The Queen has approved the nomination of the Reverend Malayil Lukose Varghese Muthalaly (known as Saju), Vicar of St Mark’s Gillingham, in the Diocese of Rochester, to the Suffragan See of Loughborough, in the Diocese of Leicester.
He succeeds the first-ever Bishop of Loughborough, the Right Revd Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani after she became Bishop of Chelmsford earlier this year.
The announcement naming the next Bishop of Loughborough was made by Downing Street at 10.02am this morning (12 November 2021). The identity of any Bishop-elect has to be kept a closely guarded secret until Number 10 publishes the news.
Last night Bishop-elect Saju and his family attended Curve Theatre in Leicester to see The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and are being introduced to the diocese at various events in Leicestershire today.
They are starting near Melton Mowbray at the rural campus of Brooksby Melton Agricultural College with prayers at the small rural church there. They will receive gifts representing various elements of the life of the diocese from various people including school children from Church of England schools Thrussington Primary and Rawlins Academy.
We are delighted that Downing Street has announced that Revd Saju Muthalaly will be the next @ChurchofEngland Bishop of Loughborough: https://t.co/hGApfvC9RO pic.twitter.com/YKonqNqCkV
— Diocese of Leicester (@leicestercofe) November 12, 2021