Dame Sarah Mullally, poised to become the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury, has said she will leave with "calmness, consistency and compassion" as she prepares for a historic confirmation service in London.
The groundbreaking appointment will see Dame Sarah legally assume her duties during a service at St Paul’s Cathedral on Wednesday, ahead of her formal enthronement at Canterbury Cathedral in March.
Her elevation marks a significant moment for the Church of England, following nearly a decade as Bishop of London and a distinguished career as England’s former chief nursing officer. She was officially named in October as the first woman to be selected for the Church's highest clerical position.
While, technically, the King is head of the Church of England, the person holding the role of Archbishop of Canterbury is the most senior bishop and is the spiritual leader of the Church and the worldwide Anglican Communion.
There were an estimated 1.02 million regular worshippers across the Church in 2024, up from 1.01 million in 2023.
Meanwhile, there are said to be 85 million people in more than 165 countries around the world forming the Anglican Communion.
Dame Sarah said: “It is an extraordinary and humbling privilege to have been called to be the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury. In this country and around the world, Anglican churches bring healing and hope to their communities. With God’s help, I will seek to guide Christ’s flock with calmness, consistency and compassion.
“These are times of division and uncertainty for our fractured world. I pray that we will offer space to break bread together and discover what we have in common – and I pledge myself to this ministry of hospitality.
“I want us to be a Church 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.
“I am committed to equipping the Church to be a kind and safe place that cares for everyone, especially those who are vulnerable, as we rise to the challenge of God’s call to justice, equity, peace and the care of creation”.
Between the St Paul’s service and her installation at Canterbury Cathedral, Dame Sarah will meet with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and the leaders of other Christian denominations and other faiths in the UK.
She will also meet with Charles at some point in the intervening period, to pay the traditional homage to the King.
On Sunday, she was pictured speaking with Charles after she delivered a sermon at a service on his Sandringham Estate.
While she will not preach at Wednesday’s service, nor before her installation in March, she will appear at General Synod – the Church’s parliament – in February in London where she will give the presidential address.
On being named last year, Dame Sarah promised to tackle safeguarding failures in the Church, saying the “dynamics of power” must be confronted.
She replaces Justin Welby in the Church’s top ministry role after he resigned more than a year ago over safeguarding failures in the handling of the notorious case of prolific abuser and Christian camp leader John Smyth.
Earlier this month, a complaint against Dame Sarah over her handling of an abuse allegation by a man known as survivor N against a priest in the Diocese of London was dismissed, although it is understood the complainant might appeal against the decision.
Dame Sarah has been described by the Church’s lead bishop for safeguarding, Joanne Grenfell, as having “full commitment to safeguarding – strengthening systems and processes, and improving the culture across a large, complex organisation”.
Ms Grenfell said while “scrutiny is right”, Dame Sarah must also be given “room to lead as we work to grow a safer Church that serves communities across England”.
Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, who has been leading the Church in the interim between Mr Welby’s resignation and Dame Sarah’s official start in the new role, paid tribute to her as having a “clarity of thinking, wisdom, grace and holiness”, which he said “is what the Church needs right now”.
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