Church of England Confirms Sarah Mullally as First Female Archbishop of Canterbury

Sarah Mullally has been legally confirmed as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury in a Confirmation of Election service at St Paul’s Cathedral, becoming the first woman to hold the post in the office’s roughly 1,400‑year history.

“Sarah Mullally was confirmed as archbishop of Canterbury on Wednesday, becoming the first woman to lead the Church of England LONDON --Sarah Mullally was confirmed as archbishop of Canterbury on Wednesday, becoming the first woman to lead the Church of England”

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The ceremony legally installed her and combined ancient liturgical elements with formal legal procedure.

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Her formal enthronement and first sermon as archbishop are planned at Canterbury Cathedral in March.

The moment has been framed as a historic milestone for the Church of England and the wider Anglican Communion.

Mullally, 63, is a former chief nursing officer for England and served almost a decade as Bishop of London before being chosen to succeed Justin Welby.

Many accounts note her earlier career in the NHS and describe her as a former cancer nurse and a public-health professional turned senior cleric.

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Ahead of and during the service she emphasised priorities such as leading with calmness, consistency and compassion, and hospitality.

She also stressed listening to those ignored or harmed, including survivors of abuse, and a commitment to justice, equity and care for creation.

The confirmation ceremony combined liturgy and legal formality.

“Bishop Sarah Mullally DBE will today (Wednesday 28 January) become the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury, at her Confirmation of Election at St Paul’s Cathedral”

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Wigged judges presided over the legal Confirmation of Election.

Multilingual readings were included.

Schoolchildren and choirs took part.

Mullally’s first public acts in the service included taking up the Primatial Cross and giving a blessing.

The proceedings were briefly interrupted by a protester who was escorted out.

Officials reported no lawful objections to her election during the statutory notice period.

Reactions were mixed, with many outlets describing widespread welcome for the historic appointment.

They also reported strong criticism from conservative leaders in parts of the Anglican Communion, particularly in Africa.

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Commentators and named figures such as Archbishop Henry Ndukuba of Nigeria and Laurent Mbanda (Gafcon) publicly questioned whether a female archbishop could be a unifying figure.

Some reports highlighted scrutiny of her record on safeguarding, noting one recent complaint about her handling of an allegation was dismissed but could be appealed.

Looking ahead, Mullally will be formally enthroned at Canterbury Cathedral in March (with some sources giving specific dates), will pay homage to King Charles, meet other faith leaders, and co-preside at the Church of England's General Synod as she begins the full public ministry of the archbishopric.

“The first female Archbishop of Canterbury has vowed to speak out on misogyny, as she was confirmed in her new role as the Church of England’s top bishop”

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Observers say the appointment signals change within the Church of England and puts immediate pressure on her to pursue safeguarding reform, improve governance, and navigate divisions over issues such as same-sex blessings.

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Coverage cites wider institutional numbers that place the Church of England at roughly 1.02 million regular worshippers and the global Anglican Communion at about 85 million people across more than 165 countries.