History was formally etched into the foundations of the Church of England on Wednesday, January 28 with the confirmation of Sarah Mullally as the Archbishop of Canterbury at a solemn ceremony at St. Paul’s Cathedral.
Her ascension marks a monumental shift for the institution, making her the first woman to hold the prestigious office in its nearly 1,400-year history.
She described the appointment as “an extraordinary and humbling privilege”.
“With God’s help, I will seek to guide Christ’s flock with calmness, consistency and compassion,” the new archbishop said, stressing the need for such leadership in these “times of division and uncertainty for our fractured world”.
Mullally’s confirmation service featured global renditions in what was seen as a unifying act for the church’s mixed congregation.
Hymns were sung by the St Paul’s Cathedral choir; a Xhosa South African chant was rendered; and while a student delivered a reading in both English and Portuguese, the majority spoken language in the Anglican provinces of Mozambique and Angola, with which the diocese of London has a pastoral link.
The church had been without a leader for almost a year after Justin Welby resigned over his failure to report a prolific child abuser.
Persecondnews recalls that Mullally was announced as Welby’s replacement last October.
The new archbishop previously worked as a nurse in London hospitals, rising to the position of chief nursing officer for England and director of patient experience in the national health service
She is now the spiritual leader of 85 million Anglicans worldwide.
Mullally’s installation is scheduled for March 2026.
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