Bishop Young Receives Native American Stole from Bishop Tharp's Godson

Bishop Young poses in front of the Diocesan House wearing a stole originally worn by Bishop Tharp and passed along to Young by Tharp’s Godson, the Rev. Frank M. Cooper, IV.

Cooper wrote in a communication to Bishop Young, “I was fortunate to have the Right Reverend Robert G. Tharp serve as my Godfather. I was serving as rector of St. Johns Church, Johnson City, Tennessee, at the time of his death. Three days before he died he gave me his fully beaded Native American red stole. It is a beautiful, large stole featuring symbols of the mountains and trees of East Tennessee, the seal of the diocese and prominent chi rho symbols at the ends of the stole. I am currently serving in the Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast and do not have use for the stole anymore. I would like for it to become part of the history of the [Diocese of] East Tennessee and for you to have it."

“It’s beautiful!” Bishop Young said, wearing the stole to show the staff at the Diocesan House.