York Minster has probably seen nothing like it ever before.

A 20-strong group of dancers - some bare-chested - performed a dance of "rejoicing and thanksgiving" wearing colourful head plumage of red, white and black feathers and leopardskin print skirts and T-shirts.

The 3,000-strong congregation was mesmerised by the spectacle.

The new Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, had just been presented to the congregation during his inauguration ceremony when the Bwola dance was performed.

The ancient walls of York Minster echoed to the rhythms of African drumming and high-pitched wailing for several minutes.

Most of the service was dominated by ancient ritual and tradition but the new Ugandan-born Archbishop, formerly Bishop for Birmingham, brought a flavour of Africa to the proceedings with costumes and African music.

The new Archbishop led the way with his own choice of costume - a brightly-coloured, specially-designed cope and mitre.

The flamboyant costume was based on a picture called The Tree of Life which hangs in his private chapel in Birmingham.

Either side of the dancing was the traditional Church of England service.

The Archbishop entered the cathedral with a pastoral staff made from an olive tree in Bethlehem.

During the service he received a silver pastoral staff, which symbolises the pastoral care of diocese and province.

The Braganza Crozier has been used in the Minster with little interruption since 1688 and is used by the Archbishops when functioning in the cathedral.

During the lavish ceremony, the Archbishop took his oath on a manuscript book of the four Gospels written and decorated by Eadui Basan and other monks of Canterbury about the year 1000 and brought to York by Wulfstan, Archbishop from 1003 to 1023.

The text of the oath is based on one written in Latin in the 13th century.

During the proceedings the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, anointed the Archbishop.

Following his anointing, he warmly embraced the Archbishop of Canterbury and the congregation erupted into spontaneous clapping.

As the new Archbishop of York left the ceremony, the bells of the Minster rang out in celebration. He made a short journey to the nearby church St Michael Le Belfrey which was used as an overflow area.

Balloons were released carrying the message "All are welcome".

Following the service, the Archbishop requested that there be a simple picnic lunch in the Minster for all those who had attended the service.

Picnic bags were distributed by volunteers to the congregation.

In his sermon, Dr Sentamu called on the Church of England to revive its spirit of "wonder" and "adoration" and rediscover the transforming power of the Gospel.

"The scandal of the church is that the Christ-event is no longer life-changing, it has become life-enhancing," he told the congregation.

"We've lost the power and joy that makes real disciples, and we've become consumers of religion and not disciples of Jesus Christ.

"We are getting richer and richer as a nation, but less and less happy."