Archbishop of Canterbury Marks 1,350th Anniversary of Diocese of Hereford

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, visited the Diocese of Hereford last weekend to commemorate its 1,350th anniversary. Founded in 676, the diocese maintains borders that largely mirror the ancient territory of the Magonsæte. During her visit, the Archbishop engaged with various community initiatives, including a rural outreach project in Affcott that provides food, health screenings, and spiritual counseling to local farmers.

Throughout the weekend, the Archbishop participated in several church and community events. She licensed new lay readers, visited a youth hub in Leominster, and attended an apple festival in Much Marcle. At the Harvest Festival in Putley Church, she preached on the importance of bringing personal anxieties to Christ, drawing on the promise of the Holy Spirit as a source of comfort and strength. The celebrations concluded with an Evensong service at Hereford Cathedral, where the Archbishop reflected on the themes of light and darkness through the biblical account of Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus in the Gospel of John.