Church of England appoints first female bishop

LONDON, Dec. 17 (UPI) -- The Church of England announced the appointment of its first female bishop Wednesday, saying Rev. Libby Lane will become the Bishop of Stockport.

The decision marks the centuries-old end of all-male leadership of the official Christian church in England, which dates itself to 597 AD, and mother church of worldwide Anglicans. Lane will serve as leader of Manchester-area Anglicans, and will also be a suffragan, or assistant, bishop in the Chester diocese.

"I am grateful for, though somewhat daunted by, the confidence placed in me by the Diocese of Chester. This is unexpected and very exciting. On this historic day as the Church of England announces the first woman nominated to be Bishop, I am very conscious of all those who have gone before me, women and men, who for decades have looked forward to this moment," she said at Stockport city hall, where the announcement was made.

Her appointment comes after nearly a century of campaigning to increase the authority of women in the Church, 40 years of legislative negotiation and a month after the Church's General Synod formally enacted a change in canon law allowing women to participate in the episcopate, or bishop-level position.

Formal announcement of Lane's promotion, by Queen Elizabeth II, is expected Wednesday.