1 week Ago By BBC
The 88th Bishop of Sodor and Man is set to be installed at an enthronement ceremony at Cathedral Isle of Man. The Venerable Patricia Hillas has taken over from the Right Reverend Peter Eagles, who was in post from 2017 in October last year. The enthronement in Peel follows her by Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell last month.
The proceedings will start with a short service at St German's Cathedral at Peel Castle before the enthronement takes place at Cathedral Isle of Man from 14:00 GMT. The ceremony includes formal processions by representatives of Tynwald, Lieutenant Governor Sir John Lorimer and diocesan and cathedral officials. As is tradition, it will begin with the Bishop banging her staff on the closed cathedral doors before being invited in by the Dean, the Very Rev Nigel Godfrey.
As part of the service, she will be led to the thrown in the cathedral and placed on it. After she is greeted, he will go on to placed her in a throne in the cathedral. The proceedings in Peel will also include music by the Cathedral choir, Caarhyn Cooidjagh and the Anglican Youth Fellowship Band from Uganda.
Sodor and Man is the smallest diocese in the Church of England, overseeing 45 churches and 27 parishes. Born in 1966 in Kuala Lumpur to an Indian mother and British father, Bishop Hillas moved to the UK with her family in 1971. She was ordained in 2002, after a career in youth and social work specialising in supporting people with HIV and AIDS.
She has previously been Archdeacon and Canon of Westminster as well as Chaplain to the Speaker of the House of Commons. The island's bishop is a unique position as the post holder has a seat in the Legislative Council and has the right to vote in Tynwald. A bill that would remove that right is currently being of three MLC as it continues its passage through the upper chamber of the Manx parliament.
That follows its progression through the ..
