Anglican Diocese of Wellington


The Diocese of Wellington is one of the thirteen dioceses and hui amorangi of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia. The diocese covers the area between the bottom of the North Island of New Zealand up to the area of Mount Ruapehu.
There are over 90 parishes and mission districts within the diocese of Wellington.
The diocese's first bishop, Charles Abraham, was consecrated in 1858. The seat of the Bishop of Wellington is at the Wellington Cathedral of St Paul.
The Archbishop David Moxon announced on 29 April 2012 that Justin Duckworth had been elected as the 11th Bishop of Wellington. Duckworth was installed as the 11th. Bishop of Wellington in the afternoon of 30 June 2012 in an enthronement service.
The diocese celebrated its sesquicentenary in 2008; the celebrations included pilgrimages throughout the diocese.
Old St Paul's, the second Church of St Paul in Wellington, which was the pro-cathedral church for the Anglican Diocese of Wellington from 1866 to 1964 is still consecrated, but is now owned by Heritage New Zealand. The first parish church for the early settlers, dedicated to St Paul, was behind where the Beehive stands today: a replica stands at the Bolton Street entrance to an early cemetery for Wellington, alongside the original sextons cottage.
The current Wellington Cathedral church for the Diocese was dedicated, partially completed, in the name of St Paul in 1964. Completion was in stages and in 2001 it was consecrated.

Bishops of Wellington

The Wellington Diocese today is divided into seven archdeaconries: Wanganui, Manawatu, Kapiti, Wairarapa, Belmont, Ohariu, and Wellington. In 1866, there was one archdeaconry: O. Hadfield was Archdeacon of Kapiti. In 1887, Arthur Stock had been Archdeacon of Kapiti since 1870. In 1909, Charles Coleridge Harper was Archdeacon of Wanganui.