The Rt Rev Libby Lane was consecrated today as the first female bishop in the Church of England.

A packed service at York Minster was attended by more than 100 bishops from the Church of England and women bishops from across the Communion.

Libby Lane's consecration – as the eighth Bishop of Stockport – comes after years of efforts to overcome opposition from traditionalists, one of whom shouted a protest during the service.

Women have been priested in the Church of England for more than two decades, 

Today's protest came as John Sentamu, Archbishop of York, asked the congregation whether Libby Lane should be consecrated bishop.

As the congregation chorused its approval, the Rev Paul Williamson from Hanworth, West London, shouted: "No, not in the Bible."

When Archbishop Sentamu asked the question again, there was no dissent and the ceremony went ahead.

During the service, which ended in applause, Archbishop Sentamu and other bishops ceremonially laid their hands on Libby Lane and prayed for her.

Earlier, she had spoken of what she hoped her consecration would achieve for women.

"If my appointment encourages a single young woman to lift her eyes up a bit and to realise that she has capacity and potential and that her environment or those around her don't need to dictate what is possible for her, then I'd be really honoured," she said.

New Zealand was represented in the service by Bishop Helen-Ann Hartley (Waikato) and Bishop Andrew Hedge (Waiapu), both of whom are in England for the bishops' course at Canterbury.

Bishop Helen-Ann was also interviewed by Al-Jazeera and the BBC.

Support from around the world

In a statement shortly after being consecrated, Bishop Libby said she had been encouraged by thousands of messages of support since the news of her appointment was announced.

"Archbishop Sentamu has observed, 'the way that we show our faith and our love for one another is with two simple things, prayer and parties,' she said.

"Today is an occasion of prayer and of party - and I am thrilled that so many want to share in both. I cannot properly express how encouraged I have been in the weeks since the announcement of my nomination, by the thousands of messages I have received with words of congratulation, support and wisdom.

"I've heard from people of all ages, women and men - people I have known for years, and people I have never met; people from down the road, and people from across the world.

"Many those who have been in touch have little or no contact with the Church of England; not all have been people of faith, but every one of them has felt this moment marks something important. That all this personal - and media - attention centred on me has been a little overwhelming.

"I cannot possibly live up to everyone's expectation. And so today, at my consecration, I hold on to words of promise from the Bible, a reassurance that all this does not depend on me … 'the God who calls you is faithful: He will do it' (1 Thessalonians 5:24).

"My consecration service is not really about me. With echoes of practice which has been in place for hundreds of years in the church, it is a reminder that what I am about to embark on is shared by the bishops around me, by those who have gone before me and those who will come after.

"It places the ministry of a bishop in the context of the ministry of all God's people. And most importantly it retells the good news of Jesus, the faithful one, who calls each of us to follow him.

"Thank you to all who are praying for me and partying with me today. Please continue to hold me in your prayers as, after the example of St Timothy and St Titus who are celebrated by the Church on this day, I share in work of proclaiming the gospel, in word and action, and bearing witness to the name of Jesus."

Bishop Lane is 48 and the mother of two children.