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Church In Wales
Church In Wales candidates for archbisop.jpg
Church In Wales
World News

Could Wales be the first UK country to elect a female archbishop?

by Heather Preston

Wales could be the first country in the UK to elect a female archbishop in a same sex civil partnership.

The Church in Wales began electing its 14th Archbishop of Wales on Monday.

Bishops, clergy and lay people from across the six dioceses will be locked inside Holy Trinity Church, Llandrindod Wells while they cast their vote.

Of the six candidates for the position, three are women and three are men.

They include: The Rt Rev Joanna Penberthy - consecrated as the Bishop of St David's in 2017, becoming the first female bishop in the Church in Wales.

The Rt Rev Cherry Vann - the Bishop of Monmouth and first person in a same-sex civil partnership to hold the position.

The Rt Rev June Osbourne - the Bishop of Llandaff and one of the first women to be ordained as a priest in England.

The Rt Rev Andy John - elected the Bishop of Bangor 2008 and responsible for evangelism, church growth, the Welsh language and stewardship.

The Rt Rev Gregory Cameron - The Bishop of St Asaph since 2009, he also established the UK's first LGBTQIA Chaplaincy in 2016.

The Rt Rev John Lomas - appointed as the Bishop of Swansea and Brecon in November 2021, he previously helped launch a major evangelism project as Archdeacon of Wrexham.

The elected candidate will succeed the Most Rev John Davies, who has held the position since 2017. 

He will retire from the office from 2nd May 2021.

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