Bishop of London

Bishop of London is the ordinary of the Church of England's Diocese of London in the Province of Canterbury. The diocese encompasses 402 parishes within the City of London and the counties of Greater London north of the River Thames, with a historic seat at St Paul's Cathedral. The bishop is a senior member of the House of Lords and, historically, ranks third in precedence among English bishops after the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Archbishop of York.

History

The see is of ancient origin, with its first historically attested bishop being Restitutus, who attended the Council of Arles in 314. The early bishops had their seat at Augusta Londinium, a major commercial hub of Roman Britain. Following the Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain, the diocese was re-established by Mellitus, a member of the Gregorian mission sent by Pope Gregory I, who became Bishop of the East Saxons in 604. His episcopate was disrupted by pagan resurgence, but the line was restored under Cedd and later bishops following the Synod of Whitby. The medieval bishops, such as William I's appointee Maurice, who began building the first Norman St Paul's, were often powerful political figures, with Robert of Jumièges preceding Stigand. Key figures like Richard FitzNeal served as Lord High Treasurer, while Stephen Langton was a central figure in the sealing of Magna Carta. The office endured through the upheavals of the English Reformation, the Civil War, and the Great Fire of London, with post-Glorious Revolution incumbents including noted intellectual John Robinson and influential 19th-century bishop Charles James Blomfield, who oversaw extensive church building.

Role and responsibilities

The bishop leads the largest diocese in the Church of England by number of parishes and shares oversight with the Bishop of Kensington, the Bishop of Edmonton, and the Bishop of Willesden. As a member of the House of Lords, the bishop participates in the legislative process of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Within the church, the holder sits on the College of Bishops and the Archbishops' Council, and traditionally has specific responsibility for the ministry of the financial City. The bishop also holds the unique privilege of installing the Dean of the Arches and crowns the consorts of the sovereign in Westminster Abbey, a duty last performed for Queen Camilla.

List of bishops

The chronological succession includes early figures like Mellitus and Erkenwald, noted for his sanctity. Medieval occupants include Richard de Belmeis, who established St Paul's chapter, and Fulk Basset during the reign of Henry III. Notable Reformation-era bishops are Edmund Bonner, who enforced Catholic doctrine under Mary I, and Nicholas Ridley, martyred under Mary. Key Stuart-era bishops include William Laud, a central figure in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, and Henry Compton, who crowned William and Mary. Modern notable holders include Arthur Winnington-Ingram, a long-serving bishop during the First World War, and Graham Leonard, who entered the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham. The current and 133rd ordinary is Sarah Mullally, formerly Chief Nursing Officer.

Residences and churches

The official residence is The Old Deanery, located near St Paul's Cathedral, having replaced the former London House in the 21st century. The bishop's principal seat is St Paul's Cathedral, designed by Christopher Wren after the Great Fire of London. The bishop also holds special rights at the Royal Chapel of St James's Palace and the Tower of London. Significant churches under the bishop's patronage include the Temple Church, historically linked to the Knights Templar, and St Botolph's Aldgate. The diocesan office is located at London Diocesan House on Causton Street in the City of Westminster.

Heraldry and insignia

The episcopal heraldic achievement features the traditional galero with green cords and tassels, emblazoned with the diocesan coat of arms. The arms of the see, granted by the College of Arms, are *Argent, a cross gules, in the first quarter a sword in pale point upwards of the last*, often interpreted as representing the martyrdom of St Paul. The bishop uses a distinctive crozier and, when attending the House of Lords, wears the robes of a Lord Spiritual. The historic seal of the diocese depicts the cathedral and has been used on documents since the medieval period.

Category:Anglican diocesan bishops in England Category:Diocese of London Category:Bishops of London