Ancient role for Bishop of Worcester

BUCKINGHAM PALACE has announced that The Queen has appointed the Bishop of Worcester, the Rt Rev John Inge to be the Lord High Almoner in succession to the Bishop of Manchester, who retired from the post last month.

Traditionally a diocesan bishop of the Church of England, the post of Lord High Almoner was created in 1103 as a position within the Royal Household responsible for the distribution of alms to the poor. In the first few hundred years of the post, the Lord High Almoner was responsible for scattering two penny coins to crowds greeting the monarch and to distribute food to the poor from the King’s table.

In the modern era the post is now responsible for the organization of the Royal Maundy Service where pensioners are recognized for their service to the church and the community.

Assisted by the Sub-Almoner, who also holds the posts of Deputy Clerk of the Closet, Sub-dean of the Chapel Royal and Domestic Chaplain at Buckingham Palace, the Lord High Almoner attends the sovereign at the Royal Maundy Service, held the day before Good Friday on Maundy Thursday.

The service had been held in London until 1957 when it was held at St Alban’s Cathedral. Since that time the service has been held at Anglican Cathedrals in England, Northern Ireland and Wales. Pensioners are selected by the Lord High Almoner upon nomination of their diocese to receive Maundy money – specially minted coins – to mark the ceremony.

At the 2012 service held at York Minister, two purses of “Maundy mone”‘ were given to 86 men and 86 women – a white purse containing 86p in Maundy coins and a red purse containing £5 coin and 50p piece – the number of recipients is dictated by the age of the Sovereign.

A one-time chaplain at the Harrow School, Dr Inge served as the vicar of an inner-city parish on Tyneside before his appointment as Bishop of Huntingdon in 2003 and in 2008 he was translated to Worcester.