Church of England Ordains 1st Woman Bishop; Rev. Libby Lane Ordained Bishop of Stockport

The Church of England consecrated its first female bishop today (January 26, 2015) during a ceremony at York Minister, the BBC website reports.

The Reverend Libby Lane, 48 -- an Oxford-educated mother of two -- was ordained as the new Bishop of Stockport in front of more than 1,000 people.

The Church of England formally adopted legislation last November to allow women bishops, following decades of argument over women's ordination. Today's historic move ends five centuries of all male leadership since the Protestant Church was established with the Reformation in the year 1517.

Archbishop of York John Sentamu -- who led today's two-hour service -- said: "It is high time we had women bishops. I have been praying and working for this day."