by Oliver Slow, BBC News
The Church in Wales should represent the “diversity around the world and in our communities”, its new archbishop has said.
Cherry Vann has become its first female leader, as well as its first LGBTQ+ leader.
She said there were “a range of views” in the church on gay rights and the ordination of women, but that she wants to demonstrate that diversity “can be a cause of celebration”.
“As a woman, and as a civily-partnered bishop, I’m modelling that for people in the country and I think that’s good news,” she said.
Originally from Leicestershire, Bishop Vann was ordained by the Diocese of Manchester in 1994 – making her the first women to be ordained as a priest in the Church of England – and was Archdeacon of Rochdale for 11 years until being appointed Bishop of Monmouth in 2020.
Bishop Vann replaces Andrew John, who retired last month following the publication of two summaries highlighting safeguarding concerns and misbehaviour at Bangor Cathedral, where he was bishop.
The new church leader said she wants to “deal appropriately” with what has happened in Bangor and ensure that “relationships are healed”.
Bishop Vann, who was elected with a two-thirds majority by members of the Electoral College, said she had received “nothing but positive comments” since being elected to the role.
She said that when moving to Wales more than five years ago, she was assured that being a bishop in a same-sex civil partnership “was not going to be an issue”.