The Church of England has formally confirmed Sarah Mullally as the Archbishop of Canterbury, marking a historic moment nearly 1,400 years after the church’s establishment and almost 500 years into its modern history.
Mullally was confirmed during a solemn ceremony held at St Paul’s Cathedral in London on Wednesday, bringing to a close a three-month process following her landmark appointment.
She becomes the first woman to occupy the most senior clerical position in the Church of England.
Describing the moment as “an extraordinary and humbling privilege,” Mullally pledged to lead with compassion and steadiness amid global uncertainty.
“With God’s help, I will seek to guide Christ’s flock with calmness, consistency and compassion, especially in these times of division and uncertainty for our fractured world,” she said.
The confirmation service reflected the global nature of the Anglican Communion, featuring hymns by the St Paul’s Cathedral choir alongside a Xhosa chant from South Africa.
A student delivered a reading in both English and Portuguese, acknowledging the strong pastoral ties between the Diocese of London and Anglican provinces in Mozambique and Angola.
The Church of England had been without a leader for nearly a year following the resignation of former Archbishop Justin Welby, who stepped down after failing to report a prolific child abuser. Mullally was announced as his successor in October.
Before entering full-time ministry, Mullally had a distinguished career in healthcare. She trained and worked as a nurse in London hospitals and later rose to become England’s Chief Nursing Officer, also serving as Director of Patient Experience in the National Health Service.
Born and raised in Woking, Surrey, she was ordained as a priest in 2006. She now assumes spiritual leadership of about 85 million Anglicans worldwide.
Her formal installation as Archbishop of Canterbury is scheduled for March.
Although the British monarch remains the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, the Archbishop of Canterbury is its most senior bishop and the principal spiritual leader of the global Anglican Communion.
