Church of England Led by Woman for First Time

(MENAFN) Sarah Mullally received official confirmation Wednesday as the inaugural woman to command the Church of England throughout its fourteen-century existence, assuming the position as the institution's 106th archbishop of Canterbury.

The 63-year-old's historic selection gained formal ecclesiastical recognition through judicial authorities during a ceremonial proceeding at St. Paul's Cathedral in Britain's capital.

"A profound service of Confirmation of Election today, it reflected the diversity of the Anglican Communion and the Church of England," the mother of two, who is married, stated in a video message distributed via X, the American social networking service.

Last October, the Church of England revealed that Mullally, who previously served as Bishop of London and worked as an oncology nurse earlier in her career, would succeed Justin Welby as the next Canterbury archbishop.

The announcement followed Welby's resignation in November 2024 amid criticism that he failed to adequately act on intelligence he possessed regarding a serial child predator, allowing additional abuse to occur.

Mullally's elevation marks a watershed moment for the global Anglican denomination, which counts approximately 85 million members across 165 nations and has grappled with debates over women's leadership roles for decades.

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