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THE MYSTICAL ORDER MINISTRIES INTERNATIONAL

Under the Leadership of

Patriarch and Chief Apostle Sir Darrindel Hoyte-Johnson

ECCLESIASTICAL BRIEF

Archbishop Frank Simon

Fourth Archbishop of the Spiritual Baptist Archdiocese

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

“He who walks with the wise grows wise, and a companion of fools suffers harm.” — Proverbs 13:20 (KJV)

Prepared by: Patriarch Sir Godfrey Gregg, D.Div.

Authorised under: Patriarch and Chief Apostle Sir Darrindel Hoyte-Johnson

Institution: The Mystical Order Ministries International

Reference: http://www.mysticalorderinc.org

Date: March 2026

  I.  Introduction and Context

This Ecclesiastical Brief is prepared by Patriarch Sir Godfrey Gregg, D.Div., under the authority of Patriarch and Chief Apostle Sir Darrindel Hoyte-Johnson, Supreme Head of The Mystical Order Ministries International, in honour of His Grace Archbishop Frank Simon, the Fourth Archbishop of the Spiritual Baptist Archdiocese of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. It is issued as a record of ecclesiastical acknowledgement, honouring the life, ministry, and enduring legacy of a shepherd who served the Spiritual Baptist Faith with distinction.

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A PASTORAL MESSAGE TO THE ELDERS OF THE SPIRITUAL BAPTIST FAITH

The Spiritual Baptist Faith, sometimes referred to as the Converted, stands as one of the most indigenous and authentically Caribbean expressions of Christianity. Originating in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and rooted in the spiritual experience of formerly enslaved African peoples, the Faith integrates sincere devotion, Scripture, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and a rich ceremonial tradition. It is within this sacred heritage that Archbishop Frank Simon lived, served, and ultimately gave his life.

  II.  The Spiritual Baptist Archdiocese of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

The Spiritual Baptist Archdiocese of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines stands as the principal governing body of the Spiritual Baptist Faith on the island that historians and scholars now recognise as the birthplace of this indigenous Caribbean religion. Historians, including Dr. Michael Dennie and Dr. Cleve Scott, have affirmed through documented research that the Spiritual Baptists, as a specific religious entity, originated entirely in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

The 1912 St. Vincent Shakerism Prohibition Ordinance, which subjected many faithful members to imprisonment and hard labour, forced adherents to flee and thereby spread the Faith throughout the Eastern Caribbean — to Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago, and beyond. The repeal of such restrictive ordinances, culminating in Trinidad in 1951, marked a turning point for the Faith’s public recognition. The Archdiocese of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines thus carries a profound institutional memory: that of a people who suffered for their faith and triumphed through faithfulness.

The Archdiocese has been led by a succession of Archbishops who have shepherded the community through periods of growth, challenge, and revival. Archbishop Frank Simon served as the Fourth Archbishop of this body, following in the tradition of those who laid the groundwork for the Faith’s institutional life in the island nation.

  III.  The Life and Ministry of Archbishop Frank Simon

Archbishop Frank Simon served as the Fourth Archbishop and Supreme Head of the Spiritual Baptist Archdiocese of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. He was elevated to this august office following the distinguished tenure of the Blessed Cosmore Mathias Pompey, who served as Archbishop and Supreme Head from 1985 to 2010, and who was himself succeeded by a third archbishop prior to Archbishop Simon’s elevation. Archbishop Simon thus represented the fourth in a line of senior spiritual leaders presiding over one of the oldest institutional expressions of the Spiritual Baptist Faith in the world.

During his tenure as Archbishop, His Grace Frank Simon exercised the highest ecclesiastical authority over the Archdiocese, presiding over matters of doctrine, discipline, ordination, and the unity of the Faith community within Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and the wider Spiritual Baptist fellowship. His pastoral presence extended across dioceses and congregations, and he was a figure of considerable spiritual weight within the region.

Congregation after congregation, bishop after bishop, came under his oversight. He represented the Archdiocese in ecumenical and inter-denominational settings, maintaining fellowship with spiritual leaders from Barbados, Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago, and the diaspora communities in the United States of America, where the Spiritual Baptist Faith has also taken root.

