At a service at St Mary le Bow church in London on Tuesday 10 October, Philip Mounstephen was legally made the Bishop of Winchester. This event marked the next step in Bishop Philip’s journey to our diocese, following on from the Election by the Canons of Winchester Cathedral in September, whereby his election was ‘confirmed’ in a legal process set within an act of worship. These services are traditionally held at St Mary le Bow Church because it is the historic home of the Arches’ Court of Canterbury, and therefore the venue for sittings of the Vicar General’s Court.
The act of confirmation is legally very important because it confers upon the new bishop the spiritual jurisdiction over the diocese by committing to him or her ‘the care, government and administration of the spirituals’ of the bishopric. The wording used in the process of confirmation has a long history. Historically said in Latin, in 1733 it was translated into English and yet the origins in medieval canon law remain evident in the words.
Throughout the duration of the service, the Vicar General’s Court is in session at the front of the church, with the lawyers overseeing several stages in the proceedings, including:
- Reading out a letter from His Majesty the King to the Archbishop requesting him to arrange the confirmation
- Submitting the necessary evidence to prove that the correct procedures have been followed and no objections have been made
- The Bishop-Elect taking the oaths of allegiance and obedience
- The reading of a final decree, conferring to the Bishop-Elect spiritual jurisdiction over the diocese.
As well as the court officials, those present included representatives from the Diocese of Winchester and Winchester Cathedral who had come to support Bishop Philip, the Bishop of London, Sarah Mullally, and the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby. It was also attended by Archbishop Angaelos, the Coptic Orthodox Bishop of London, as a special guest of Bishop Philip.
Archbishop Justin gave a moving charge to our new Bishop, calling on his to encourage our diocese ‘to be bold and courageous’ in this new season, remembering always ‘not who you are but whose you are – your calling not depending on you but on Jesus Christ’. He also made reference to ‘challenging times we live in’, times of war, division and uncertainty, and that as bishops they are ‘to bind up the wounds of the hurting.’
The next and final stage in the process is the Service of Welcome and Installation which will be taking place at Winchester Cathedral on 13 January 2024. Between now and then, Bishop Philip will be present in the diocese, meeting people and spending time getting to know his new diocesan family, but not performing public ministry until after his installation.
