Armes appointed as Capital’s new bishop

A NEW Bishop of Edinburgh has been elected from a shortlist of three churchmen.

The Very Rev Dr John Armes will take up his position as the new Bishop for the Diocese of Edinburgh by the summer.

He succeeds the Right Rev Brian Smith, who retired in August 2011 after ten years in the position.

Dr Armes, currently Dean of the Edinburgh Diocese and Rector of St John’s Church, Princes Street, since 1998, is a father-of-four and lives in the New Town.

The 56-year-old said: “I am both delighted and honoured to be elected the new Bishop of Edinburgh, especially as those who have elected me are people who know me and have worked with me over a number of years.”

Also on the shortlist was the Rev Mike Parker, senior minister at All Saints Cathedral, Cairo, and the Rev Canon Dr Alvyn Pettersen, Canon Theologian of Worcester Cathedral.