The Church of Wales is to have its first woman bishop.Canon Joanna Penberthy, 56, was one of the first women to be ordained as a priest in Wales in 1997.
She is currently Rector of Glan Ithon, in the Diocese of Swansea and Brecon in Llandrindod Wells.
And she is now to succeed Wyn Evans as Bishop of St Davids.
The Archbishop of Wales said she was elected with the necessary two-thirds majority vote from representatives of all of Wales' six diocese.
The body has been meeting behind locked doors at St Davids Cathedral since Tuesday morning.
'She is someone who is full of joy'
Archbishop Dr Barry 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.
"The diocese of St Davids is enormously lucky to have her as its next bishop and I shall be absolutely delighted to consecrate her.”
'I am immensely humbled'
Canon Jo will 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.She 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.”
Her 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.
Who is Canon Joanna S Penberthy
- Born 1960
- Educated at Newnham College Cambridge BA
- Made Deaconess in 1984
- Ordained Priest in 1997
Her Church posts include
- 1985 – 1989 Deaconess (full-time), Llanishen (St Isan) (Christ Church) (St Faith) and Lisvane, Llandaff
- 1987 – 1989 Non-stipendiary minister, Llanishen (St Isan) (Christ Church) (St Faith) and Lisvane, Llandaff
- 1989 – 1993 Non-stipendiary minister, Llanwddyn (St Wyddyn) and Llanfihangel-yng-Nghwynfa and Llwydiarth , St Asaph
- 1993 – 1995 Non-stipendiary minister, Llansadwrn (St Sadwrn) w Llanwrda and Manordeilo , St Davids
- 1999 – 2001 Priest in charge, Cynwul Gaeo (St Cynwyl) w Llansawel and Talley , St Davids
- 2001 – 2002 Diocesan Adult Education Officer, St Davids
- 2001 – 2010 Vicar, Cynwul Gaeo (St Cynwyl) w Llansawel and Talley , St Davids
- 2002 – 2010 Warden of Readers, St Davids
- 2007 – 2010 Canon, St Davids Cathedral
- 2010 – 2011 Priest in charge, Charlton Musgrove (St John) (St Stephen), Cucklington and Stoke Trister , Bath and Wells
- 2011 – 2015 Rector, Charlton Musgrove (St John) (St Stephen), Cucklington and Stoke Trister , Bath and Wells
- from 2015 Rector, Glan Ithon, Swansea and Brecon