St Albans Cathedral is set to welcome a new Dean.

The Venerable Jo Kelly-Moore, Archdeacon of Canterbury, has been named by HM The Queen as the next Dean of St Albans.

The role of Dean leads the ministry of the Cathedral, the mother church of the Diocese of St Albans.

Dean-Elect Jo's appointment follows the departure of the Very Revd Jeffrey John who was Dean from 2003 to 2020 and who is now an Anglican Chaplain in Paris.

The appointment of the Dean is made by the Crown on the advice of the Bishop and other leading figures in the diocese following a rigorous selection process involving a church and civic panel.

The panel was chaired by the Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire, emphasising the reach of the Cathedral across all the communities of the diocese.

The Bishop of St Albans, Dr Alan Smith, said: "This is a timely moment to welcome a new Dean to the Cathedral and the diocese after 18 months of lockdown.

"Jo brings outstanding experience to our Cathedral from Holy Trinity Cathedral, Auckland, Aotearoa, New Zealand and from a leading post in the Church of England as Archdeacon of Canterbury.

"That makes Dean Jo well placed to build on the legacy of Dean Jeffrey in establishing public understanding of St Albans Cathedral as the home of Britain's First Saint, St Alban.

"She will commend herself to the community in St Albans and more widely in the diocese and beyond through her warmth and the sense of quiet command that she conveys. I warmly welcome her."

Many years ago when Dean-Elect Jo was a parish priest in New Zealand a parishioner brought her back a small wooden mouse as a memento from a pilgrimage all the way to St Albans Cathedral.

Dean-Elect Jo said: "St Albans Cathedral is a place of welcome and engagement for all people whether they come to visit, learn, worship, volunteer, enjoy the magnificent historic building, pray, listen to a concert, see an exhibition, enjoy our grounds, or eat and drink in 'the Abbot's Kitchen'.

"I want to see all those roles continue to grow, develop and adapt to the world into which we are emerging as we get to grips with what we all hope will be a post-Covid world."

The Dean-Elect is expected to be installed in the Cathedral to begin her ministry towards the end of the year.