Sarah Mullally was officially confirmed on Wednesday as the first woman to lead the Church of England as Archbishop of Canterbury in a traditional ceremony at St Paul’s Cathedral in London.
The vast cathedral was converted into a court of law for the ancient Confirmation of Election, a legal ceremony set within a church service marking the moment an archbishop-elect legally assumes office.
Mullally, who would also serve as the spiritual head of 85 million Christians across 165 countries in the global Anglican Communion, took an oath of allegiance as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury before senior bishops acting as Royal Commissioners under the authority of King Charles.
Photo: Reuters
The British monarch has served as the Supreme Governor of the Church of England since Henry VIII split from the Roman Catholic Church in the 16th century.
As the choir sang an anthem by Edward Elgar, the cancer nurse turned cleric officially took up the responsibilities of her new job as bewigged judges presided over a legal ceremony confirming her appointment, which was announced almost four months ago.
As the lengthy process came to a close and her election was confirmed, Mullally stood and faced the congregation to loud applause.
“We welcome you,” the bishops surrounding her shouted in unison.
George Gross, an expert on theology and the monarchy at King’s College London, highlighted the church’s continuing divergence from the Catholic Church, which forbids women from being ordained as priests, much less as serving as the religion’s global spiritual leader.
“It is a big contrast,” Gross said. “And in terms of the position of women in society, this is a big statement.”
However, Mullally’s appointment might deepen rifts within the Anglican Communion, which is deeply divided over issues such as the role of women and the treatment of LGBTQ people.
She will also have to confront concerns that the Church of England has not done enough to stamp out the sexual abuse scandals that have dogged it for more than a decade.
The 63-year-old promised in a statement to lead an institution that “always listens to the voices of those who have been ignored or overlooked, among them victims and survivors of church abuse who have often been let down.”
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