On 1st September 2025, the Rt Revd Vivienne Faull retired as Bishop of Bristol following her announcement in February this year. To honour her dedicated service, individuals from across the country gathered at Bristol Cathedral on Saturday 30 August to celebrate her time as Bishop and wish her well in retirement.
Bishop Viv was enthroned as the 56th Bishop of Bristol at Bristol Cathedral on 20th October 2018. Under her leadership, the Diocese has seen tangible growth in its transformational values of bravery, creativity, generosity, and openness. She has championed inclusion, sustainability, and the flourishing and founding of Church communities across Bristol, Swindon, South Gloucestershire and North Wiltshire. Much of this progress is a result of the ‘Transforming Church. Together’ strategy, established in 2021.
In tribute, The Very Revd Dr Mandy Ford, Dean of Bristol, said that Bishop Viv has been “an inspiration to women in ministry since the 1980s. Noting her gratitude for Bishop Viv’s “encouragement over the years, firstly in the Diocese of Leicester, and most recently in Bristol.”
A Champion of Progress and Justice.
Throughout her ministry, Bishop Viv has been a pioneer. She was the first female Chaplain of an Oxford or Cambridge college, proceeding to become the first woman to lead a Cathedral, namely Leicester, the first female Dean of York and, finally, the first female Bishop of Bristol. Since 2021 she has also served as one of the lead bishops for Church and Cathedral buildings. In addition to this, Bishop Viv has been a passionate anti modern slavery campaigner, regularly raising the topic in the House of Lords, where she has sat as a member throughout her time as Bishop.
A Joyful Service of Celebration.
At Saturday's farewell service, Bishop Viv gave the sermon, encouraging members of the diocese to pursue equality and inclusion in the Church and to “continue to sing the song that all are welcome”. Following the sermon was a reflection on Women’s Ministry which included a contribution from The Revd Preb. Angela Berners-Wilson, the first woman to be ordained priest in the Church of England.
At the end of the service, Bishop Viv handed the diocesan crozier to the Vice Dean, who placed it on the High Altar, symbolising the end of her episcopal ministry.
Vacancy in See.
As Bishop Viv retires to Herefordshire, the Diocese enters a ‘vacancy in see’ period. During this time, the Bishop of Swindon, the Rt Revd Neil Warwick, will serve as Acting Diocesan Bishop. The process to appoint the next Bishop of Bristol is already underway, having begun with a Diocese-wide consultation which helped to shape the Statement of Needs, a key document in the process of selecting the next Bishop. There will also be an online consultation meeting on September 8th which is open to all members of the diocese and will support the drafting of a Memorandum to accompany the statement of needs. You can sign up to the meeting at the link at the bottom of this article.
The Rt Revd Neil Warwick, Bishop of Swindon, reflected on Bishop Viv’s time in Bristol, saying: “I am deeply grateful for the transformative impact Bishop Viv has had on our Diocese and our communities - leading us with vision, compassion, and hope - always reminding us to listen to people on the margins, to less heard voices. Viv has lived out the call made at a Bishop’s consecration to: ‘proclaim the gospel boldly, confront injustice and work for righteousness and peace in all the world.’”
Click here to read Bishop Viv's full Sermon
Click here to learn more about the Vacancy in See and to sign up for the online consultation