Sarah Mullally has officially been confirmed as the Archbishop of Canterbury, marking a historic milestone as the first woman to hold the office since the Church of England was founded nearly 1,400 years ago.
Her confirmation took place on Wednesday during a formal ceremony at St Paul’s Cathedral in London.
Reacting to the moment, Mullally described the role as “an extraordinary and humbling privilege”.
“With God’s help, I will seek to guide Christ’s flock with calmness, consistency and compassion,” she said, highlighting the importance of such leadership in “times of division and uncertainty for our fractured world”.
The confirmation service reflected the global nature of the Anglican Communion, featuring diverse cultural expressions. The St Paul’s Cathedral choir performed hymns, a South African Xhosa chant was rendered, and a student delivered readings in English and Portuguese — a language widely spoken in Anglican communities in Mozambique and Angola, which share pastoral ties with the Diocese of London.
The Church of England had been without an archbishop for almost a year following the resignation of Justin Welby, who stepped down after failing to report a prolific child abuser.
Mullally was named his successor in October last year.
On October 3, 2025, The New Daily Prime reported Mullally at Canterbury Cathedral after her appointment, Mullally pledged to strengthen safeguarding measures and rebuild trust. “My commitment will be to ensure that we continue to listen to survivors, care for the vulnerable, and foster a culture of safety and well-being for all,” she said.
She also condemned antisemitism, following a deadly attack on a Manchester synagogue the previous day, and spoke of the challenges facing both church and society in an era marked by division and uncertainty.
Her appointment has been welcomed in many quarters but has faced resistance from conservative Anglican leaders.
GAFCON, a global coalition of Anglican churches, said the decision showed that the English Church had “relinquished its authority to lead.”
Opposition centres largely on disagreements over women’s ordination and same-sex blessings, both of which Mullally has supported during her career.
A former nurse and England’s Chief Nursing Officer in the early 2000s, Mullally was ordained in 2002 and became one of the first female bishops in 2015.
She has described strong parallels between her nursing background and her priestly vocation, emphasising compassion and support for people at difficult times in their lives.
Before her clerical leadership, Mullally built a career in healthcare, working as a nurse in London hospitals and later serving as England’s chief nursing officer and director of patient experience in the National Health Service.
She now assumes spiritual leadership over about 85 million Anglicans worldwide, with her formal installation scheduled for March.
