Sarah Mullally installed as 106th Archbishop of Canterbury, a historic first for women in the Church of England
Sarah Mullally, 63, was formally installed as the Archbishop of Canterbury on the Feast of the Annunciation, becoming the first woman to hold the office in the Church of England's approximately 1,400-year history.
She is the 106th person to assume the role. The installation ceremony marks the commencement of her public ministry, following her formal appointment in January. As Archbishop of Canterbury, Mullally serves as the spiritual head of the global Anglican Communion, a network of independent churches whose membership is reported as approximately 85 million by some sources and over 100 million by others.
Installation Ceremony
The 90-minute installation ceremony was held at Canterbury Cathedral before approximately 2,000 guests. Notable attendees included Prince William, Princess Catherine, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Representatives from the Vatican, the Orthodox church, and 42 Anglican communion churches were also present.
The ceremony began with Mullally knocking three times on the cathedral's west door. She was seated on the 13th-century Chair of St Augustine. Her vestments included a cope secured by a clasp modeled on her former National Health Service nurse's belt. She also wore a ring given by Pope Paul VI to one of her predecessors, Michael Ramsey, in 1966, a symbol of improved Anglican-Catholic relations. The service included prayers and readings in multiple languages, reflecting the Anglican Communion's global reach.
Historical Context
The Church of England traces its origins to 597 AD and separated from the Roman Catholic Church in the 1530s. It ordained its first female priests in 1994 and its first female bishop in 2015. Mullally's appointment follows the resignation of the previous archbishop, Justin Welby, in November 2024, following criticism regarding his handling of a sexual abuse scandal within the church.
Prior to her installation, Mullally completed an 87-mile walk from London to Canterbury, a journey referenced in Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales."
Background of Archbishop Mullally
Born in 1962, Mullally began her career as a nurse in Britain's National Health Service. At age 37, she was appointed England's chief nursing officer. She pursued ministry training while in that role. She was named a bishop in 2015 and became Bishop of London in 2018.
Inaugural Sermon and Statements
During her inaugural sermon, Mullally prayed for "peace to prevail" in conflict-affected regions globally, including parts of the Middle East, Ukraine, Sudan, and Myanmar. She acknowledged the suffering caused by the church's past safeguarding failures and emphasized the need for continued commitment to "truth, compassion, justice and action."
Upon her nomination, Mullally stated her intention to be a shepherd who supports everyone's ministry and vocation. She acknowledged the contributions of women and men who paved the way for her appointment.
Reception and Challenges
Mullally's appointment has drawn criticism from some conservative groups within the Anglican Communion, including the Global Anglican Future Conference (Gafcon) and Archbishop Henry Ndukuba of the Church of Nigeria, who have expressed opposition to female leadership in the episcopate. Gafcon has stated it will establish a new council rather than appoint a rival figurehead.
Other groups have expressed support. The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, stated the occasion was joyful for many. Reverend Emily Onyango and Bishop Vicentia Kgabe, members of the "Africa six" group of female Anglican bishops, attended the ceremony and expressed their affirmation of the appointment.
George Gross, a theology expert from King's College London, described the appointment as a monumental event, establishing Mullally as one of the world's most recognized Christian figures alongside the Pope and signifying a significant breakthrough for equality in religious leadership.
Meeting with Pope Leo XIV
On Monday following her installation, Mullally met with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican. The two prayed together in the Urban VIII Chapel inside the Apostolic Palace. The meeting was closed to the press, but the Vatican released photos and video. Mullally arrived an hour early for the meeting.
In statements released after the meeting, Pope Leo XIV said he vowed to continue working to overcome differences between the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches. Mullally stated both are called to preach the Gospel with renewed clarity and emphasized building bridges, not walls.
The meeting follows the 60th anniversary of the first formal ecumenical statement between the two churches, signed in 1966. Formal theological dialogue between the churches began in the 1960s, but divisions remain, particularly over women's ordination. Mullally is on a four-day pilgrimage to Rome, which includes visits to pontifical basilicas and meetings with Vatican officials. She plans to visit Cameroon and Ghana in July.