Background
On 4 December 2024, Lambeth Palace announced:
“With the gracious agreement of HM The King, Archbishop Justin’s last day in post as the Archbishop of Canterbury will be on the Feast of the Epiphany, 6th January 2025. From that date, his primatial functions will be delegated, mainly to the Archbishop of York, his metropolitan functions to the Bishop of London and his diocesan functions to the Bishop of Dover”.
The Prime Minister appointed The Lord Evans of Weardale KCB DL to be the Chairman of the Crown Nominations Commission for Canterbury.
On 17 December 2024, the Faculty Office posted further information:
“Following the announcement of the resignation of The Most Revd Justin Welby as Archbishop of Canterbury, the functions of the Archbishop which are administered through the Faculty Office (namely the appointment of Notaries, the issue of Special Marriage Licences and the conferral of Lambeth Degrees) will continue to be administered by the Faculty Office with all necessary documents being issued in the name of the Chapter of Canterbury Cathedral (in its capacity as Guardian of the Spiritualities) from 7th January 2025, being the date upon which the Archbishop’s resignation takes effect, until such [time] as a new Archbishop is appointed.”
6 January 2025
The Church Times reported that a spokesperson at Lambeth Palace confirmed that on 6 December, the Archbishop would be “spending the day privately” at the Palace, with morning prayer, a lunchtime eucharist in the chapel, and evensong at the end of the day. During evensong, “he will lay down his bishop’s crozier on the altar, marking the end of his ministry as Archbishop of Canterbury. The Church of England later issued Justin Welby’s final day as Archbishop of Canterbury. Legally he will cease to be Archbishop of Canterbury at midnight that day.
Arrangements from 7 January 2025
After 6th January, Archbishop Justin’s crozier will be taken to Canterbury Cathedral, where a member of the Cathedral team will lay it on the altar in a short private service. The Church Times comments: “Archbishop Welby has already signed an instrument of delegation, handing over his official functions mainly to the Archbishop of York, some to the Bishop of London, the Rt Revd Sarah Mullally, and his diocesan functions to the Bishop of Dover, the Rt Revd Rose Hudson-Wilkin, from Tuesday. Until the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury is in post, the provinces of the Anglican Communion will be without one of its four Instruments of Communion.
It continues “Archbishop Welby would not ‘immediately or automatically’ be granted Permission to Officiate (PTO), the Palace spokesperson said. This would be decided, as with all priests seeking PTO, “following a period of discernment” in conjunction with the relevant diocesan bishop. Details of the process for the selection of the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury are here, here, and here.
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