The Revd Dr Jitesh Patel, currently Associate Vicar of Holy Trinity Church Leicester and Assistant (currently Acting) Director and Lecturer in Theology at St Mellitus College East Midlands, has today been announced as the next suffragan Bishop of Jarrow in the Diocese of Durham.
The official announcement came from Downing Street this morning, Friday 23 October, by approval of His Majesty the King.
Jitesh will spend this first day as bishop-designate visiting communities in Durham Diocese and beginning his ministry among those he has been called to care for.
About Jitesh
Jitesh has served the Diocese of Leicester in a variety of roles since coming back to his hometown in 2018. Ordained in the Diocese of Oxford in 2010, he brings 16 years of parish ministry experience, alongside seven years of leadership and teaching within theological education.
He is Assistant (currently Acting) Director and Lecturer in Theology at St Mellitus College East Midlands and Associate Vicar at Holy Trinity, Leicester. Previously, he was Director of Contextual Training for the Diocese of Leicester, overseeing training and formation across the diocese. Before moving to Leicester, he was a vicar in Southsea in the Diocese of Portsmouth and completed his curacy in Abingdon, Diocese of Oxford.
Jitesh currently serves on Bishop's Council, sits on the board of the 30K Project, and serves on a national patronage board. He is a regular contributor to the Church of England's Everyday Faith devotionals and has written for Draw Near and the forthcoming edition of Reflections for Daily Prayer. His doctoral research explored the relationship between postmodern philosophy and charismatic renewal.
From a Hindu Indian diaspora family, Jitesh became a Christian while studying Physics at Oxford University. He is married to Bridget, and they have two daughters, Jemimah and Keren. In his spare-time he enjoys running, board games, good food, and reading widely.
Talking about his appointment, Jitesh said: “It is a humbling privilege to have been called by God to be the next Bishop of Jarrow. I am really looking forward to getting to know and love the Diocese of Durham’s people and communities and partnering with all that the Holy Spirit is already doing in bringing renewal and transformation across the breadth of the diocese.”
Reflecting on his time in the Diocese of Leicester, he said: “I carry with me with enormous thankfulness the memories and experiences of the past eight years of ministry and life in the Diocese of Leicester, where I have inhabited a variety of roles and been privileged to work alongside some amazing individuals and grace-filled communities.”
He added: “Coming back to my hometown of Leicester, I have grown to love the city and county afresh during this season of ministry and I am excited all that God has in store for its future through the power of its local churches sent on mission.
“The uniqueness of this special place begets a distinctive beauty to what the Holy Spirit is doing in raising up of disciples of Jesus from all ages and backgrounds, and I will be cheering on from afar all who will be continuing to give themselves to see God’s Kingdom come across the diocese as I take up my new episcopal role in December.”
The Rt Revd Martyn Snow, Lord Bishop of Leicester, said: “I am so pleased for Jitesh, his family and the Diocese of Durham. He has been a wonderful gift to the Diocese of Leicester, both to our ordinands in training at St Mellitus, the people of Holy Trinity Leicester where he has served as Associate Vicar, and to the wider diocese through his work on Bishops Council.
“We will be praying for him and his family as they move to Jarrow to begin an exciting new ministry.”
Jitesh’s final Sunday in the Benefice of Holy Trinity Leicester will be Sunday 22 November 2026.
The consecration of the Bishop of Jarrow will take place on Tuesday 8 December 2026 at York Minster, further details to follow.