Scandal in the Cathedral: Archbishop of Canterbury Resigns

On 12 November, 2024, Archbishop of Canterbury and spiritual leader of the 85-million souls in the global Anglican Communion Justin Welby resigned after a Church of England investigation report was released, which found that he failed in his duty to tell police about serial physical, psychological and sexual abuse by a staff member at the Iwerne Christian summer camps, as soon as he was made aware of it.  The scandal had been building for nearly a week after the report’s release, with calls for accountability from Welby increasing daily.

At issue was serial abuse in various forms committed by John Smyth against boys and young men attending the Christian charity camps of Iwerne Trust, where Smyth was a chairman and dormitory officer in the 1970s.  Smyth is alleged to have savagely beaten those in his charge until their wounds bled and left permanent scars, but the church covered up these charges for three decades.  The report found that in some cases, the abuse extended to sexual activity as well.

Welby, who was also a dormitory officer in that era and had a cordial relationship with Smyth (whom he described as late as 2017 as “charming” and “delightful”), claims he was unaware of the abuse allegations until his elevation as Archbishop of Canterbury in 2013.  But the abuse was well known much earlier amongst members of the Anglican Church hierarchy, which Welby joined with his appointment as Dean of Liverpool in 2007.  Criminal prosecution of Smyth was not pursued when the allegations first surfaced in the early ‘80s; he was, however, asked to leave England, but advance notice of the risk he presented was not given to Church authorities in Zimbabwe when Smyth moved there in 1984 and established his Zambesi Ministries, which held summer camps for boys, modeled on the lines of those at Iwerne, and where the abuse continued for decades.

Pressure on Welby had been building since the prior Thursday, when the Church of England released the details of an independent investigation into John Smyth, a prominent attorney who the report said sexually, psychologically and physically abused about 30 boys and young men in the UK and 85 in Africa from the 1970s until his death in 2018.  Welby’s refusal at that time to accept any responsibility for his failure to report the abuse in England and in Africa in 2013 sparked fury from the laity about a lack of accountability in the highest echelons of the church.

By the following Tuesday afternoon, Welby acknowledged that mistake, stating in his letter of resignation:  “It is very clear that I must take personal and institutional responsibility for the long and retraumatizing period between 2013 and 2024.  I believe that stepping aside is in the best interests of the Church of England, which I dearly love and which I have been honored to serve.”

When the Archbishop tendered his resignation to King Charles, who accepted it, the Sun at 20 Scorpio conjoined asteroids Toro 1688 and NOT 2857, at 24 and 25 Scorpio, at the Apex of a Yod, or Finger of Destiny, pattern, with inconjunct aspects to asteroid Canterbury 3563, exact with centaur Chiron 2060 at 19 Aries; and Jupiter at 19 Gemini.  Toro is noted for abusive, bullying, even brutish behaviors (such as those alleged of Smyth), while NOT is a general disqualifier or symbol of abnegation, a refusal to proceed.  Canterbury of course is named for the see vacated by Welby, and Chiron denotes an incurable wound, one which will not mend, as well as indicating maverick behaviors.  Jupiter governs ecclesiastics of all stripes, from ministers and rectors to the church hierarchy.

Note that Jupiter and the Chiron/Canterbury conjunction are exactly sextile each other, with the Sun just a degree off exact aspects, denoting a very stable, timely structure.  The Yod is a “fated” pattern which signals that the time has come to deal with any given situation, often indicating that the karma of past acts has caught up with one.  There is also a Boomerang embedded in this Yod, in the form of an opposition from the Sun grouping to Uranus at 25 Taurus, indicating both the shocking, socially unacceptable nature of the allegations, and the controversy over their nondisclosure, resulting in the sudden, unexpected resignation by Welby (all Uranus keywords).

Jupiter participates in a second major configuration, a T-Square comprised of an opposition to a combination of Mercury at 12 Sagittarius and asteroid Tantalus 2102 at 19 Sagittarius, with a pairing of Saturn and centaur Nessus7066 on the fulcrum, at 12 and 17 Pisces respectively.  Mercury indicates something newsworthy, and also governs youths or students; Tantalus relates to the commission of heinous acts (as alleged); Saturn suggests a loss or resignation, as well as ruling career matters; and Nessus is a reliable marker of “men behaving badly,” typically in a sexual context.

In addition to Canterbury itself, Justin Welby is also represented by two PNAs (Personal-Named Asteroids), Justino 230631 and Justiniano 17115.  Justiniano at 1 Capricorn is involved in a T-Square, falling on the fulcrum of an exact opposition from TNO Salacia 120347 at 9 Aries to asteroid Nemesis128 at 9 Libra.  Salacia is the root of our word “salacious,” referring to inappropriate sexual content intended to arouse or titillate, and serves as a marker for scandal, especially of a sexual nature.  Nemesis is a point denoting ruin or undoing, often self-created.

