Erasmus Aulonita (fl. 1750–1770)

Erasmus Aulonita (Gerasimos Avlonites) traveled Europe and England from 1752 through at least 1773, claiming to be a displaced (Greek) Orthodox Bishop of Arcadia in Crete. JW turned to Erasmus for the ordination of his (educationally qualified) lay preacher John Jones in the summer of 1763. Some other Methodist lay preachers (without the educational qualifications) then paid Erasmus to ordain them in late 1765, and received JW's censure for this action. See A. B. Sackett, 'John Wesley and the Greek Orthodox Bishop', WHS 38 (1971–72): 81–88, 97–102.