First woman appointed Archbishop of Canterbury in Church of England’s history
Published
On Oct. 3, 63-year-old Sarah Mullally became the first woman to be appointed Archbishop of Canterbury in the 1,400-year history of this role in the Church of England, as well as the leader of 85 million Anglicans worldwide, Reuters reported.
This appointment became possible thanks to reforms introduced 11 years ago, allowing women to hold the position. Mullally previously served as Bishop of London and advocated for liberal initiatives within the Church.
The installation of Mullally as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury will take place at Canterbury Cathedral in March 2026. The 105th Archbishop, Justin Welby, resigned over a child abuse negligence scandal, leaving the seat empty since November 2024.
