21 Sep 2026
More than 1,500 people packed into St Albans Cathedral on Saturday to mark the formal installation of the Rt Revd Dr Andrew Rumsey as the 11th Bishop of St Albans, with a further 4,000 viewers joining the service via livestream online.
Combining ancient legal traditions with a lively community welcome, the historic service represented the first major public symbol of Bishop Andrew’s ministry across Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Luton, and Barnet.
The proceedings began outside the Cathedral’s West End, where a festival atmosphere greeted arriving guests with live music from the Cameron Saint Trio and a local food trailer.
Following the traditional ceremonial knocking on the West End doors by the incoming Bishop, the Archdeacon of Canterbury, representing the Archbishop of Canterbury, formally placed Bishop Andrew into his cathedra—the bishop’s chair that gives the Cathedral its name.
During the ceremony, the Dean of St Albans, the Very Revd Jo Kelly-Moore, handed Bishop Andrew the diocesan crozier, the pastoral staff symbolising his role as shepherd to the Diocese.
Speaking on the personal significance of the occasion, Dr Rumsey highlighted his deep connections to the region: “This is a poignant and powerful day for me, marking both a return home and a new beginning.
“The faith, hope and love I found as a child in the Diocese of St Albans are very much alive today – and needed more than ever in our country and communities. Our cathedral marks the origins of the Christian story in England, and I am humbled to serve and lead you in its next chapter.”
During his installation sermon, Bishop Andrew brought those childhood memories vividly to life. He produced a small brown envelope containing a St Albans Easter Monday Pilgrimage badge from 1979, which he had recently uncovered in an old tin while packing up his home.
Recalling his teenage years joining young people converging on the cathedral from across the diocese, he reflected on how those early pilgrimages planted “a Christianity that was alive.”
Addressing current societal pressures, Bishop Andrew described the present day as “stony and thin-soiled times,” pointing to the scorched earth of the recent dry summer as a metaphor for modern challenges. He called on the congregation to “imagine your bit of the world differently” and to build a future grounded in “fresh planting and tenacious old roots,” adding: “We don’t have to be any better or holier, any more or less religious than we are. But the hour is at hand in our land and in our lives, and we must get going.”
Holding up his 40-year-old pilgrim’s badge, which bears the motto “We’re on our way,” Bishop Andrew concluded by stating it was the honour of his life to join the diocese on the journey ahead.
The Dean of St Albans, the Very Revd Jo Kelly-Moore, reflected on the occasion: “It is a privilege to welcome everyone to St Albans Cathedral on this day of great joy.
“This Cathedral and Abbey Church is the mother church for Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Luton, and Barnet. Our history here began in Roman times with a simple act of welcome and shelter, when Alban, a local citizen, gave refuge to the fleeing priest Amphibalus. Holding to that same tradition of welcome, we are so glad to welcome Bishop Andrew as he comes to lead and minister with us.
“Installing a new bishop is a monumental moment of celebration and renewal. We hope this service inspires our whole diocese to step with confidence into all that lies ahead.”
Following the service, celebrations continued in the Cathedral grounds, where 1,000 complimentary celebratory cupcakes were distributed to well-wishers and congregation members.
The service brought together civic dignitaries, including His Majesty’s Lords-Lieutenant of Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire, local MPs, High Sheriffs, and civic leaders, alongside ecumenical and interfaith representatives, visiting bishops, and community leaders from across the region.
All photos by Toby Shepheard
