Diocese of Canterbury

The Diocese of Canterbury is a diocese of the Church of England covering eastern Kent. Centered on (and named for) Canterbury Cathedral, it is the oldest see in the church, dating to a foundation by St. Augustine of Canterbury in 597.

The diocesan bishop is the Archbishop of Canterbury; but because of his roles as Metropolitan of the Province of Canterbury, Primate of All England, and worldwide head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop (whose primary residence, moreover, is at Lambeth Palace in London) is often away. Hence one of his suffragan bishops, the Suffragan Bishop of Dover, is given the additional title of "Bishop in Canterbury" and in many ways empowered to act almost as if he were the diocesan bishop. Another diocesan suffragan bishop is the Suffragan Bishop of Maidstone. (Two further suffragans with titular cities located in the dicoese — Ebbsfleet and Richborough — are really provincial episcopal visitors with a focus more wide-ranging than the local diocese.)

For organizational purposes, the diocese is divided into sixteen deaneries: Canterbury, Cranbrook, Dover, East Bridge, Ashford, Elham, Maidstone, North Downs, Romney, Ospringe, Reculver, Sandwich, Sittingbourne, Tenterden, Thanet and West Bridge.

External links

• official website
• map of the diocese, from the above