10/03/2025

Sarah Mullally Named the First Female Archbishop of Canterbury

This is a first in the history of the Church of England

Bishop of London Sarah Mullally was announced Friday as the next Archbishop of Canterbury, the first time in 1,400 years that a woman has been chosen as the spiritual leader of the Church of England.

Mullally, 63, a former chief nursing officer for England, will face serious challenges including divisions over the treatment of women and LGBTQ+ people. She will also have to confront concerns that church leaders have not done enough to stamp out the sexual abuse scandals that have dogged the church for more than a decade.

The choice of Mullally as archbishop-designate marks a major milestone for a church that ordained its first female priests in 1994 and its first female bishop in 2015. She follows 105 men who have held the role since St. Augustine became the first Archbishop of Canterbury in the year 597.

Please select this link to read the complete article from The Associated Press.