Sarah Mullally has been formally enthroned as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury, becoming the first woman in the Church of England’s 1,400-year history to hold this role. The ceremony at Canterbury Cathedral marked the beginning of her public ministry as spiritual leader of the Anglican Communion and head of the Church of England. Over two thousand people attended, including Prince William, Keir Starmer, and representatives from across the global Church. Mullally’s journey to this position has been remarkable. Formerly a cancer nurse and later England’s youngest chief nursing officer, she was ordained at 40 and became bishop of London in 2018. Her enthronement reflects significant change within the Church, where female priests were only first ordained in 1994. However, deep divisions remain within the Anglican Communion over theology and leadership, and the Church continues to face scrutiny over past safeguarding failures. Mullally will need to provide steady leadership, restore trust, and guide the Church through complex cultural and spiritual tensions in the years ahead. See

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, has confirmed she will take part in a key House of Lords vote on proposed abortion law changes, following concern that a planned pilgrimage might prevent her attendance. The vote relates to an amendment that would decriminalise abortion at any stage of pregnancy in England and Wales, a proposal that has generated significant debate. Pro-life groups and Christian voices had urged bishops to be present, stressing the importance of the issue and its implications for the protection of unborn life. Lambeth Palace confirmed the Archbishop will attend the vote while continuing her pilgrimage, which forms part of her spiritual preparation for her installation. The outcome of the vote carries profound moral and legal significance, with many highlighting the need to uphold both the dignity of life and compassionate support for those in crisis. See and also

In her first address to General Synod as Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally spoke of humility, responsibility, and hope amid significant challenges facing the Church. She reflected that when 'the wind and waves are rocking the boat’, her focus must remain on Christ, who calms the storm. Rooted in her calling to follow Jesus and make Him known, she described her leadership not as launching new programmes, but as shepherding collaboratively, enabling others to flourish. Giving thanks for the prayers and support received across the CofE and the Anglican Communion, she said that the Church’s 'best days are still to come.' Emphasising accountability, she committed to transparency, especially in safeguarding, acknowledging past failures and the need for trauma-informed, independent processes which place survivors first. Highlighting signs of renewed church attendance and 'green shoots of hope’, she urged unity amid difference, likening conflict to the grit that forms a pearl. Her vision is of a hospitable Church offering healing and hope to a fractured world, rooted firmly in the Gospel.

Archbishop Sarah Mullally has formally paid homage to the King at Buckingham Palace, marking a significant moment at the start of her ministry as Archbishop of Canterbury. During the ceremony, she took an oath recognising the King as Supreme Governor of the Church of England, a tradition dating back to the reign of Queen Elizabeth I and observed by all diocesan bishops. Archbishop Sarah, recently confirmed as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury at St Paul’s Cathedral, was accompanied by senior figures including the Lord Chancellor and the Clerk of the Closet. Reflecting on the occasion, she described it as a privilege and spoke warmly of the King’s deep Christian faith, evident in his lifelong service to the nation and the Commonwealth. She also recalled paying homage to Queen Elizabeth II when she became Bishop of London, expressing gratitude for the continuity of royal support for the Church. As she prepares for her formal installation at Canterbury Cathedral later this month, she begins her leadership at a time of both opportunity and challenge for the Church of England, calling for prayerful support as she steps into this historic role.

Sarah Mullally has been formally confirmed as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury during a service at St Paul’s Cathedral. This was the legal moment when the responsibilities of the office were vested in her, ahead of her installation in Canterbury and the start of her public ministry. Presided over by Stephen Cottrell, the ceremony brought together bishops, clergy, laity, schoolchildren and representatives from across the Church of England and the global Anglican Communion. Archbishop Sarah took the oath of allegiance and made the declaration of assent, before receiving words of encouragement known as 'The Charge'. Archbishop Stephen urged her to 'be yourself', affirming that God has called her with her own gifts, experiences and perspective to serve Christ and build the Church. The service reflected the Church’s diversity and concluded with Archbishop Sarah’s first blessing, as prayers were offered for discernment, unity and faithfulness in her leadership. See