Justino at 4 Sagittarius is within orb of Mercury, bringing news of the Archbishop, but also involved in another T-Square, opposed asteroid Bishop 2633 at 9 Gemini (for Archbishop, but doubly representing Welby, formerly Bishop of Durham), with asteroid Smith 3351 on the fulcrum, at 1 Virgo.  Smith is an alternate spelling of Smyth, the name of the abuser whom Welby failed to report.

Asteroid Smith, indeed, has been the albatross around Justin Welby’s neck since birth (born 6 January 1956, no time available), appearing at 3 Virgo, embedded at station, which identifies persons of that name having an outsized importance in his biography.  (Note that at the time of his resignation, Welby was undergoing a “Smith Return,” a period of reinforcement of the natal potential.)  From there, Smith conjoins Pluto (traumatic, transformational experiences, also criminal activity) at 28 Leo; asteroid Bishop at 6 Virgo (directly connecting Smyth to Welby’s ecclesiastic experience); and asteroid Nemesis at 13 Virgo, with both Bishop and Nemesis also at station, indicating pivotal roles to play in his story.  Bishop squares Saturn at 29 Scorpio, establishing the potential for a career (Saturn) in church hierarchy (Bishop).  Nemesis at station implies that Welby could be his own worst enemy, bringing about his downfall via his own actions (or in this case, lack thereof); this effect is further enhanced by asteroid Justino at 13 Sagittarius, exactly squared Nemesis and providing another personal connection to his downfall.

Asteroid Smith also closely squares asteroid Toro at 4 Sagittarius, noted for its connection to bullying, brutal behaviors, such as those compiled in an internal report from the Iwerne Trust as early as 1982, which states,

The scale and severity of the practice was horrific.  … some [received] 8,000 strokes over the three years [prior to this initial investigation] … [resulting in] bleeding on most occasions. … [Investigators found] bruised and scored buttocks, some two-and-a-half months after the beating. … Beatings of 100 strokes for masturbation, 400 for pride, and one of 800 strokes for some undisclosed ‘fall’ are recorded.”

Welby’s Sun at 15 Capricorn is conjoined by TNO Salacia at 8 Capricorn and asteroid Tantalus at 11 Capricorn, indicating a personal, self-defining (Sun) connection to a scandal (Salacia) involving heinous acts (Tantalus).  Thankfully this did not manifest as acts performed by Welby himself, but rather his role in shielding the perpetrator from exposure and punishment.  There is a Grand Trine with Nemesis at 13 Virgo and centaur Nessus at 18 Taurus, once again linking Welby personally (Sun) in some fashion with a form of abuse (Nessus) that leads to his ruin (Nemesis).

Asteroid Canterbury at 1 Cancer closely opposes asteroid Durham 157494 at 0 Cancer, uniting the names of both ecclesiastical sees over which Welby presided.  This polarity forms the spine of another boomerang Yod, with Canterbury on its Apex, inconjunct to both Saturn at 29 Scorpio and Mercury with Chiron, at 3 and 4 Aquarius.  This combines injuring or wounding (Chiron) of youths (Mercury) that affects his career (Saturn) as Archbishop (Canterbury).  Saturn itself is accompanied by asteroid Karma at 27 Scorpio and Mars at 25 Scorpio, another allusion to being called to account (Karma) in his career (Saturn) for matters involving violence and sex (both Mars).

Justin Welby’s appointment as Archbishop of Canterbury was announced by Buckingham Palace on 9 November 2012. His confirmation of election (at which point he legally became the archbishop) came on 4 February 2013, with his official enthronement to follow on March 21.  Each of these dates shows significantly in his celestial saga.

At his appointment, asteroid Canterbury at 13 Virgo (exactly conjunct natal Nemesis!) is traveling with asteroids Justiniano and Karma, both at 15 Virgo.  These oppose asteroid Smith, once more at station, at 17 Pisces (the precise degree of Nessus for his resignation!).  This combination over time points to his archbishopric (Canterbury) as the source of his (Justiniano) undoing (Nemesis), paying for prior decisions (Karma) made about the bad behaviors (Nessus) indulged in by John Smyth (Smith).  Smith with TNO Salacia at 23 Pisces indicates the scandal he originated, while asteroid Justino at 16 Aquarius conjoined Nessus at 22 Aquarius depicts Welby’s (Justino) connection to the abuse (Nessus).

