On March 25, 2026, Archbishop Sarah Mullally will be installed as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury, becoming the first woman to hold the position. During the ceremony, she will swear her oath with her hand on a modern Bible, The Saint John's Bible Heritage Edition, a departure from the tradition of using the 6th-century Augustine Gospels. This change, the first since 1945, underscores the significance of the occasion and the evolving nature of the Church of England.
The Augustine Gospels, housed at Corpus Christi College in Cambridge, have been used to swear in archbishops for nearly 60 years, but their fragility and immobility necessitated an alternative. Canterbury Cathedral chose The Saint John's Bible Heritage Edition, a reproduction of the first hand-scribed, illuminated manuscript commissioned by a Benedictine Monastery since the invention of the printing press. Created by Donald Jackson, former senior scribe to Queen Elizabeth II, the Bible blends ancient tradition with modern themes, described as a Bible "for the 21st century."
During the installation, the Bible will be open to the beginning of Luke 1 on the Nave altar, where Archbishop Sarah will place her hand on it as she takes her oath. Canterbury Cathedral blessed and dedicated a Heritage Edition of The Saint John's Bible on November 11, 2023, made possible through the generosity of Elaine and Bruce Culver. Only 299 Heritage Editions exist worldwide. The Cathedral also adorned this edition with a special bookmark created by Dr. Alyson Osterloh, a retired physician and member of the Holy Stitchers, using textiles from the Cathedral Sewing Room.
Additionally, an Apostles Edition of The Saint John's Bible, of which only 12 exist, was gifted to Lambeth Palace on November 8, 2023. It resides in the Lambeth Palace Library and is available for public viewing. The original manuscript of The Saint John's Bible, consisting of 1,150 pages in seven volumes, is held at the Hill Museum & Manuscript Library on the Saint John's University campus.
The use of this modern Bible for such a historic occasion highlights the Church's engagement with contemporary art and its commitment to preserving tradition while embracing change. For more information about The Saint John's Bible, visit https://saintjohnsbible.org. The Church of England will livestream the service on March 25, 2026 at 10:30 am ET.