“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.” — 2 Timothy 4:7 (KJV)

  IV.  His Passing and Eternal Legacy

In the sovereign providence of Almighty God, the life and earthly ministry of Archbishop Frank Simon came to an end through a vehicular accident at Gordon Yard, Saint Vincent, while he was travelling with other pilgrims to a church service in Chateaubelair. His passing was not only a moment of deep sorrow for the Archdiocese and the wider Spiritual Baptist community, but also a testimony to the manner in which he lived — always in service, always in fellowship, always in pursuit of the sacred assembly of the faithful.

The news of his passing prompted an outpouring of condolences from relatives, friends, and the Spiritual Baptist fraternity across Saint Vincent, Barbados, Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United States of America — a testament to the breadth of his influence and the depth of the love the community held for him. In death, as in life, he united the people of the Faith.

Following his passing, the Archdiocesan Synod convened and, on Saturday, 17th November 2018, elected the Rt. Rev. Melford Pompey as his successor, the Fifth Archbishop of the Archdiocese. That Archbishop Pompey is the son of the Blessed Cosmore Mathias Pompey marks a remarkable instance of generational apostolic succession within the Faith, and it is a fitting tribute that the legacy Archbishop Frank Simon helped steward continues in such strong and faithful hands.

  V.  Theological Significance and the Spiritual Baptist Faith

The Spiritual Baptist Faith, in which Archbishop Frank Simon ministered, is a living testament to the resilience of the human spirit when undergirded by divine grace. Rooted in the Holy Bible — the same KJV Scripture that has guided the servants of God through every generation — the Faith holds firmly to the centrality of the Holy Trinity, the active presence of the Holy Spirit, the importance of baptism, mourning, thanksgiving, and the communal life of prayer and worship.

For The Mystical Order Ministries International, which stands upon the Threefold Foundation and the Five Points of Fellowship, the Spiritual Baptist tradition is not merely a historical reference — it is a living spiritual family. Archbishop Frank Simon, as a senior figure in this family, embodied the kind of consecrated, sacrificial leadership that The Mystical Order Ministries upholds as its standard.

In this Year of Unity — declared by Patriarch and Chief Apostle Sir Darrindel Hoyte-Johnson through solemn Decree on the 28th day of December 2025 — the life of Archbishop Frank Simon serves as a model for the unity we seek. He crossed denominational boundaries in fellowship, he travelled with pilgrims to worship, and he gave his life in the act of gathering the saints together. No finer embodiment of Spiritual Baptist unity could be found.

“That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.” — John 17:21 (KJV)

  VI.  Tribute from The Mystical Order Ministries

The Mystical Order Ministries International, through the pen of Patriarch Sir Godfrey Gregg and under the seal of Patriarch and Chief Apostle Sir Darrindel Hoyte-Johnson, extends its heartfelt and holy tribute to the memory of Archbishop Frank Simon. His was a life well-lived in the service of the Lord, and his contribution to the Spiritual Baptist Archdiocese of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and to the broader fellowship of the Faith, shall not be forgotten.

We, at The Mystical Order Ministries International, are strengthened by his example. We are reminded that the office of Archbishop is not merely administrative — it is apostolic. It is a calling to carry the weight of the people of God on one’s shoulders, to go where the sheep go, to travel with pilgrims to houses of worship, and to lead by presence as much as by proclamation.

May God grant rest to the soul of His Grace Archbishop Frank Simon. May his memory be a blessing to the Archdiocese, to the Spiritual Baptist family, and to all who knew him. May those who succeed him walk in his faithful footsteps.

Issued and Authorised by:

Patriarch Sir Godfrey Gregg, D.Div.

Administrator & Patriarch, The Mystical Order Ministries International

Under the Authority of:

Patriarch and Chief Apostle Sir Darrindel Hoyte-Johnson

Supreme Head, The Mystical Order of Spiritual Baptist Ministries

http://www.mysticalorderinc.org

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