Bishop of Guildford dies after cancer diagnosis

The Bishop of Guildford, the Right Reverend Andrew Watson, has died less than a month after revealing he had terminal cancer.

In a letter dated 10 February, the 64-year-old said he had been diagnosed with inoperable cancer after suffering "a persistent band of pain" in his stomach.

In a further missive to the diocese, he said he had been told by an oncologist a tumour on his pancreas was an adenosquamous carcinoma, which the consultant told him was aggressive and difficult to manage.

Watson died earlier, surrounded by family, a diocesan spokeswoman said.

Announcing his death in a letter, the Bishop of Dorking, the Right Reverend Paul Davies, said: "Whilst his family mourn the loss of a much-loved husband, father, grandfather, son and brother, we mourn the loss of a much-loved diocesan bishop -as well as an inspiring fellow disciple, dear brother in Christ, precious friend and special colleague."

Davies said that "in the midst of the shock and sadness" Watson had been an inspiration.

"For me, personally, he has taught me so much about how we should live and, in these past months, about how we should die," he added.

Last week, an all-day prayer vigil was held at Guildford Cathedral, in which almost 2,000 clergy and lay people from across the diocese and beyond gathered to show support and pray for Watson and his family.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dame Sarah Mullally, visited Watson before his death.

She said: "Andrew was a man of deep Christian faith who lived his life in the service of Christ and others. In the face of death, he demonstrated a calm reassurance of God's saving grace.

"Over four decades of ministry, Andrew made an enormous contribution to the life of the Church of England - and, through his concern for Anglicans and other Christians around the world, the global church."

Davies assumed interim leadership of the diocese just before Watson's death.

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