Sarah Mullally First Female Archbishop
Sarah Mullally Named 106th Archbishop of Canterbury, Becomes First Woman to Lead Church of England
LONDON — Sarah Mullally, 63, has been appointed the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury, becoming the first woman to lead the Church of England in its long history. She will also serve as the ceremonial head of around 85 million Anglicans worldwide, a community divided between conservative factions—particularly in Africa, where homosexuality remains illegal in some countries—and generally more liberal members in the West.
Conservative Anglican group GAFCON, representing churches across Africa and Asia, immediately criticised the appointment, claiming it signals that the English Church has “relinquished its authority to lead.”
A PATH TO THE TOP
Mullally’s appointment comes more than a decade after reforms allowed women to hold the office. By taking the role, she now leads one of the last major British institutions historically dominated by men.
Accepting the position on Friday, Mullally said she hopes to bring people together and foster “hope and healing.”
“I want, very simply, to encourage the Church to continue to grow in confidence,” she said. “I look forward to sharing this journey of faith with the millions of people serving God and their communities in parishes all over the country and across the global Anglican Communion.”
FROM NURSING TO THE CHURCH
Before entering the clergy, Mullally was a cancer nurse and later served as England’s Chief Nursing Officer in the early 2000s. She has long championed transparency and openness within the Church, advocating a culture where differences and disagreements can coexist.
“There are great commonalities between nursing and being a priest. It’s all about people, and sitting with people during the most difficult times in their lives,” she told a magazine.
Ordained as a priest in 2002, Mullally became one of the first women consecrated as a bishop in 2015. She also sits in the House of Lords, where she has spoken on issues including the cost-of-living crisis, healthcare, and social justice.
LOOKING AHEAD
Mullally is set to be formally installed at Canterbury Cathedral in March 2026, the government announced.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer, speaking on behalf of the government, welcomed her appointment. “The Archbishop of Canterbury will play a key role in our national life. I wish her every success and look forward to working together,” he said.
Her appointment received the formal consent of King Charles, the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, a role dating back to the 16th century when King Henry VIII established the Church of England.
The Church has been without a leader since November, when former Archbishop Justin Welby resigned amid a child abuse cover-up scandal.
Mullally is married to Eamonn and has two adult children.
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