First Female Archbishop of Canterbury Appointed to Lead Church of England

Archbishop Sarah Mullally Installed as First Woman to Lead the Church of England

In a ceremony attended by approximately 2,000 guests, including Prince William and Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Archbishop Sarah Mullally was formally installed as the archbishop of Canterbury. This marks the beginning of her public ministry as the first woman to lead the Church of England.

Mullally took her seat on the 13th-century Chair of St Augustine at Canterbury Cathedral, where she delivered an inaugural sermon. The ceremony also featured prayers and readings in multiple languages, including Urdu.

The installation comes after Mullally’s appointment in October, which drew criticism from some quarters. However, it appears that tensions between progressive and conservative Christians within the Church of England have eased since then.

Mullally has emphasized unity in diversity, stating that the Church is “a family with a shared root.” Her inaugural sermon touched on the need for truth, compassion, justice, and action, particularly in regions affected by conflict. She also acknowledged the church’s past safeguarding failures, which led to her predecessor Justin Welby’s resignation.

The ceremony took place during the Feast of the Annunciation, a celebration of the biblical account of an angel telling Mary she would be the mother of Jesus. Mullally wore a ring given to one of her predecessors, Michael Ramsey, by Pope Paul VI in 1966, symbolizing improved ties between Anglicans and Catholics.

The Church of England has approximately 85 million members worldwide, with Mullally serving as the spiritual head of the global Anglican Communion.

Source: Al Jazeera