Historic First: Sarah Mullally Installed as First Female Archbishop of Canterbury

Historic First: Sarah Mullally Installed as First Female Archbishop of Canterbury
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The Church of England has appointed Dame Sarah Mullally as the first woman to serve as Archbishop of Canterbury in the office’s more than 1,400‑year history, breaking a long tradition of male leadership.

The enthronement ceremony took place at Canterbury Cathedral on March 25, with around 2,000 attendees, including Prince William, Catherine, Princess of Wales, and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer present.

Mullally, 63, was formally confirmed as archbishop in January and officially began her ministry at the ceremony, where she took the symbolic Chair of St Augustine. A former chief nursing officer for the UK’s National Health Service and previously the first female Bishop of London, she succeeds Justin Welby.

Her appointment comes as the Anglican Communion — a global fellowship of Anglican churches — grapples with internal divisions, including debates over women’s roles, and church safeguarding failures. While many welcomed the milestone, some conservative factions within the global communion have expressed concern about the shift.

Mullally emphasized themes of unity, compassion and service in her first public ministry, and her leadership represents a significant moment for gender equality in one of Christianity’s oldest institutions.