From Healing to Leading: Meet the Trailblazing First Female Archbishop of the Church of England

LONDON – In a historic moment for the Church of England, Sarah Mullally, a former cancer nurse who embraced the priesthood at 40, will be officially installed as the archbishop of Canterbury on Wednesday. This event is not merely a formal ceremony; it signifies Mullally’s public debut as the first woman to lead the Church of England, a milestone that resonates across the religious community.

Although Mullally, now 63, assumed the title of archbishop in January, Wednesday marks the formal start of her public ministry. As the spiritual guide for both the Church of England and the worldwide Anglican Communion, she stands at the helm of an association that includes over 100 million members across independent churches, such as the Episcopal Church in the United States.

Reflecting on her appointment, Mullally expressed her commitment to fostering inclusivity within the church. “I intend to be a shepherd who enables everyone’s ministry and vocation to flourish, whatever our tradition,” she shared upon her selection. With gratitude, she acknowledged the trailblazers who paved the way for her historic role, particularly the women who served as her inspiration and support.

The ceremony, rich with significance, will be graced by the presence of notable figures such as Prince William, Princess Catherine, and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Furthermore, representatives from the Anglican Communion’s 42 member churches, along with dignitaries from the Vatican and the Orthodox Church, will join in the celebration.

In a fitting tribute to Mullally’s groundbreaking leadership, the installation coincides with the Feast of the Annunciation. This day commemorates Mary’s acceptance of her role as the mother of Jesus, encouraging the church to reflect on responding to divine calls. It serves as a poignant reminder of Mullally’s own journey and the broader impact of her historic appointment.

The celebration marks a major milestone for the Church of England, which traces its roots to the year 597, when the pope sent St. Augustine to Britain to convert the population to Christianity. He is now recognized as the first archbishop of Canterbury. The English church broke away from the Roman Catholic Church in the 1530s, during the reign of King Henry VIII.

The church ordained its first female priests in 1994 and its first female bishop in 2015.

Mullally begins her tenure as archbishop at a difficult time for the Church of England and the Anglican Communion.

Her appointment may deepen rifts within the Anglican Communion, whose members are deeply divided over issues such as the role of women and the treatment of LGBTQ+ people.

She will also have to confront concerns that the church has failed to stamp out the sexual abuse scandals that have dogged it and caused strife for more than a decade.

Mullally replaces former Archbishop Justin Welby, who announced his resignation in November 2024, after he was criticized for failing to act decisively and tell police about allegations of physical and sexual abuse by a volunteer at a church-affiliated summer camp.

Born in Woking, southwest of London in 1962, Mullally attended local schools and worked as a nurse in Britain’s National Health Service until she was named chief nursing officer for England at the age of 37, the youngest person ever to hold the post.

While still working in that job, she began training for the ministry.

She was named a bishop in 2015, becoming the fourth woman in the Church of England to reach that rank. Three years later, she was named bishop of London, one of the most prominent positions in the church.

But on Wednesday she will also remember her life before the church, securing her ceremonial cloak with a clasp decorated by the buckle from the belt she wore as a nurse.

The service will also acknowledge the Anglican Communion’s worldwide reach, with Archbishop Albert Chama of Zambia offering a prayer in the Bemba language and Bishop Alba Sally Sue Hernández García of Mexico providing a Bible reading in Spanish. The Kyrie prayer will be sung in Urdu.

George Gross, an expert on theology and the monarchy at King’s College London, said Mullally’s appointment instantly makes her one of the most recognized Christian figures in the world, alongside the pope.

“I think it’s huge, absolutely massive,” he told The Associated Press. “But it matters because, as we’ve talked before, the stained glass ceiling is smashed. And that, in the world we’re in, when we talk of equality, (it’s) hard to have that if you have unattainable positions.”