HAMILTON, Bermuda, CMC - Church officials confirmed that Reverend Nicholas Dill, who is a trained barrister, was chosen over his sole opponent, fellow Bermudian Archdeacon Andrew Doughty, 56 as Bermuda's new Anglican Bishop.

Votes were cast by members of the Synod, the church's administrative council, in three rounds of ballots.

The 49 year–old Dill, Anglican priest-in-charge of the central parish of Pembroke for the past seven-and-a-half years, said the election was "very close," adding "I have to confess a degree of surprise.

"It's not about me and wanting the position for its own sake, but about the church and what people are looking forward to to build the future."

The next step is for the Archbishop of Canterbury to give his approval of the result before an enthronement ceremony takes place.

Dill will be only the third born Bermudian to hold the job, following now-retired Bishop Patrick White, and his predecessor, Bishop Ewen Ratteray.

Dill trained and practised as a barrister before receiving the call to full-time Christian ministry and last December conceded that the Anglican Church, while considered the island's established church, comes with "historical baggage", and can be seen as "staid and out of touch.

"Whoever takes the position needs to be somebody with the ability to unite people, with a specific focus on reaching the youth," he said.