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Who is Sarah Mullally? Meet first woman Archbishop of Canterbury to lead world’s 85 million Anglicans

By King Charles Iii

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Who is Sarah Mullally? Meet first woman Archbishop of Canterbury to lead world's 85 million Anglicans

APSarah Mullally, the new Archbishop of Canterbury, spiritual leader of the world’s 85 million Anglicans, speaks inside Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, England, Friday, Oct. 3, 2025. (AP Photo)

Sarah Mullally has been named as Archbishop of Canterbury, first woman chosen to lead world’s 85 million Anglicans. The 63-year-old former nurse was named as the first female Archbishop of Canterbury Friday, pledging to improve safety at the Church of England following an abuse scandal that ousted her predecessor. The former midwife becomes the first woman to lead the centuries-old mother church of the world’s 85-million strong Anglican community.Her nomination by a committee tasked with finding a successor to Justin Welby, who stepped down earlier this year, was approved by King Charles III, the UK government said in a statement. Mullally acknowledged the “huge responsibility” of her new role and vowed to “confront the dynamics of power” that had led the church to cover up the abuse of dozens of boys and young men several decades ago.The Church of England became the country’s state establishment church following King Henry VIII’s split from the Roman Catholic Church in the 1530s. The British monarch is its supreme governor, while the Archbishop of Canterbury is seen as the spiritual leader of Anglicans worldwide.Mullally, who is married with two children, will become the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury, the first having been appointed in the late sixth century, when she officially takes up the role following a ceremony due in January.She worked in Britain’s state-run National Health Service for more than three decades, rising to become its chief nursing officer for England in 1999.Live EventsOrdained a priest in 2002, she became the first female Bishop of London in 2018, only four years after the church began allowing women bishops following years of bitter factional wrangling.Mullally has reportedly described herself as a feminist and called the decision to finally allow priests to bless same-sex couples in 2023 as “a moment of hope for the church”, although she recognised that differences remained.As one of 26 archbishops and bishops who sit in parliament’s unelected House of Lords Upper Chamber, Mullally has been a vocal opponent of plans to legalise assisted dying in England and Wales.Mullally will also have to grapple with falling church attendance numbers. The Church of England has some 20 million baptised members, but the number of regular churchgoers is estimated at just under one million, according to figures for 2022.Mullally was appointed by King Charles following a lengthy selection process under a former head of the MI5 domestic security service.Some churches around the Anglican world — which collectively boasts some 85 million followers in more than 165 countries — had long permitted women bishops, with the first appointed in the United States in 1989. More than 40 of England’s 108 bishops are now women, with a similar proportion among priests, after women clergy were first permitted in the early 1990s.FAQsQ1. What is age of Sarah Mullally?A1. Sarah Mullally is 63-year-old.Q2. Who appointed Sarah Mullally?A2. Sarah Mullally was appointed by King Charles following a lengthy selection process under a former head of the MI5 domestic security service.Add as a Reliable and Trusted News Source Add Now!
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