Sarah Mullally was on Friday named the new Archbishop of Canterbury, becoming the first woman to lead the Church of England – which can trace its origins to the Roman empire – and the global Anglican community.
Her nomination by a committee tasked with finding a successor to Justin Welby, who stepped down earlier this year over an abuse scandal, has been approved by King Charles III, the UK government said.
The Church of England is the mother church of global Anglicanism. Mullally, 63, becomes the church’s 106th Archbishop of Canterbury, the first having been appointed in the late sixth century.
In a statement, the former nurse acknowledged the “huge responsibility” of her new role, but said she felt a sense of “peace and trust in God to carry me”.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomed the appointment of the first woman to hold the role, noting in a statement, “The Church of England is of profound importance to this country. Its churches, cathedrals, schools and charities are part of the fabric of our communities,” adding that the new archbishop would “play a key role in our national life.”
Welby resigned after a report found that the Church of England had covered up a 1970s serial abuse case and that he failed to report the abuses to the authorities when they came to his attention in 2013. (AFP)
