Downing Street has announced today, Thursday 31 March, that the new Bishop of Rochester will be the Rt Rev Jonathan Gibbs.
Jonathan is currently the Bishop of Huddersfield in the Diocese of Leeds and holds a national role in the Church of England as Lead Bishop for Safeguarding.
The announcement from Downing Street at 10am, confirmed that HM The Queen had approved the nomination of Bishop Jonathan to be the next Bishop of Rochester, succeeding the Rt Rev James Langstaff, who retired in July 2021.
Bishop Jonathan will lead the Church of England’s Diocese of Rochester, which serves a population of around 1.3 million people and covers 215 parishes across Medway, north and west Kent, and the London Boroughs of Bromley and Bexley.
He was revealed as the new Bishop of Rochester this morning at Trinity Church of England School, Belvedere, one of five Church of England secondary schools within the Diocese. While there, he had the chance to answer some of the students’ questions and engage with them in a time of prayer.
NEW BISHOP! We are delighted that the Rt Rev Jonathan Gibbs has been announced this morning as the new Bishop of Rochester. Jonathan is currently the Bishop of Huddersfield in the Diocese of Leeds. Read more https://t.co/CpCx7l8mri @rochestercathedral @BishopTonbridge pic.twitter.com/3XeUzJCj9E
— @SeeOfRochester (@SeeOfRochester) March 31, 2022