First LGBT archbishopess elected in Anglican Church

Cherry Vann. Photo: churchtimes

On July 30, 2025, Bishop of Monmouth Cherry Vann was elected the new Archbishop of Wales, becoming the first woman and LGBT cleric to lead an Anglican see in the United Kingdom.

The 66-year-old archbishop stated regarding her election: "I feel deeply humbled and recognize that this is a great honor. It is not only a personal milestone – it is an indicator of how far the Church has come and a challenge for all of us not to stop overcoming barriers."

Vann was elected after receiving two-thirds of the votes from the electoral college members on the second day of the meeting at the Church and St. Pierre Hotel in Chepstow. She became the 15th Archbishop of Wales, succeeding Bishop Andrew John, who retired in July.

The previous archbishop's resignation followed the publication of two reports revealing a culture of excessive alcohol consumption, bullying, and sexual harassment at the Bangor Cathedral.

The new archbishop promised: "The first thing I shall need to do is to ensure that the issues which have been raised in the last six months are properly addressed."

Vann was ordained as a deacon in 1989 and then became one of the first women ordained as priests in the Church of England in 1994. She served as Archdeacon of Rochdale in the Diocese of Manchester for 11 years before being ordained as Bishop of Monmouth in 2020.

According to her official biography, Vann lives with her civil partner Wendy and their two dogs. Although the Church in Wales does not allow same-sex marriages, it permits clergy to enter into civil partnerships.

Since 2021, she has been a patron of the Open Table Network – an ecumenical Christian community for LGBT people and their partners.

As reported, the Anglican Church made a decision to bless LGBT couples.

Read also