Archbishop of Hong Kong
Archbishop of Hong Kong | |
---|---|
Archbishopric | |
Anglican | |
Incumbent: Peter Kwong | |
Country | Hong Kong |
Cathedral | St. John's Cathedral |
Residence | Bishop's House |
First incumbent | Peter Kwong |
Formation | 1998 |
The Archbishop of Hong Kong (Chinese: 香港聖公會大主教) is the senior bishop, spiritual and moral leader of the Anglican Province of Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui. The archbishop is also Primate of Hong Kong (Chinese: 教省主教長), and both incumbents have, coincidentally, also been Bishop of Hong Kong Island. The Archbishop of the Province is elected from among the bishops by the General Synod in which all Houses meet in a joint session.[1] It is notable that the Archbishop ranks first among the religious leaders in the order of precedence of Hong Kong.
The current Archbishop of Hong Kong is Paul Kwong (Chinese: 鄺保羅) and his seat is at St. John's Cathedral. The Bishop's House, located in Central, is the office and official residence of the Archbishop.
Functions and duties
The Archbishop chairs the meeting of the Provincial General Synod. As the chief pastor of the Province, he is responsible for:[1]
- speaking in the name of the Church or the General Synod;
- giving leadership in initiating and developing policy and strategy of the Church, including implementation of resolutions of the General Synod throughout the Church;
- representing the Province in its relationship with the rest of the Anglican Communion and with other churches, and on behalf of the Province, communicating with other primates;
- ordering for the consecration and installation of Diocesan Bishops when duly elected, and from time to time, assembling other bishops to meet with the new Diocesan bishop;
- convening and presiding over the meetings of the General Synod, the House of Bishops, and the Standing Committee;
- visiting every Diocese, Missionary Diocese and Missionary Area and holding pastoral consultations with the Bishops thereof;
- preaching the Word; and
- celebrating Sacraments.
List of archbishops
Since the establishment of Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui in 1998, the office of Archbishop of Hong Kong has been the Primate of Anglican Church in Hong Kong and Macau:
- 1998–2007: Peter Kwong, Bishop of Hong Kong Island (born 1936)
- 2007–present: Paul Kwong, Bishop of Hong Kong Island (born 1952)