Bishop Franklin Wilson

Franklin ‘John’ Wilson Cristobal was born on November 14, 1934, in the small indigenous (Miskitu) community of Quamwatla on the Prinzapolka River on the seashore near the community of Prinzapolka North Atlantic Autonomous Region. His parents were Mr. George Newton Wilson and Mrs. Cindirella Cristobal. He grew up among his eight siblings, four girls and four boys.

On December 4, 1960, John Franklin Wilson was ordained a Deacon of the Moravian Church by the Rev. Joseph H. Gray who was commissioned by Bishop Kenneth Hamilton, who was unable to travel.

At the age of 28, on May 23, 1962, John married Miss Helen M. Peck whom he had met in Bluefields. The ceremony was held at the Moravian Church in Bluefields. They had three children, John Jr., Amarillis and Keith.

On June 1, 1969, he was consecrated a Presbyter while serving as a professor at the Moravian Bible Institute and Seminary in Bilwaskarma, the service being officiated by Bishop Hedley E. Wilson, his uncle.

In 1977, on August 14, Franklin ‘John’ Wilson Cristobal was consecrated a Bishop of the Moravian Unity (286/224) by Bishop John E. Knight and his uncle Bishop Hedley E. Wilson. With this consecration he became the second pastor of the Moskitia to be consecrated Bishop of the Moravian Unity.

John studied at the Latin American Bible Seminary where he obtained a Bachelor's degree. For his thesis he presented what was a rather historical book on the “Moravian Work in Nicaragua”. This unique text was printed and 1000 copies were made.

John was a tri-lingual pastor. He spoke fluent English, Spanish and Miskitu. He served as pastor in the community of Corn River, San Juan del Norte Greytown, Bluefields, Raiti the streams up the Coco River and Puerto Cabezas. Bishop served as a teacher and director at the Moravian Bible Institute and Seminary Bilwakarma.

Bishop Wilson also served the Moravian Church in the Eastern West Indies Province at the Nisky Moravian Church in St. Thomas in the USVI and the Moravian Church in America, Southern Province at the King Nani Kingka Moravian Daknika.

We bless God for the far-reaching impact of our Bishop Franklin John Wilson. He will surely be missed. May his soul rest in eternal peace and rise in triumphant glory.