Archbishop of Canterbury Archbishop of Canterbury The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. The current archbishop is Justin Welby, who was enthroned at Canterbury Cathedral on 21 March 2013. Welby is the 105th in a line which goes back more than 1400 years to Augustine of Canterbury, the "Apostle to the English", sent from Rome in the year 597. Welby succeeded Rowan Williams. From the time of Augustine until the 16th century, the Archbishops of Canterbury were
Ælric (Archbishop-elect of Canterbury) concurred. The monks sent to Godwin, in whose earldom they were, and informed him of the canonical election of Ælric and begged him to use his influence in behalf of his kinsman. The earl promised to do all he could in the matter. King Edward was, however, at this time inclined to the faction which opposed the earl, and refused his request in behalf of Ælric. In the mid-Lent meeting of the witenagemot, in 1051, Robert of Jumièges was appointed archbishop, much to the anger of English churchmen. Ælric (Archbishop-elect of Canterbury) Ælric (fl. 1050), perhaps a misspelling of Ælfric