Who is Sarah Mullally, the first woman to head the Church of England? | World News

Dame Sarah Mullally has been named Archbishop of Canterbury designate, becoming the first woman chosen for the Church of England’s most senior role.
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A former chief nurse in the NHS, Mullally was ordained in 2006 and became the first female Bishop of London in 2018, the third highest office in the Church.

She will formally take up her new post after a confirmation of election in January, followed an enthronement service.

The appointment comes nearly a year after Justin Wel resigned following criticism of his handling of a Church abuse case.

Sarah Mullally, the new Archbishop of Canterbury, left, spiritual leader of the world’s 85 million Anglicans, inside Canterbury Cathedral ahead of a media conference in Canterbury, England, Friday, Oct. 3, 2025. (AP Photo)

Prime Miner Sir Keir Starmer said the Archbishop “will play a key role in our national life” and wished her success. King Charles also congratulated her on a role he said was important for the UK and the worldwide Anglican Communion.

‘Hatred and racism cannot tear us apart‘

In her first public statement, Mullally condemned Thursday’s deadly attack on a synagogue in Manchester.

“We then as a Church have a responsibility to be a people who stand with the Jewish community against antisemitism in all its forms,” she said.

Speaking at Canterbury Cathedral, she said she approached the role with “a sense of peace and trust in God”.

“In an age that craves certainty and tribalism, Anglicanism offers something quieter but stronger,” she added.

NHS to Church

Mullally, 63, spent more than 35 years in the NHS and became England’s youngest-ever chief nursing officer in 1999. She later entered the priesthood, moving from parish work to cathedral roles before being appointed Bishop of Crediton in 2015.

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

As Bishop of London, she was seen as a reformer who drew on her NHS background to modernise church structures.

“I am often asked what it has been like to have had two careers,” she once said. “I prefer to think I have always had one vocation – to follow Jesus Chr, whether as a nurse, a priest, or a bishop.”

Abuse, same-sex blessings, assed dying

Her new role comes with challenges. The Church continues to face criticism for its handling of abuse cases. She has previously been tasked with helping to improve safeguarding.

Mullally has also spoken out against assed dying, calling it “unworkable and unsafe” when legislation was debated in Parliament.

On same-sex relationships, she chaired discussions that led to priests being allowed to bless same-sex couples in 2023. She described that decision as “a moment of hope for the Church”.

‘A newspaper in one hand and a Bible in the other‘

Former Archbishop Rowan Williams told the BBC that the role carries constant demands.

“The expectation of having an opinion on everything is quite heavy,” he said. “It requires a newspaper in one hand and a Bible in the other.”