First Female Archbishop of Canterbury to be Sworn in With Modern Bible, The Saint John’s Bible Heritage Edition

The installation of the Most Reverend Sarah Mullally as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury on March 25, 2026, will mark a historic departure in ceremonial tradition. For the first time since 1945, a new Bible will be used for the swearing-in oath, replacing the fragile 6th-century Augustine Gospels that have been used for nearly 60 years. The Cathedral has chosen to use its Heritage Edition of The Saint John’s Bible to honor the occasion of installing the first female Archbishop of Canterbury.

The Augustine Gospels, believed to be a relic of St Augustine, the first Archbishop of Canterbury, reside at Corpus Christi College in Cambridge and are not easily moved due to their fragility. Thus, the Cathedral will utilize its Heritage Edition of The Saint John’s Bible, described as a Bible ‘for the 21st century.’ This Bible is the first hand-scribed, illuminated manuscript commissioned by a Benedictine monastery since the invention of the printing press more than 500 years ago. The artistic director, Donald Jackson, former senior scribe to Her Majesty The Queen Elizabeth II’s Crown Office at the House of Lords, created a work that blends ancient tradition with modern themes.

During the installation service, the Bible will be open to the beginning of Luke 1 on the Nave altar. Archbishop Sarah will lay her hand on it as she takes her oath. Canterbury Cathedral blessed and dedicated this Heritage Edition, a facsimile of which there are only 299 in the world, on November 11, 2023. This gift was made possible through the generosity of Elaine and Bruce Culver. The Cathedral adorned this edition with a special bookmark made by retired physician and cathedral stitcher Dr. Alyson Osterloh in March 2024, crafted from textiles found in the Cathedral Sewing Room.

An Apostles Edition of The Saint John’s Bible, of which there are only 12 in existence, was also gifted to Lambeth Palace on November 8, 2023. It now resides in the Lambeth Palace Library and is available for public viewing. The original manuscript of The Saint John’s Bible consists of 1,150 pages created in seven distinct volumes and resides at the Hill Museum & Manuscript Library on the Saint John’s University campus. The Heritage and Apostles Editions are fine art reproductions designed to faithfully capture the spirit and discipline of the project, with production directed by Donald Jackson and taking roughly eight years to achieve. For additional information, please visit https://saintjohnsbible.org.

The Church of England will livestream the installation service on March 25, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. ET. The event signifies not only a milestone with the first female archbishop but also a symbolic embrace of contemporary artistic expression within ancient religious rites, reflecting the evolving nature of tradition in the Anglican Communion.

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