Dame Sarah Mullally, a former senior nurse who served more than three decades in Britain’s National Health Service, has been enthroned as the first female Archbishop of Canterbury,
Dame Sarah Mullally, a former senior nurse who served more than three decades in Britain’s National Health Service, has been enthroned as the first female Archbishop of Canterbury, breaking more than 1,400 years of male-only tradition in the role.
Mullally, who rose to become chief nursing officer for England in 1999, was installed at Canterbury Cathedral in a ceremony attended by about 2,000 worshippers, including Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales.
In her inaugural sermon, she reflected on her unexpected path: “As I look back over my life – at the teenage Sarah, who put her faith in God and made a commitment to follow Jesus, I could never have imagined the future that lay ahead, and certainly not the ministry to which I am now called.”
All 105 previous holders of the office, dating back to St Augustine of Canterbury in 597 AD, were men. Mullally, who became a Christian at 16, drew on biblical imagery in her address, identifying with Mary, the mother of Jesus, who “trusted in a future she couldn’t yet see.”
She also confronted contemporary challenges, offering prayers for those affected by conflict in the Middle East while acknowledging failures within the Church.
“In a world already torn by conflict, suffering, and division, we must also acknowledge the hurt that exists much closer to home,” she said. “We must not overlook or minimise the pain experienced by those who have been harmed through the actions, inactions, or failures of those in our own Christian churches and communities.”
Mullally stressed the need for greater accountability: “Light should be shone on all our actions. And the more senior we are, the more light should be shone. That is absolutely right.”
Her appointment follows the 2024 resignation of her predecessor, Justin Welby, amid criticism over his handling of a church abuse case. She pledged to work towards making the Church safer, drawing on her experience as a nurse, priest and bishop.
With nurses and carers present at the ceremony, Mullally’s elevation is seen as blending pastoral care with institutional reform in the Anglican Communion.
