Ugandan-born John Sentamu, a leading campaigner against racism, was formally inaugurated on Wednesday as Britain's first black archbishop.
In a lavish ceremony that twinned the pomp of the established state church with the exuberance of African dancers, Sentamu was sworn in as the 97th Archbishop of York, the second highest post in the Church of England.
Sentamu, who arrived at York Minster carrying a wooden staff made from an olive tree in Bethlehem, was officially anointed by Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, spiritual leader of the world's 77 million Anglicans.
Williams then embraced the new archbishop as applause rang around the 700-year-old church from the 3,500-strong congregation.
African dancers then leapt into the aisle with a flourish to perform before ranks of cassocked bishops. Sentamu even joined in on the drums.
In an increasingly secular age when congregations are dwindling and Anglicans are riven by divisions over gay clergy and women bishops, Sentamu said: "The Church in England must re-discover her self confidence."
"We are getting richer and richer as a nation but less and less happy," he added in his first sermon as archbishop.
Sentamu, who spent 14 years in inner city parishes, has worked with two inquiries probing notorious London murders - the 1993 racist killing of teenager Stephen Lawrence and the stabbing of Nigerian schoolboy Damilola Taylor in 2000.
After his appointment was first confirmed as archbishop, Sentamu revealed that he had been subjected to racist hate mail, including some covered in human excrement.
He practised as a barrister and a judge in Uganda but was forced to flee in 1974 after criticising former dictator Idi Amin.