The Church of England made history on Wednesday when it announced its first woman bishop.
Libby Lane, a 48-year-old reverend from a village outside Manchester, has been named the new Bishop of Stockport in northern England, Reuters reported.
"Congratulations to Revd Libby Lane on becoming the first woman bishop in the Church," British Prime Minister David Cameron tweeted. "An historic appointment and important day for equality."
Leadership positions in the Church of England have traditionally been held by men for centuries. That changed in 1994 when the Church allowed women to serve as priests, much to the dismay of hundreds of male priests who ended up leaving in protest, Reuters reported.
The debate about women leaders raged on for years, with traditionalists seeing female appointments as acts against the Bible. At the other end were those who favored modernizing the Church in the face of declining attendance.
The matter was put to a vote by the Church's ruling Synod in 2012 but it was defeated by a strong support for tradition.
In July, the Synod finally voted to allow women to serve as bishops. The decision officially went into effect in November, Reuters reported.
"It is an unexpected joy for me to be here today," Lane, a married mother of two, said in her acceptance speech, Reuters reported. "It is a remarkable day for me and I realize an historic day for the church."
Lane has been a vicar in the diocese of Chester, in northwest England, since 2007, the BBC reported. Before that she was ordained a deacon in 1993 and became one of the first female priests in 1994.
"I am conscious this morning of countless women and men who for decades have looked forward to the time when the Church of England would announce its first woman bishop," said Lane, whose husband George is also a priest.
Lane's appointment follows in the footsteps of the U.S., Canada, Australia and New Zealand that already have women bishops.
