Female archbishop of Canterbury officially confirmed

Sarah Mullally became the 106th archbishop of Canterbury on Wednesday during a confirmation service at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. The archbishop of Canterbury serves as the spiritual head of the Church of England and the Anglican Communion, an association of Anglican denominations worldwide. Mullally was the first woman to hold the office in its 1,400-year history, according to a Church of England statement. She previously worked as a cancer nurse before her 2001 ordination and 2018 appointment as Bishop of London.

An unidentified man briefly interrupted the Wednesday confirmation service just after one of the service’s speakers stated that no one formally objected to Mullally’s appointment. The man shouted “I did!” His subsequent remarks were unclear. The man, who appeared to be dressed like a clergy member, was quickly escorted from the cathedral, according to The Independent. At the end of the service, Mullally held a cross reserved for the archbishop of Canterbury and gave a blessing in her first act as archbishop.

Some of her goals as archbishop included promoting confidence in the Gospel and welcoming people who were different, Mullally said Wednesday. She is scheduled to meet with the King of England and various religious leaders over the next month, as well as preside over the Church of England’s General Synod in February. She will not begin most of her public appearances until March, after her installation service at Canterbury Cathedral, in line with denominational tradition, according to a Wednesday statement.

What controversies did Mullally’s appointment as archbishop spark? The Church of Nigeria, an Anglican denomination, quickly rejected her leadership after news of her appointment broke last year. Anglicans do not accept female leadership of bishops and don’t agree with Mullally’s support for same-sex marriage, Nigerian Archbishop Henry Ndukuba wrote in October 2025.

About 10 days later, heads of regional Anglican churches from 12 countries said they will no longer participate in Anglican organizations and meetings headed by the Church of England. They will form a new bishops’ council and choose a chairman to replace the Archbishop of Canterbury, they said.

Dig deeper: Read Christina Grube’s report on Mullally for more details on her background and priorities.