhopatanga is also home to two Māori Anglican boarding schools, Te Aute College and Hukarere Girls' College.
Leadership
Archbishop Brown Turei was elected as the first Pīhopa o Te Tairāwhiti (Bishop of Te Tairāwhiti) in 1992. Turei was also Te Pīhopa o Aotearoa (Head of the Māori Anglican Church) and Archbishop of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa-New Zealand and Polynesia. Turei died on 9 January 2017, two months before his scheduled retirement. He was aged 92 years and the oldest primate in the Anglican Communion.
In March 2016 Donald Tamihere was elected to succeed Turei at an electoral synod held at the Toko Toru Tapu Church, Manutuke, following the announcement of Turei's retirement earlier in the year. Tamihere was ordained and installed as the second bishop of (Pīhopa o) Te Tairāwhiti at a service held at Waiomatatini Marae, Ruatoria on 11 March 2017. Tamihere also became Te Pīhopa o Aotearoa on 7 March 2018, following his nomination at Te Runanganui, September 2017 and the consent of Te Hīnota Whānui / General Synod; and automatically Pīhopa Matāmua / Primate and Archbishop.
Maui Tangohau serves as Vicar General of Tairāwhiti.
Canon Emeritus
The Reverend Canon Huatahi Niania The Reverend Canon Keeni Priestley The Reverend Canon Brent Swann The Reverend Canon Tiopira Tuhiwai The Reverend Canon Jacqueline Moana Te Amo The Reverend Canon Morehu Te Maro
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