The Sun at 17 Scorpio conjoins Tantalus at 15 Scorpio, a reiteration of that same conjunction in Welby’s birth chart, and these in turn conjoin the Sun of his resignation at 20 Scorpio.  In point of fact, Welby’s tenure in his post lasted almost exactly 12 years from appointment (November 9, 2012) to resignation (November 12, 2024), reflected also in the relative placements of Jupiter, ruling the church, which fell at 14 Gemini for his appointment, and 19 Gemini for his fall, with one full Jupiter cycle between them.  Jupiter at 14 Gemini also forms a T-Square with the Canterbury/Justiniano/Karma conjunction and Smith.

Welby’s confirmation of election on 4 February 2013 sees the 15 Aquarius Sun conjunct asteroids Nemesis and Durham (his former see), both at 10 Aquarius, as well as Damocles 5335 at 20 Aquarius, and widely conjoined Nessus at 25 Aquarius.  This is yet another warning of impending doom (Damocles) and ruin (Nemesis) for the former Bishop of Durham, involving abuse (Nessus).  Note that, while the entire stellium is within orb of it, the Damocles placement exactly matches Welby’s natal asteroid Justiniano at 20 Aquarius, specifying a personal doom could be in the offing.

Also of interest, asteroid Canterbury is at station from 27 Virgo, marking a crucial turning point for the archdiocese (it had turned retrograde four days prior).  It is joined by asteroids Justiniano at 26 Virgo (which came to station at 27 Virgo, the same degree as Canterbury’s turning point, on January 18) and Karma at 29 Virgo.  This represents Welby (Justiniano) being called to account (Karma) for his acts and decisions during his tenure in office (Canterbury), as well, of course, as personally identifying Welby with his new post, and the added sense that his elevation was somehow preordained (Karma also).  Asteroid Smith at 16 Aries is closely sextile the 15 Aquarius Sun and squared asteroid Tantalus (heinous acts) at 21 Capricorn, as well as Welby’s natal Sun at 15 Capricorn.

Justin Welby’s enthronement as Archbishop of Canterbury on 21 March 2013 witnessed the Sun at 1 Aries exactly squared his natal Canterbury at 1 Cancer, on the fulcrum of a T-Square with natal Durham at 0 Capricorn, depicting his translation from one see to the other.  The Sun is conjoined by Mars (sex, violence) at 7 Aries, Uranus (shock, volatility, controversy) at 8 Aries, and TNO Salacia (scandal) at 25 Pisces.

Canterbury and Justiniano are still running together, now at 19 and 17 Virgo respectively, confirming Welby’s new status.  These are backing up on that natal Nemesis at 13 Virgo, with this duo paired off and tracking back and forth across natal Nemesis throughout his appointment, confirmation and enthronement process.  Asteroid Justino at 16 Aries squares Pluto at 11 Capricorn, suggesting the devastating outcome (Pluto) from the sex and abuse scandal (all Pluto keywords).  Asteroid Smith at 29 Taurus squares Damocles (threat) with Nessus (abuse) at 22 and 27 Aquarius, forming a T-Square with natal Mars/Saturn at 25 and 29 Scorpio.

In closing, I’d like to highlight several degrees which are active throughout the saga.  Repetition over time is extremely significant in astrological interpretation, revealing how past and future collide in the present.  In particular, cast your eye on 11 Capricorn, which hosts asteroid Tantalus (heinous acts) in the birth chart, Pluto (criminal activity, coercion, brutality) in the enthronement chart, and Justiniano (Welby himself) in the resignation chart.  This throughline over decades links Welby’s natal potential for association with odious events (Tantalus) of a criminal nature (Pluto) that reflect directly on himself (Justiniano).

Also of note, 13 Virgo, Nemesis’ placement in the nativity, matched by Canterbury for his appointment; and 4 Sagittarius, with Toro there in the natal, and Justino at the resignation.  This sets up Welby (Justino) for a fall (Nemesis) from his heights as Archbishop (Canterbury), based on brutal abuse (Toro).

By all accounts, Justin Welby was a conscientious, dedicated shepherd of his Anglican flock, focused on charity and upholding the poor and needy.  Had he not neglected his pastoral duty to report the abuse enacted by John Smyth, he may have gone down as one of the most effectual and admired men to hold the See of Canterbury.

Alex Miller

Alex Miller is a professional writer and astrologer, whose website AlexAsteroidAstrology.com offers a trove of info on the role of asteroids in personal and mundane astrology. He is the author of The Black Hole Book (available on Amazon.com) and The Urban Wicca, former editor of “The Galactic Calendar,” and past president of The Philadelphia Astrological Society. His pioneering work with Black Holes in astrological interpretation began in 1991, when his progressed Sun unwittingly fell into one. Alex’s books and writings are available on his website. Alex can also be reached for comment or services at .