Confirmed

Dr John Sentamu became the 97th Archbishop of York in a ceremony during a service at St Mary-le-Bow in London on Wednesday 5th October.

The Confirmation of the Election of a bishop or an archbishop is the second part of a two-stage process under which bishops have been appointed in the Church for many centuries.

election

The first part of the process is the Election by the College of Canons - in this case the Election took place in York Minster on July 21st 2005.
Although as a matter of law in this country each of these steps is undertaken under the authority of the Crown, each can also be traced back at least as far as the Council of Nicea in 325AD. The Election represents the choice of the Archbishop by the Diocese he will serve; the Confirmation of Election represents the affirmation of his Election by the wider Church.
The ceremony fell into two parts: there was an act of worship, which was followed by the more formal ceremony.

Royal Commissioners

This ceremony consisted of a series of legal exchanges over which the Archbishop of Canterbury, accompanied by six senior bishops of the Northern Province of the Church of England (the 'Royal Commissioners'), presided.

It began with evidence being brought by the 'Proctor' on behalf of the Dean and College of Canons of York Minster, to show that the Election on July 21st was conducted in accordance with the law.

spiritual authority

Dr Sentamu was then presented as Archbishop by his Advocate and made the usual Oath of Allegiance to the Queen and Declaration of Assent to the historic formularies of the Church of England. This is required of all clergy of the Church of England on taking up a new appointment. At its conclusion, the Archbishop of Canterbury conferred upon him the spiritual authority of the See of York.

Dr Sentamu will be enthroned as Archbishop of York at York Minster on Wednesday November 30th.