Sarah Mullally made history on 25 March 2026. She became the first female Archbishop of Canterbury during a ceremony at Canterbury Cathedral. This change affects 85 million Anglicans worldwide. It comes right after her predecessor resigned over an abuse scandal.
Mullally, aged 63, knocked three times on the cathedral’s west door with a staff. This followed tradition to request entry. Local school children greeted her. They asked why she had come.
“I am sent as archbishop to serve you, to proclaim the love of Christ and with you to worship and love him with heart and soul, mind and strength,” she responded.
She wore deep yellow-gold robes. The event drew around 2,000 people. Prince William and his wife Catherine attended. The ceremony ended with Mullally seated in two thrones. These seats stand for her roles as bishop of the Canterbury diocese and leader of global Anglicans.
Justin Welby resigned in November 2024. He had been Archbishop. A report found the Church of England covered up a 1970s abuse case. It also said Welby failed to report abuses in 2013 when he learned of them.
Mullally worked as a nurse and midwife. She served over 30 years in Britain’s National Health Service. In 1999, she became chief nursing officer for England. She was ordained a priest in 2002. In 2018, she became the first female Bishop of London.
The Church of England started in the 1530s. King Henry VIII split from the Roman Catholic Church then. The British monarch is its supreme governor. The Archbishop of Canterbury leads Anglicans around the world. Mullally is the 106th Archbishop. The first came in the late sixth century. She is married with two children.
Key events in her path and church history include:
| Event | Year |
|---|---|
| Church of England founded | 1530s |
| Women clergy allowed | Early 1990s |
| Mullally chief nursing officer | 1999 |
| Mullally ordained priest | 2002 |
| First women bishops allowed | 2014 |
| Mullally Bishop of London | 2018 |
| Welby resigns | 2024 |
| Mullally enthroned | 2026 |
Mullally pledged to make the church safer. She wants to respond well to abuse victims and survivors. In a BBC interview this week, she said the church seeks to become more trauma-informed. It aims to listen to survivors.
Women have made gains in the Church of England:
- Women clergy permitted in the early 1990s.
- First woman bishop in the US appointed in 1989.
- More than 40 of England’s 108 bishops are now women.
- A similar share of priests are women.
Global Anglicans differ on women leaders. Some churches allow women bishops. Others oppose it. Rwanda’s Archbishop Laurent Mbanda said the Bible calls for male-only bishops. He claims most Anglicans agree.
The church plans to keep listening to survivors. Mullally starts her dual role now. This comes amid pushes for reform after the scandal. Her statements show focus on safety and response.
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