SIR – I was present at the consecration of Rev Libby Lane, the first Church of England woman bishop in this country (T&A, January 27).

I shall remember Archbishop Sentamu’s infectious enthusiasm for what he was doing I will particularly remember his applauding for many minutes with the whole congregation as well as his consecrating words; and his response to the objector, which he seemed to have prepared, of the full legal authorisation for what we were doing.

We shall keep the image in our minds of dozens of bishops around Libby, some with their hands laid upon her, some further back in the episcopal crowd with their hands laid on the other bishops.

It was a corporate laying on of hands.

It was moving to see in the procession of bishops the Archbishop of Canterbury anonymous in the midst; when I think of the demeaning jostling for position and title over the centuries between York and Canterbury, this was a potent symbol of unity of purpose.

This consecration, I hope, is the beginning of a move by all the historic Episcopal churches such as the Orthodox and Roman Catholics similarly to embrace the full Gospel of Christ, comprehensive of all, and banishing patriarchy.

John D Anderson, Bramham Drive, Baildon