Meet our St Patrick’s Day special guest
Born in 1956 in London, the Most Reverend Justin Welby was educated at Eton College and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he studied history and law. For 11 years – five in Paris and six in London – he worked in the oil industry, becoming group treasurer of a large British exploration and production company. He focused mainly on West African and North Sea projects.
In 1989, after sensing a call from God, Archbishop Justin stood down from industry to train for ordination. He took a theology degree at St John’s College, Durham, in which he focused on ethics – particularly in business.
After being ordained Deacon in 1992, he spent 15 years serving Coventry Diocese. His Curacy was at All Saints Chilvers Coton with St Mary the Virgin Astley, in Nuneaton. In 1995 he became Rector of St James, Southam, a small market town in the same Diocese – and also the next year of St Michael and All Angels, Ufton, the neighbouring parish.
In 2002, he was made a Canon of Coventry Cathedral, where he ran the reconciliation work based there. He worked extensively in the field in Africa and the Middle East.
He left Coventry five years later, being installed Dean of Liverpool on 8 December 2007. During his deanship, he brought the Cathedral into much greater contact with its local community, working with asylum seekers and in partnership with neighbouring churches.
In 2011, he returned to the place where his journey towards becoming Archbishop began: on 2 June 2011, he was announced as the new Bishop of Durham, taking over from the Right Reverend Tom Wright. He was enthroned at Durham Cathedral on 26 November.
On 9 November 2012, Justin Welby was announced as the 105th Archbishop of the See of Canterbury. He officially became Archbishop on 4 February 2013, succeeding Dr Rowan Williams who retired at the end of December 2012. The new Archbishop was enthroned at Canterbury Cathedral on 21 March 2013.
His interests include French culture, sailing and politics.
He is married to Caroline, who studied Classics at Cambridge, where they met. They have two sons and three daughters.
His father’s family were German Jewish immigrants who moved to England to escape anti–Semitism in the late 19th century, and integrated quickly. His British ancestors, on his mother’s side, include several clergymen.
Find out all about our St Patrick’s Day celebrations here.