Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby Marks Final Day in Role

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby will officially step down on Monday, concluding his tenure as the leader of the global Anglican community. This comes nearly two months after his resignation in response to failings in the Church of England’s handling of a serial abuse case.

Welby, 69, will be temporarily replaced by the outgoing Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, who is currently the second-highest ranking cleric in the Church of England. Cottrell has also faced scrutiny over his handling of a historical sexual abuse case during his time as Bishop of Chelmsford.

The process of selecting Welby’s permanent successor is expected to take several months, with an announcement not expected until later this year.

Welby’s final day as Archbishop of Canterbury will be spent privately at Lambeth Palace, his official residence in London. Reports indicate that he will attend two services — a Eucharist at lunchtime and Evensong later in the day — before his 12-year tenure officially ends at midnight (0000 GMT). During a symbolic ceremony, Welby will lay down his bishop’s crozier, marking the conclusion of his time in the role.

Welby resigned in November after an independent investigation concluded that he “could and should” have reported decades of abuse committed by Church-affiliated lawyer John Smyth to authorities back in 2013. Smyth, who organized evangelical summer camps in the 1970s and 1980s, was responsible for “prolific, brutal and horrific” abuse of up to 130 boys and young men, spanning several decades across the UK, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. The investigation found that the Church had covered up the abuse, which included physical, sexual, psychological, and spiritual attacks. Smyth died in 2018 without facing criminal charges.

Since his resignation, Welby has made few public appearances, including skipping his usual Christmas Day sermon from Canterbury Cathedral. In late November, he also faced criticism for a speech in the House of Lords, where his comments about a 14th-century beheading were deemed “tone deaf” and prompted laughter from some peers.

Cottrell, who took on the role of Archbishop of York in 2020, is also tainted by scandal. Last month, he faced calls to resign over his handling of a sexual abuse case involving priest David Tudor during his time in Chelmsford. Despite knowing that Tudor had been banned from being alone with children and had received compensation for sexual abuse claims, Cottrell allowed him to remain in his position. Cottrell has expressed regret over the delay in taking action but defended his handling of the situation.

Cottrell, aged 66, has ruled himself out as Welby’s permanent successor, citing the Church’s requirement for bishops to retire at 70. He believes the Church needs a younger, long-term leader who can serve for at least a decade.

The Anglican Church, which traces its origins to King Henry VIII’s break from the Roman Catholic Church in the 1530s, is the state church of England. King Charles III, as its Supreme Governor, appoints archbishops on the advice of the prime minister.