Sarah Mullally becomes first female Archbishop of Canterbury, pledging unity, justice and peace amid global Anglican divisions and challenges.
Sarah Mullally has been formally installed as Archbishop of Canterbury, marking the beginning of her public ministry as the first woman to lead the Church of England.
The former nurse took her seat on the historic Chair of St Augustine at Canterbury Cathedral on Wednesday, before a congregation of about 2,000 guests. Attendees included Prince William, Catherine, Princess of Wales, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, alongside global religious leaders.
Although Mullally officially assumed office in January, the ceremony marked the symbolic start of her ministry as spiritual head of the global Anglican Communion, which has approximately 85 million members worldwide.
Delivering her inaugural sermon, Mullally said: “As I begin my ministry today as archbishop of Canterbury, I say again to God: ‘Here I am’.” She also prayed for global peace, asking for “peace to prevail” in conflict-affected regions including the Middle East, Ukraine, Sudan and Myanmar.
The 63-year-old acknowledged past failures within the Church, particularly safeguarding lapses that led to the resignation of her predecessor, Justin Welby. She stressed the need for accountability, stating the Church must “remain committed to truth, compassion, justice and action.”
The installation ceremony began with Mullally knocking on the cathedral’s west door, dressed in ceremonial robes that included a clasp modelled on her former National Health Service nurse’s belt. She was welcomed by children as prayers and readings were delivered in multiple languages, including Urdu.
Mullally also wore a historic ring originally given to former Archbishop Michael Ramsey by Pope Paul VI in 1966, symbolising improving relations between Anglicans and Catholics centuries after the split initiated under King Henry VIII.
The ceremony coincided with the Feast of the Annunciation, commemorating the biblical moment when the Virgin Mary was told she would give birth to Jesus, a theme reflected throughout the service.
Speaking ahead of the installation, Philip Mounstephen described the moment as historic. “It does signal a huge change that has taken place in the life of the Church,” he told Reuters, noting the significance of a woman assuming an office “older than the Crown.”
However, Mullally’s appointment has not been without controversy. The conservative Global Anglican Future Conference, representing many churches in Africa and Asia, had initially opposed her leadership over issues including same-sex blessings and women’s ordination. The group has since abandoned plans to appoint a rival figurehead, opting instead to form a new council bringing together dissenting provinces.
The Anglican Consultative Council also dropped a proposal for a rotating presidency that could have diminished Canterbury’s traditional leadership role, amid concerns it might create competing centres of authority.
Divisions over LGBTQ issues and women’s leadership continue to challenge the Anglican Communion, with recent archbishops struggling to maintain unity across increasingly divergent theological positions.
Addressing these tensions, Mullally had earlier emphasised inclusivity, telling Reuters: “We’re a family with a shared root, and with any global church, there is great diversity in it.”
The Church of England, which broke from the Roman Catholic Church nearly 500 years ago, remains a global institution, with the Archbishop of Canterbury serving as its symbolic leader across a worldwide Anglican community shaped by centuries of missionary expansion.