The Bishop of London

The 132nd Bishop of London, The Right Reverend Richard Chartres, retired in early 2017.

Until a new Bishop of London is appointed, Bishop Pete Broadbent is Acting Bishop of London.

The Diocese of London is presided over by the Bishop of London who is assisted by the Suffragan Bishop of Fulham and four Area Bishops who exercise responsibility on behalf of the Bishop of London in their Areas.

The Bishop of Islington has responsibilities in London and nationally for helping churches establish new worshipping communities. The bishops are assisted in their Areas by Archdeacons.

St Paul's is the seat of the Bishops of London. The name 'cathedral' comes from the Greek and Latin word cathedra meaning 'chair', as bishops like other authorities in the ancient world sat down to teach. The Bishop's chair in St Paul's is at the south-east end of the quire.

Although the Dean is responsible for the running of the Cathedral, the Bishop is the principal minister there, and he presides and preaches at major Christian festivals and on some other national and civic occasions. The Bishop is the Cathedral's Visitor and appoints many members of the Cathedral Council, as well as licensing its clergy, exercising in these and other ways a care for the well-being of the Cathedral and its work on behalf of the Diocese.

As well as being the Bishop's seat, the Cathedral is a centre for the Bishop to use for his work and mission across the Diocese of London, which covers much of London from Bow in the east to Heathrow in the west, and north to Enfield and Northwood. In the presence or under the authority of the Bishop, clergy for the diocese are ordained at St Paul's, lay ministers are commissioned, and significant mission initiatives are celebrated; and on a smaller scale, parishes come on pilgrimage and are prayed for as part of the Cathedral's daily round of intercessions.

There is more information about the Bishop of London at bishop.london.