[Episcopal News Service — Washington, D.C.] The installation of the Most Rev. Michael B. Curry as the 27th presiding bishop and primate of The Episcopal Church was undeniably a global and interreligious celebration with the Anglican Communion and the world’s Abrahamic faiths well represented.

Six primates and several other Anglican leaders traveled to Washington National Cathedral for the Nov. 1 service that marked the official start of Curry’s nine-year term as presiding bishop and primate.

Among the regions and countries represented were Brazil, Canada, England, Hong Kong, Korea, Middle East, Nigeria, Philippines, Southern Africa, West Africa, and the West Indies.

The Rev. Christine Hardman, bishop of Newcastle designate, Church of England, attended as the representative of Lambeth Palace, the London residence of Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby.

Also in attendance were the Most Rev. Josiah Idowu-Fearon, secretary general of the Anglican Communion; and the Rt. Rev. James Tengatenga, chair of the Anglican Consultative Council, the communion’s main policy-making body.

Several ecumenical and interreligious guests also participated in the two-hour liturgy, including Mohamed Elsanousi of the Islamic Society of North America, Rabbi Steve Gutow of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, and members of the Evangelical Lutheran churches in America and Canada.

Signifying the deepening relationships between The Episcopal Church and the Christian churches in China, Elder Fu Xianwei, chairperson of the National Committee of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement, joined the celebration.

During the service, prayers were read by Anglican, ecumenical and interreligious guests.

As well as serving as presiding bishop and chief pastor of The Episcopal Church, Curry is also one of the 38 primates in the 80-million-member Anglican Communion.

Curry will attend his first Primates Meeting when it next convenes in January 2016 in Canterbury, England.

Among the international guests at the service:

• The Most Rev. Renato Abibico, prime bishop of the Episcopal Church in the Philippines
• The Rt. Rev. Abraham Ackah, bishop of Wiawso, Anglican Church of Ghana
• The Most Rev. Suheil Dawani, archbishop in Jerusalem
• The Rt. Rev. Griselda Delgado del Carpio, bishop of Cuba
• The Most Rev. Josiah Idowu-Fearon, secretary general of the Anglican Communion
• The Ven. Paul Feheley, principal secretary to the primate, Anglican Church of Canada
• The Rt. Rev. Christine Hardman, bishop of Newcastle designate, England (representing Lambeth Palace)
• The Most Rev. Jonathan Hart, archbishop for the internal province of West Africa and bishop of Liberia
• The Most Rev. Fred Hiltz, primate of the Anglican Church of Canada
• The Most Rev. and Hon. John Holder, archbishop of the West Indies and bishop of Barbados
• The Most Rev. Paul Kim, primate of the Anglican Church of Korea and bishop of Seoul
• The Rev. Peter Koon, provincial secretary general of the Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui (Anglican Church in Hong Kong)
• The Most Rev. Thabo Makgoba, archbishop of Cape Town and primate of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa
• The Rt. Rev. Julio Murray, bishop of Panama
• The Most Rev. Francisco de Assis da Silva, primate of the Episcopal Anglican Church of Brazil and bishop of Southwestern Brazil
• The Rt. Rev. James Tengatenga, chair of the Anglican Consultative Council
• Elder Fu Xianwei, chairperson of the National Committee of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement
• The Rt. Rev. Hector Monterroso, bishop of Costa Rica

Among the ecumenical and interreligious guests:

• Archbishop Vicken Aykazian, Armenian Church of America
• Naeem Baig, Islamic Circle of North America
• Rebecca Linda Blachly, senior policy adviser in the Office for Religion and Global Affairs (U.S. State Department)
• Warner Durnell, executive presbyter of Middle Tennessee Presbytery, Presbyterian Church
• Mohamed Elsanousi, Islamic Society of North America
• Rabbi Steve Gutow, Jewish Council for Public Affairs
• The Rev. Susan Johnson, national bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada
• Bishop Don Kreiss, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Southeast Michigan Synod
• The Rev. Elizabeth Miller, president of the Provincial Elders’ Conference of the Moravian Church
• The Rev. Ronald Roberson, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
• Bishop Mary Anne Swenson, United Methodist Church
• Jim Winkler, general secretary/president, National Council of Churches