THE new Dean of St Albans pleaded last night for “normal Christian service” in the Church of England to be resumed as soon as possible.

In an unscheduled intervention during his installation at the cathedral, after the 2,000-strong congregation had given him a two-minute standing ovation, Dr Jeffrey John said: “I want to say how grateful I am for the overwhelming warmth of your welcome and strength of support of all of you.”

In his first words after his installation by the Bishop of St Albans, the Right Rev Christopher Herbert, Dr John said: “Over the last year or so I have sometimes hardly recognised myself in some of the things that have been said about me. So, I would like to say what a huge privilege and joy it is for me to be here. This is where God hopes and intends me to be and this is now home for me. I hope that from this point on, normal Christian service can be resumed in my life and in the life of this place. ”

Dr Herbert admitted last night that many Christians had been “deeply upset, angry and dismayed” by the appointment of Dr John. He praised the courage of the gay celibate cleric in accepting the appointment and pleaded for “deep and patient” listening on all sides.

The promotion of Dr John from a canon of Southwark Cathedral has been marred by controversy.

An attempt to elevate him to Bishop of Reading last summer was thwarted after protests from evangelicals around the world. Dr John lost his promotion after Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, persuaded him to stand down.

Some parishes in St Albans are threatening to withhold the funds that they pay to the diocese, but Dr John’s move has been less controversial because it does not involve consecration as a bishop.

In a 90-minute service devoid of outward protest, Dr John was presented to the bishop by William Chapman, the Prime Minister’s appointments secretary, before affirming his loyalty to the 39 Articles of Religion and the Book of Common Prayer and swearing allegiance to the Queen.

He was inducted into the parish by the Archdeacon of St Albans, the Ven Helen Cunliffe, and installed by the bishop.

Dr Herbert said that the reality of being called to serve in the Church was “more confused” than it might appear and entailed forgiveness and compassion,” he said.

The bishop’s role in the appointment rested on a word, “yes” or “no”. Dr Herbert continued: “I have been aware during the process and since that the reactions to the appointment would be very mixed. There are very, very many who are absolutely thrilled, and there are some of my fellow Christians who have been, and remain, deeply upset.”

He said that letters had poured in from all sides. “Let me say as strongly and forcefully as I can, I believe they are acting out of the highest Christian motives and for the most serious of Christian reasons, which means that, as Christians, we are in this together.”

Evangelicals expressed their regret yesterday that the appointment had gone ahead. A spokesman for Anglican Mainstream said: “This provocative action will mean that neither the abbey nor the diocesan bishop can serve as the focus of unity of the diocese, as will be apparent from the significant absences from the installation ceremony.”

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