Who Is Winnie Varghese? Kerala-Born Priest Is First Female Dean Of NY Church

Reverend Winnie Varghese has made history as the first woman dean of the Cathedral of St John the Divine in New York City, United States. She is the 12th dean of the historic church. Born in Kerala's Kaviyoor, in Pathanamthitta, she moved to the US with her parents when she was a child. Before her recent appointment, she served as rector of St Luke’s Episcopal Church in Atlanta, Georgia. Varghese will assume office on July 1.

Varghese, told Harlem World, “I am excited to return to New York and to the Cathedral of St. John the Divine which has been an inspiration and sanctuary to me personally and to lead and support the many ministries of this great Cathedral which bears such striking witness to the majesty and mystery of God among us in New York City.” 

More about Winnie Varghese

According to The New Indian Express, Varghese belongs to the Mar Thoma Syrian Church. Her parents are now members of the Church of South India (CSI) in Houston, Texas. Although she moved to the US decades ago, Varghese continues to visit her family in Kerala and stays active with the church community in India. 

Varghese went to Agnes Scott College in Decatur, Georgia, and earned her bachelor’s degree from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. She then graduated from Union Theological Seminary with her Master of Divinity degree in 1999. She was ordained to the diaconate in Los Angeles in 1999 and to the priesthood six months later in 2000.

Varghese has served as the Priest and Director of Community Outreach at historic Trinity Episcopal Church-Wall Street in New York. She is also a podcaster and blogger on Huffington Post. She also served as the chair of the board of The Episcopal Service Corps and leads social action efforts at the national and local levels. 

Varghese has also published several books, including A Journey of Faith: Church and Homosexuality (2014), published by the Christian Institute for the Study of Religion and Society (CISRS). The book explores the stance of Indian churches on homosexuality. She narrates her personal faith journey as a lesbian Christian and ordained minister.

Varghese has reportedly also initiated discussions on biblical and theological readings of gender and homosexuality. Rev. Y T Vinayaraj, director of CISRS and a good friend of Varghese, told TNIE, “She is brave and affirmed her identity as a homosexual, educating everyone about homosexuality, homophobia and gender identity."