Liberal cleric Rowan Williams, who has clashed with the British government over Iraq, was enthroned as Archbishop of Canterbury today to the accompaniment of harps, African drums and Welsh poetry.
Archbishop Williams, an honorary Druid from Wales, becomes the 104th Archbishop in the 1,500-year history of Christianity in Britain and promises to be one of the most controversial.
In recent weeks he has been locked in a debate with Prime Minister Mr Tony Blair over the morality of attacking Iraq. Mr Blair who was among 2,400 worshippers packed inside Canterbury's magnificent Gothic cathedral for the colourful two-hour ceremony.
Ironically, the prime minister selects the new archbishop from a short-list given to him by church leaders. As well as becoming spiritual leader of the world's 70 million Anglicans, Archbishop Williams becomes the most powerful religious voice in Britain where, despite dwindling church attendance, 70 per cent of the population still regard themselves as Christian.
The bearded Archbishop Williams has branded the US-led bombing of Afghanistan "morally tainted" and described possible war in the Gulf as unacceptable and "deeply disturbing".
He touched on those concerns again in his enthronement sermon.
"When Christians grieve or protest about war, about debt and poverty, about prejudice, it is because of the fear we rightly feel when insult and violence blot out the divine image in our human relations."
On ecclesiastical matters, the 52-year-old Archbishop is no less forthright. He has openly acknowledged ordaining a gay man as a priest and favours the consecration of women bishops.