Dame Sarah Mullally Appointed First Female Archbishop of Canterbury

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Dame Sarah Mullally, currently Bishop of London, has been named as the next Archbishop of Canterbury, making her the first woman to ever hold the position in the Church of England.

“Hello, my name is Bishop Sarah Mullally. I am deeply honoured to have been called to serve as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury. I take up this calling with trust not in myself alone, but in God who guides us all. May we be bold in hope, generous in spirit and steadfast in love as we serve Christ and one another,” she said in a brief video posted to her X account.

Mullally, 83, had been serving as the 133rd Bishop of London since being elected in 2018, and was Bishop of Crediton for three years since 2015, Sky News reported. She also served as a Dame Commander of the British Empire for her contribution to nursing and midwifery as well as was the UK's chief nursing officer from 1999 to 2004. Her appointment as archbishop is also the first time a woman was selected for the role since women were allowed to become bishops in 2014. 

"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," Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said following Mullally’s appointment.

"The Archbishop of Canterbury will play a key role in our national life. I wish her every success and look forward to working together."

Mullally replaces the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, who had been taking on the responsibilities following the resignation of of Justin Welby amid a sexual abuse scandal.

In her first visit as archbishop-designate, Mullally helped pack food parcels, addressed Canterbury Cathedral, and emphasized that the Church must tackle safeguarding failures, confront misuse of power, and support vulnerable populations.

She also condemned the "horrific violence" of the Manchester synagogue terror attack that took place on Wednesday, leaving 2 dead and 3 in critical condition.

Mullally contended the Church of England has a "responsibility" to stand with the Jewish community against antisemitism.

"Hatred and racism of any kind cannot be allowed to tear us apart,” she added.

Mullally's installation ceremony is scheduled to take place at Canterbury Cathedral in March 2026, Vatican News reports.

Image credit: ©Getty Images/Patricia Hamilton

Milton Quintanilla is a freelance writer and content creator. He is a contributing writer for CrosswalkHeadlines and the host of the For Your Soul Podcast, a podcast devoted to sound doctrine and biblical truth. He holds a Masters of Divinity from Alliance Theological Seminary.