The Bishop of Durham has officially become the Archbishop of Canterbury at a ceremony today.

The Confirmation of Election took place in St Paul's Cathedral and forms part of the legal process bringing the Right Reverend Justin Welby's appointment as Archbishop into effect.

The ceremony was overseen by the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu.

Also present were the Bishops of London, Winchester, Salisbury, Worcester, Rochester, Lincoln, Leicester and Norwich.

The ceremony confirms Bishop Welby's appointment by the Dean and Canons of Canterbury Cathedral with the wider Church of England.

The Diocese of Canterbury is largely overseen by the Bishop of Dover, while the Archbishop of Canterbury's primary concern is with the 'Province' of Canterbury, consisting of the 29 dioceses in the South of England and the Diocese of Europe.

The Archbishop of Canterbury is also honoured by Anglicans worldwide as the 'first among equals' and his role is regarded as a focus of unity within the Anglican Communion.

Bishop Welby succeeds Dr Rowan Williams in the role to become the 105th Archbishop of Canterbury.

In becoming Archbishop of Canterbury, he ceases to be the Bishop of Durham.

A farewell service was held in Durham Cathedral for Bishop Welby last week.

He told Anglicans from the diocese that he was sad to say goodbye but urged them to have hope and a "sense of expectation that there is a really good future out there".

Bishop Welby also paid tribute to Dr Williams: "It's an extraordinary feeling to look back and see my predecessors, some of whom are extraordinarily distinguished, like my immediate predecessor Rowan Williams, who is breathtaking in his grip and imagination and his intellect and in many other ways. It's exciting. There is a sense of what is God going to do?"