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
Primacy of Canterbury in favour of Canterbury, and at a subsequent synod it was resolved that the future Archbishops of York must be consecrated in Canterbury Cathedral and swear allegiance to the Archbishop of Canterbury, and that the Humber was to be the southern limit of the metropolitan jurisdiction of York. This decision was ratified in the Accord of Winchester. This arrangement lasted till 1118/1119, when Thurstan, archbishop-elect, refused to make submission to Canterbury, and in consequence the Archbishop of Canterbury, Ralph d'Escures, declined to consecrate him. Thurstan thereupon successfully appealed to Pope Calixtus II, who not only himself consecrated him, but also