First woman archbishop officially takes the helm of Church of England

Sarah Mullally before the ceremony marking her assumption of office as Archbishop of Canterbury. Photo: Associated Press

In London, a legal ceremony confirming the election of Sarah Mullally was held at St Paul’s Cathedral, after which she officially took up the post of Archbishop of Canterbury and became the first woman to head the Church of England, the Associated Press reports.

The ceremony, held at St Paul’s, is a key legal stage in an archbishop’s assumption of office. Although the worldwide Anglican Communion has no formal head, the Archbishop of Canterbury is traditionally regarded as its spiritual leader.

The 63-year-old Sarah Mullally previously worked as a nurse, including in an oncology ward, and later entered ordained ministry, serving as Bishop of London. She is known as a supporter of liberal reforms in the Church of England, including backing the ordination of women, the blessing of same-sex unions, and a more permissive stance on abortion – positions that have drawn sharp criticism from conservative Anglicans.

Mullally’s appointment has deepened divisions within global Anglicanism. The conservative GAFCON movement said it does not recognize her spiritual leadership, citing her views on LGBT issues and what it describes as a departure from traditional interpretation of Holy Scripture. The Archbishop of Rwanda, Laurent Mbanda, has previously emphasized that support for such practices makes her leadership of the Anglican Communion impossible.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that Nigeria separated from the Anglican Church over the new female archbishop.

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