Bishops in the Church of England have thanked Sir David Attenborough for "helping us see the wonder of creation".
The environmentalist turned one hundred yesterday. His milestone birthday was celebrated by a packed-out Royal Albert Hall, where live music and theatre were performed alongside clips from the presenter's career.
"Many blessings and prayers on this special day," wrote the Archbishop of York in his tribute.
The Bishop of Norwich, Graham Usher, is the Church’s lead for the environment. "I give thanks for this rare 'Attenboroughus' species, which for decades has inhabited our TV screens and made such welcome evening appearances!" he wrote.
"I thank God for this message about nature protection, conservation and restoration needs to be heard by all.”
Sir David has expressed an agnostic view of the world.
In 2012, he told BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs: "I don't think an understanding and an acceptance of the 4 billion-year-long history of life is any way inconsistent with a belief in a supreme being... I am not so confident as to say that I am an atheist."
