Sarah Mullally Installed as First Female Archbishop of Canterbury

Dame Sarah Mullally was installed as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury and the first woman to hold the position on March 25, 2026, at Canterbury Cathedral in southeast England, marking a historic milestone for the Church of England. The ceremony, held on the Feast of the Annunciation, drew global attention amid ongoing debates over leadership and doctrine within the worldwide Anglican Communion, which counts about 85 million members.

Mullally, 63, previously served as Bishop of London and was appointed to the role in October 2025 with the approval of King Charles III, the Church's supreme governor. Her enthronement followed the resignation of her predecessor, Justin Welby, in November 2024, after a report criticized the handling of a 1970s child abuse case. The event symbolized progress in women's ordination, a practice unique to the Church of England compared to the Roman Catholic Church, which does not ordain women or require priestly celibacy.

The installation occurred against a backdrop of divisions in the Anglican Communion. Twelve primates, representing national churches with more than two-thirds of active Anglicans, declined to attend, citing concerns over Mullally's...