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Ugandan Now Head of Church of England

To the beat of African drums, Ugandan-born John Sentamu took his throne as the first black archbishop in the Church of England, declaring his hope of inspiring the shrinking church with the confident faith of his homeland.

Sentamu, 56, who moved to Britain in 1974 after clashing with Ugandan dictator Idi Amin, was installed as the 97th archbishop of York in a ceremony featuring dancers in leopard skin-print outfits and feathers. There was much speculation in the wake of Pope John Paul II`s death - and much hope - that a black would be elected pope in recognition of the growth of the Catholic Church in Africa.

Still, a black ascending to a top position in the Church of England is a significant step. Recalling that one of his predecessors had dreamed of a black person taking the church`s second-highest position, Sentamu told an applauding congregation in York: "Well, here I am!"