The diocese of Liverpool is a diocese of the Church of England in North West England. The diocese covers Merseyside north of the River Mersey, south-west Lancashire, western Greater Manchester, and part of northern Cheshire. Liverpool Cathedral is the seat of the bishop of Liverpool, currently John Perumbalath, and the diocesan offices are also located in Liverpool.[1] The bishop is assisted by one suffragan bishop, the bishop of Warrington.
Diocese of Liverpool Dioecesis Liverpolitana | |
|---|---|
 Coat of arms | |
| Location | |
| Ecclesiastical province | York |
| Archdeaconries | Liverpool, Knowsley and Sefton, St Helens and Warrington |
| Statistics | |
| Parishes | 211 |
| Churches | 257 |
| Information | |
| Cathedral | Liverpool Cathedral |
| Language | English |
| Current leadership | |
| Bishop | John Perumbalath, Bishop of Liverpool (on leave) The Bishop of Wigan, Interim Bishop of Liverpool |
| Suffragan | Bev Mason, Bishop of Warrington (on leave) Ruth Worsley, Bishop of Wigan (interim bishop diocesan) |
| Archdeacons | |
| Website | |
| https://liverpoolcofe.org/ | |
What is now the diocese of Liverpool was historically part of the diocese of Coventry and Lichfield, and became part of the newly created diocese of Chester in 1541.[2] The diocese of Liverpool was established on 9 April 1880.[3]
Bishops
editThe diocese's House of Bishops comprises the diocesan Bishop of Liverpool (John Perumbalath is on leave),[4] the suffragan Bishop of Warrington (Bev Mason is also on leave), and the honorary assistant bishop (since 1999) and pro-vice chancellor emeritus at Liverpool Hope University, Ian Stuart[5][6] (a former Assistant Bishop of North Queensland.) Alternative episcopal oversight (for parishes in the diocese who reject the ministry of women priests) is provided by the provincial episcopal visitor (PEV) the Bishop of Beverley, Stephen Race. He is licensed as an honorary assistant bishop of the diocese in order to facilitate his work there.
On 28 February 2025, it was announced that Ruth Worsley was to become Interim Bishop of Liverpool (i.e. diocesan bishop ad interim) for a period of two years starting later in 2025; to facilitate this role, she was translated from Taunton to the vacant suffragan See of Wigan (becoming Bishop of Wigan)[7] on 4 April 2025.[8]
There are two retired bishops living in the diocese:[9]
- Cyril Ashton, a retired former Bishop suffragan of Doncaster, has been a licensed as an honorary assistant bishop since his 2011 retirement to Lancaster, Lancashire (in Blackburn diocese, where he is also licensed.)
- Frank Sargeant, former Bishop at Lambeth lives in Salford, Greater Manchester (and is also licensed in that diocese.)
In May 2016, it was announced that Susan Goff, Suffragan Bishop of Virginia, had been licensed as an honorary assistant bishop (called "Assisting Bishop of Liverpool") in the diocese, as part of the companion link with the American Episcopalian Diocese of Virginia.[10] In response, the Diocese of Akure, Nigeria, has indicated that they wish to end their part of the companion link.[11]
Archdeaconries and deaneries
edit| Diocese | Archdeaconries | Rural Deaneries |
|---|---|---|
| Diocese of Liverpool | Archdeaconry of Liverpool | Deanery of Liverpool North |
| Deanery of Liverpool South | ||
| Deanery of Toxteth and Wavertree | ||
| Deanery of Walton | ||
| Deanery of West Derby | ||
| Archdeaconry of St Helens & Warrington | Deanery of St Helens | |
| Deanery of Warrington | ||
| Deanery of Widnes | ||
| Deanery of Winwick | ||
| Deanery of Wigan | ||
| Archdeaconry of Knowsley & Sefton | Deanery of Huyton | |
| Deanery of North Meols | ||
| Deanery of Sefton North1 | ||
| Deanery of Sefton South2 | ||
| Deanery of Ormskirk |
1named Sefton until 2012
2named Bootle until 2017
List of churches
edit- St John the Evangelist, Abram
- St Anne, Aigburth[12]
- St John, Ainsdale[13]
- St Giles (with St Peter), Aintree[14]
- All Hallows, Allerton[15]
- St Aidan with All Saints, Speke[16]
- All Saints, Liverpool[17]
- All Saints with St Frideswyde, Crosby and Thornton[18]
- St Michael & All Angels, Altcar[19]
- St Columba, Anfield[20]
References
edit- Church of England Statistics 2002 Archived 3 February 2007 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "St James House Staff". Diocese of Liverpool. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ Joyce M., Horn; David M., Smith; Mussett, Patrick (2004), Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1541–1857, vol. 11, pp. 33–34
- ^ "No. 24832". The London Gazette. 9 April 1880. p. 2435.
- ^ "Announcing the next Bishop of Liverpool". Diocese of Liverpool. 18 October 2022. Archived from the original on 18 October 2022. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
- ^ "The Diocese of Liverpool – Bishops". Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 17 June 2011.
- ^ The Diocese of Liverpool – Diocesan Synod
- ^ "New Interim Bishop of Liverpool Announced". Diocese of Liverpool. 28 February 2025. Archived from the original on 28 February 2025. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
- ^ "No. 64704". The London Gazette. 8 April 2025. p. 7574.
- ^ Diocesan Synod Membership – March 2013 (Accessed 24 April 2014)
- ^ Diocese of Liverpool — Historic Appointment of Bishop Susan Goff as Assisting Bishop of Liverpool (Accessed 5 June 2015)
- ^ Diocese of Liverpool — The Diocese of Liverpool and the Anglican Communion (Accessed 5 June 2015)
- ^ "St. Anne's Church, Aigburth | Liverpool". St. Anne's, Aigburth. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
- ^ "St John's Church, Ainsdale – The Parish Church of Ainsdale, Southport, UK". 8 June 2025. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
- ^ "Home". St Giles Aintree. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
- ^ "All Hallows, Allerton | Anglican Church in Liverpool, UK". All Hallows, Allerton. 27 September 2025. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
- ^ "St Aidan with All Saints, Speke – A Church of England Parish in the Diocese of Liverpool". Retrieved 12 June 2025.
- ^ "All Saints Church Liverpool – Growing God's Kingdom". 10 June 2025. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
- ^ "About Us – assfchurch". Retrieved 12 June 2025.
- ^ "Home". Altcar Parish Church. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
- ^ "St Columba anfield | Stcolumbaanfield | Anfield". St Columba Anfield. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
External links
edit- Diocese of Liverpool official website