The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, has ordained his wife in the first service of its kind in Britain.

Mrs Sentamu was ordained alongside 11 others in York Minster on Sunday and said it felt right to explore her calling, ahead of her husband’s retirement next year

It is the first time an Archbishop has ordained his wife, although the ceremony has been performed in the past by Bishops.

Speaking to the Telegraph, a clearly overjoyed Mrs Sentamu said her path to ordination had been a 20-year journey.

“It’s about connecting the church and society and executing a public role in my own right, not just through the person I’m married to!” she said.

“With my husband retiring next summer, it felt right to explore a calling.

She delighted in the varied backgrounds of those joining her in Sunday’s service: “It’s the tapestry of life,” she said. “God calls from all walks.

“I know it’s not going to be all plain sailing - Jesus said life wasn’t going to be easy - but I know what I’m stepping into”.

The new deacons will serve in the Diocese of York, a grouping of 607 churches, and will assist in leading worship as well as working in the local community. They will also serve as assistant curates in one of the 470 parishes in the diocese.