Woman Becomes First Archbishop to Lead Church of England 

Bishop of London Sarah Mullally became the first woman to serve as the Archbishop of Canterbury, the most senior clerical position in the Church of England and spiritual head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, marking a historic moment for a church that only began ordaining female bishops more than a decade ago, NBC News reported. 

On Friday, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced that King Charles III had approved Mullally’s nomination, calling her appointment “a key moment in our national life.”  

She will become the 106th Archbishop since St. Augustine of Canterbury’s arrival in England in 597 CE, and the first female to hold that position since women were allowed to become bishops in 2014.  

She will be installed in a service at Canterbury Cathedral in March 2026. 

Mullally, 63, was first ordained in 2001 after a successful nursing career that saw her become England’s youngest chief nursing officer at 37. In 2018, she became the first female Bishop of London.  

In a statement, she said she would approach her new role “in the same spirit of service to God and to others” that had guided her through her career. 

Her nomination comes 11 months after her predecessor, Justin Welby, resigned last year following criticism over his handling of sexual abuse cases. It also comes at a turbulent time for the Anglican Communion, which counts about 85 million members across 165 countries.

The church remains divided over issues such as same-sex relationships and the ordination of women, with some church leaders and groups opposing Mullally’s appointment, the BBC added. 

The conservative Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (Gafcon) – which represents a number of African and Asian churches – said it received the news “with sorrow,” saying that “the majority of the Anglican Communion still believes the Bible requires a male-only episcopacy.” 

However, the Church of Southern Africa called the nomination “historic.” Bishop Emily Onyango – the first female bishop in the Anglican Church of Kenya – described it as “a new dawn,” adding that Mullally’s humility and openness would help “work for peace and reconciliation.” 

In her first public address, Mullally urged unity within the church, saying, “If you want to go fast, go alone – if you want to go far, go together.”