The King has approved the appointment of the Rt Revd and Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullally, Bishop of London, as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury - the first woman ever to hold the post in over 1,400 years. Formerly England’s Chief Nursing Officer and a cancer nurse, Bishop Sarah has long described her vocation as 'an opportunity to reflect the love of God.' Ordained in 2001, she has served as Bishop of Crediton and later as Bishop of London, leading with compassion and inclusivity. In her statement, Bishop Sarah said she accepts this call 'in a spirit of service to God and others’, seeking to help the Church 'grow in confidence in the Gospel' and bring hope and healing through Christ’s love. Church leaders across the Anglican Communion have welcomed her appointment, commending her courage, integrity, and commitment to unity: however, GAFCON leaders have reacted with sorrow (see). Her installation at Canterbury Cathedral is scheduled for March 2026, following a ‘confirmation of election’ service at St Paul’s Cathedral in January.

The Church of England’s process to appoint the next Archbishop of Canterbury has been described as an 'omnishambles'. Following Justin Welby’s resignation, the post has been vacant since January. Although an announcement was expected this autumn, the appointment may now be delayed due to three vacant positions on the Crown Nominations Commission (CNC), which must be filled by elected members from the Diocese of Canterbury. Complications arose when the General Synod changed eligibility rules mid-process, introducing gender and clergy-lay balance requirements. This disqualified several previously nominated individuals and enabled the selection of others who had received little or no diocesan support. Critics argue that the diocese applied new rules incorrectly, bypassing normal procedures. Despite the confusion, the CNC hopes to maintain its original timetable, with key meetings scheduled for May, July, and September. A recent public consultation on the future Archbishop received nearly ten thousand responses, reflecting widespread interest and concern over this pivotal appointment in the Anglican Communion.

Christian and other minority faith group persecution in Manipur worsens. By 26th May 70+ Christians were killed, 10,000 forced from homes, 300+ churches burned or demolished, and 1,000 Christian homes destroyed as Hindus sought Christians to kill or convert to Hinduism. The Supreme Court ordered the military to maintain peace in the region, but the Hindu nationalist government has done nothing to stop the violence. Open Doors said, ‘If the situation continues civil war is inevitable, with more lives lost, properties destroyed and further open persecution of religious minorities.’ Those who have fled don't have food or shelter and face threats of physical violence. Justin Welby is distressed to hear about these attacks on indigenous tribal Christians, saying, ‘Kailean Khongsai is training for Church ordination and is from Manipur. I join him in praying that regional authorities would protect all minority groups, including Christians and their places of worship, and that justice and peace would prevail.’ See

The Archbishop of Canterbury visited Bucha and saw evidence of atrocities and civilian killings by Russian troops, as millions of people remain without power or heating after attacks on Ukraine's power grid. The most senior cleric in the Church of England was highlighting the need for support for Ukraine ahead of a tough winter. ‘I am clear that Putin chose to start the war and release the evil that comes from that’, he said. It is proper to support a ‘victim nation’ that is ‘being overrun by aggression’. Stating that the international community had a ‘duty of care’ to protect weaker nations, he said that the consequences of letting Ukraine down would be ‘infinitely worse’ than carrying on the support for Kyiv. ‘It would be more expensive and politically catastrophic because it would prove that Putin was right when he thought the West would not stand together for long enough for this to end justly and fairly.’

Anglican and Catholic leaders have made a joint submission to the Foreign Office’s independent review, requesting support for persecuted Christians. In a letter accompanying the submission the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, and the Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, said that in many places ‘our Christian sisters and brothers face persecution of an intensity and extent unprecedented in many centuries.’ However, these threats to freedom of religion or belief are not restricted to Christians alone, but are widely experienced by followers of other faiths. ‘We ask the Government to take note of the practical recommendations offered in this submission and to take meaningful action not only in protecting Christians facing persecution but also in promoting freedom of religion and belief more widely,’ they said.