Church of England names Sarah Mullally first woman Archbishop of Canterbury after Welby exit

The Church of England announced Friday that Sarah Mullally will become the next Archbishop of Canterbury, marking the first time a woman has been selected for the role.

"As I respond to the call of Christ to this new ministry, I do so in the same spirit of service to God and to others that has motivated me since I first came to faith as a teenager," Mullally said in a statement. "At every stage of that journey, through my nursing career and Christian ministry, I have learned to listen deeply – to people and to God’s gentle prompting – to seek to bring people together to find hope and healing."

"I know this is a huge responsibility, but I approach it with a sense of peace and trust in God to carry me as He always has," she added. 

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Mullally's appointment to the position was met with positive reactions from several U.K. faith and political leaders.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer's office said on Friday that King Charles III approved of the nomination. Starmer said Mullally "will play a key role in our national life," adding that he wishes her "every success."

Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell, who has been serving in his position since 2020, praised the move and said he was "delighted." Cottrell described Mullally as "a person of huge courage, wisdom, integrity and experience."

"It will be my great pleasure to serve alongside her and I hope that together we can continue the work of helping the Church of England be simpler, humbler and bolder in its proclamation of the good news of Jesus Christ and in our service to the nation," Cottrell said.

Serving as the bishop of London since 2018, Mullally replaces former archbishop Justin Welby, who resigned last November after an independent investigation found he failed to act after learning about serial physical and sexual abuse by a volunteer at Christian summer camps.

She will be the first woman Archbishop of Canterbury after 105 male predecessors.

Mullally will be known as the Archbishop of Canterbury-designate until her election is confirmed at St. Paul’s Cathedral in January 2026, according to the church. A service of installation will take place in March at Canterbury Cathedral.

The Church of England is the mother church of the Anglican Communion, which has more than 85 million members in 165 countries.

This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.