On March 25, 2026, Archbishop Sarah Mullally will be installed as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury, becoming the first woman to hold the position. During the service at Canterbury Cathedral, she will swear her oath on a modern Bible, The Saint John's Bible Heritage Edition, instead of the 6th-century Augustine Gospels that have been used for nearly 60 years. This change is significant because the Augustine Gospels, housed at Corpus Christi College in Cambridge, are too fragile to move. The decision to use The Saint John's Bible honors the historic occasion of the first female Archbishop.
The Saint John's Bible is described as a Bible "for the 21st century" and is the first hand-scribed, illuminated manuscript commissioned by a Benedictine Monastery since the invention of the printing press over 500 years ago. Created by artistic director Donald Jackson, former senior scribe to Her Majesty The Queen Elizabeth II's Crown Office at the House of Lords, the Bible blends ancient tradition with modern themes. During the installation, the Bible will be open to the beginning of Luke 1 on the Nave altar, and the Archbishop will lay her hand on it as she takes her oath.
Canterbury Cathedral blessed and dedicated a Heritage Edition of The Saint John's Bible on November 11, 2023, made possible through the generosity of Elaine and Bruce Culver. This edition is a facsimile, with only 299 in existence worldwide. The Cathedral adorned the Bible with a special bookmark made by retired physician and cathedral stitcher Dr. Alyson Osterloh, crafted from textiles found in the Cathedral Sewing Room. Additionally, an Apostles Edition of The Saint John's Bible, of which only 12 exist, was gifted to Lambeth Palace on November 8, 2023, and is now available for public viewing in the Lambeth Palace Library.
The Church of England will livestream the service on March 25, 2026 at 10:30 am ET. For more information about The Saint John's Bible, visit https://saintjohnsbible.org.
