Woman is named Archbishop of Canterbury for first time in Church of England history

LONDON — A woman has been named to the post of Archbishop of Canterbury for the first time in the history of the Church of England.

The Bishop of London, Sarah Mullally, will be installed into the church’s most senior role in March 2026.

Mullally is the first female Archbishop of Canterbury to be chosen since women were allowed to become bishops in 2014.

As the spiritual leader of the Church of England, the Archbishop of Canterbury heads a global Anglican community of around 85 million people, across 165 countries.

In a statement following her appointment, Mullally said: “As I respond to the call of Christ to this new ministry, I do so in the same spirit of service to God and to others that has motivated me since I first came to faith as a teenager.”

“At every stage of that journey, through my nursing career and Christian ministry, I have learned to listen deeply — to people and to God’s gentle prompting — to seek to bring people together to find hope and healing.”

Mullally’s appointment comes 11 months after the previous archbishop, Justin Welby, resigned after a damning report into his handling of the case of a prolific child abuser associated with the church.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomed Mullally’s appointment, saying she would play “a key role in our national life.”

“The Church of England is of profound importance to this country. Its churches, cathedrals, schools, and charities are part of the fabric of our communities,” he said in a statement.