Cherry Vann has joined the growing list of religious leaders making LGBTQIA+ history within the church.
On Wednesday (30 July), Vann was appointed as the new Archbishop of Wales, becoming the first woman to lead any of Britain’s Anglican churches and the first lesbian to serve as an archbishop globally.
According to The Guardian, her historic placement was reached after two days of deliberations by an electoral college boasting clergy and laypersons.
Vann’s decades-long experience as a church official dates back to the 1980s, when she trained for the ministry at Westcott House, Cambridge, and was ordained as a deacon in 1989.
Since then, the 66-year-old has risen within the church ranks, becoming one of the first women to be ordained as a priest in the Church of England in 1994, and serving as an archdeacon of Rochdale in the Diocese of Manchester for 11 years.
In January 2020, Vann was consecrated as the bishop of Monmouth, holding the position for the last five years. Before she was appointed the new Archbishop of Wales, the position was held by Andrew John.
In June 2025, John abruptly left his role following the May publication of a safeguarding review at Bangor Cathedral in North Wales, which featured complaints related to inappropriate language, excessive consumption of alcohol and a “culture in which sexual boundaries seemed blurred.”
There was no suggestion that John perpetuated the aforementioned behaviour or conducted any wrongdoing.
Following her appointment, Vann released a statement detailing her first priority as the new archbishop of Wales.
“The first thing I shall need to do is to ensure that the issues which have been raised in the last six months are properly addressed and that I work to bring healing and reconciliation, and to build a really good level of trust across the Church and the communities the Church serves,” she said.
Since the news was announced, Vann has received support from her church peers, including Archbishop Mark O’Toole.
“I congratulate Archbishop-elect Cherry on her appointment as the new Archbishop of Wales. I am sure she will be able to bring healing to all in the Church of Wales. I assure her of my prayers and those of the Catholic community,” he said.
You can read more about Archbishop Vann here.
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