The Church of England has named Dame Sarah Elisabeth Mullally as the next Archbishop of Canterbury, marking a historic first in the more than 1,400-year history of the Anglican Communion.
Dame Sarah, 63, becomes the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury and the first woman ever to lead the global Anglican Church. Her appointment follows formal approval by the Crown Nominations Commission and confirmation by the monarch.
Currently serving as the Bishop of London since 2018, Mullally brings a unique blend of healthcare and ecclesiastical leadership to the role. Born in Woking, Surrey, in 1962, she began her career as a nurse and rose through the ranks to become England’s Chief Nursing Officer before answering a call to ordained ministry.
She was ordained in 2001, consecrated as a bishop in 2015, and took up the position of Bishop of London in 2017. In 2019, she was also appointed Dean of the Chapel Royal, a position she will now relinquish as she assumes the Church’s highest office.
Mullally’s historic appointment comes at a challenging time for the Church of England. Her predecessor, Archbishop Justin Welby, recently stepped down amid ongoing criticism over his handling of safeguarding failures and abuse scandals during his tenure.
In her first statement following the announcement, Mullally acknowledged the “deep wounds” within the Church and emphasized her commitment to reform.
“We must rebuild trust through action, transparency, and accountability,” she said. “Safeguarding must never be an afterthought. It is central to the Gospel we proclaim.”
Her appointment has been widely praised by advocates for gender equality in the Church, who view her rise as a powerful symbol of progress.
As Archbishop of Canterbury, Mullally will serve as spiritual leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion, which has more than 85 million members in over 165 countries. She will also play a key role in national ceremonies and act as a key adviser to the monarch on spiritual matters
