Canon Joanna Penberthy was elected as the 129th Bishop of St. Davids having secured the necessary two-thirds majority vote from members of the Electoral College.

The announcement was made by the Archbishop of Wales at the west door on Wednesday, November 2.

Canon Joanna, 56, was one of the first women to be ordained as a priest in Wales in 1997 and is currently Rector of Glan Ithon, in the Diocese of Swansea and Brecon in Llandrindod Wells.

The Archbishop, Dr. Morgan, said, “This is an historic moment for the Church in Wales as it hasn’t been possible to elect a woman bishop until now. But what is really important to stress is that Joanna wasn’t elected because she was a woman but because she was deemed to be the best person to be a bishop. She has considerable gifts - she is an excellent preacher and communicator, can relate to all sections of the community, is a warm, charismatic, caring priest and someone who is full of joy.

“Joanna knows this diocese - she worked her for 11 years and was a Canon of this cathedral so she is on familiar territory. She has also worked in the dioceses of Llandaff and St. Asaph and has been the Provincial evangelism officer so she knows the province intimately. She has also been serving in the diocese of Bath and Wells so she brings that experience too. The diocese of St. Davids is enormously lucky to have her as its next bishop and I shall be absolutely delighted to consecrate her.”

Canon Jo said: “I am immensely humbled and honoured at the trust that has been placed in me. I am very much looking forward to returning to St. Davids and serving God’s people as their Bishop.”

Canon Jo will be Bishop Elect until the appointment is formally confirmed by the Archbishop at a Sacred Synod service on November 30. She will then be consecrated as a bishop at Llandaff Cathedral - the seat of the current Archbishop of Wales - on January 21 and enthroned in St Davids Cathedral on February 11.

Canon Jo is married to Adrian.

The election follows the retirement of Wyn Evans, who served as Bishop of St. Davids for eight years. St. Davids diocese takes in the west Wales counties of Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion.

The Electoral College is made up of representatives from all six Welsh dioceses. The ‘home’ diocese is represented by six lay people and six clergy, and the other five dioceses by three lay people and three clergy each, plus the five remaining Bishops.

Its discussions are confidential. Candidates for election are nominated at the meeting, discussed and voted on by ballot. Any candidate receiving two-thirds of the votes of those present is declared Bishop-Elect.