Could Wales elect UK's first female archbishop?

Who of these six will become the 14th Archbishop of Wales?

For more than a century, a select group locked inside a Powys church has chosen a male Archbishop of Wales.

But this time it could be very different - with Wales potentially becoming the first country in the UK to vote a woman into the highest position.

Half of the six bishops who are candidates are women.

Paul Handley, Church Times editor, said the Church in Wales was already ahead of many Anglican Churches around the world in reaching gender parity.

From Monday, all eyes in the Church in Wales will be on the small Victorian spa town of Llandrindod Wells.

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It is just over 100 years since the first Archbishop of Wales was enthroned there.

The doors of Holy Trinity Church will be closed until a new archbishop is appointed

Since then, members have gathered inside Holy Trinity Church to choose his successor. It has always been "his" successor.

However, this week, following the retirement of John Davies, history could be made when a woman sits in the archiepiscopal chair.

It is less than five years since Joanna Penberthy became the first woman bishop consecrated by the Church in Wales.

Now she, along with June Osbourne, the Bishop of Llandaff, and Cherry Vann, the Bishop of Monmouth, are among six candidates for the top job.

Any of them could become the first female archbishop in the UK, while Cherry Vann could become the first person in a same-sex civil partnership to hold the position.

It could take as long as three days of discussion, prayer, reflection, voting and a little horse-trading behind the locked doors of the church before the 14th Archbishop of Wales is announced on the church steps.

In 2017, Joanna Penberthy became the first female bishop in Wales

Mr Handley is convinced the appointment will be down seniority - and who actually wants the job.

"We should be in a position that the Church chooses a woman 50% of the time, based on merit and experience," he said.

"The first isn't a problem. The second is still affected by the relative novelty of women bishops - but we're getting there.

"It might well be that the Welsh bishops choose collectively to push this along [so] it's going to be interesting to see."

However, he added: "They are expected to choose an archbishop on merit and Andy John and Gregory Cameron are the most senior among them.

"There are other factors though, including whether anyone wants the job, not a foregone conclusion, by any means."

Who are the candidates?

• The Bishop of Bangor, Andy John

• The Bishop of St Asaph, Gregory Cameron

• The Bishop of St Davids, Joanna Penberthy

• The Bishop of Llandaff, June Osborne

• The Bishop of Monmouth, Cherry Vann

• The Bishop of Swansea and Brecon, John Lomas

Right Rev Gregory Cameron (far right) gave the first blessing for a same-sex marriage in Wales last month

How is the Archbishop of Wales selected?

Following a public service of Holy Communion, the doors of the church will be locked behind the 42 members of the Electoral College, who will have three days to come to a decision.

The president will call for nominations and the nominees must then withdraw before returning to join the vote.

A nominee must achieve two-thirds of the votes of the college to be elected Archbishop.

If there is no clear winner, then it usual for the candidate with the fewest votes to withdraw and the process is repeated.

The college can take up to three days to choose but, if it fails to do so, the decision passes to the Bench of Bishops.

Once the winner is elected, there is a ceremony to formalise the decision so the new archbishop can take over the role with immediate effect.

Who is choosing?

Those making the decision represent churches across Wales.

Each of the six dioceses elects three clerics and three lay people on to the college and the bishops are also members - making a total of 42 people.

The College President is the senior bishop, Bishop Andy John.

The archiepiscopal chair, or throne, is a replica of the Chair of St Augustine in Canterbury Cathedral.

Who was the first Archbishop of Wales?

Alfred George Edwards, then the Bishop of St Asaph, was elected the first archbishop of the disestablished Church in Wales in 1920.

He was the longest serving archbishop - 14 years - until Barry Morgan in 2015. He retired in 1934 and died three years later.

What does an archbishop do?

The Archbishop convenes the Bench of Bishops and is president of the governing body - but in general, he or she leads and looks after the Church in Wales.

They also continue serving as bishop of their local diocese

When another diocesan bishop retires, the archbishop looks after that diocese, as well as their own, until a new bishop is elected.

However, they do not involve themselves in the matters of another diocese unless asked to do so.

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