First Woman Archbishop of Canterbury Sworn in on Modern Bible as Anglican Communion Fractures

Dame Sarah Mullally Becomes First Woman Archbishop of Canterbury in 1,400 Year History

Dame Sarah Mullally has been enthroned as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury, becoming the first woman to hold the position in the Church of England's 1,400 year history. The ceremony took place on March 25, 2026, at Canterbury Cathedral before a congregation of 2,000 guests.

In a break from tradition, Archbishop Mullally took her Corporal Oath on the Saint John's Bible Heritage Edition, a hand illuminated manuscript described as "a Bible for the 21st century." For nearly 60 years, previous Archbishops had been sworn in using the 6th century Augustine Gospels, a relic believed to be connected to St. Augustine, the first Archbishop of Canterbury. The Cathedral chose the modern Bible, one of only 299 copies worldwide, to honor the historic occasion.

The 90 minute ceremony began with Mullally knocking three times on the cathedral's west door before being admitted by local schoolchildren. She then took her seat on the 13th century Chair of St. Augustine.

As I look back over my life, I could never have imagined the future that lay ahead, and certainly not the ministry to which I am now called.

Archbishop Mullally said during the service, which featured readings in Spanish, Swahili, and Urdu to reflect the global Anglican Communion's international scope.

Notable attendees included the Prince and Princess of Wales, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, and Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch. Five of the "Africa Six," the first female Anglican bishops from Africa, processed in their robes during the ceremony.

Before her ordination, Mullally served as England's chief nursing officer. In the week before her installation, she walked 87 miles from London to Canterbury, retracing the journey described in Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales.

Her appointment has drawn opposition from conservative Anglican leaders. Archbishop Henry Ndukuba of Nigeria called it "devastating," while Rwanda's Laurent Mbanda stated that the "majority of the Anglican Communion still believes that the Bible requires a male only episcopacy."

I seek to try and find space and hospitality for everyone, to create a space where there is difference, but there is also welcome.

Mullally said regarding her approach to bridging theological divisions within the Communion.

First Female Archbishop of Canterbury Sworn in on Modern Illuminated Bible at Historic Canterbury Ceremony

The Saint John's Bible Heritage Edition, created by artistic director Donald Jackson, former senior scribe to Queen Elizabeth II's Crown Office at the House of Lords, measures two feet tall by three feet wide when open. Canterbury Cathedral received and blessed the facsimile on November 11, 2023, through the generosity of donors Elaine and Bruce Culver.

Mullally replaces Justin Welby, who resigned in November 2024 over failures in handling an abuse scandal. She has made safeguarding a top priority, calling it a "fundamental, non negotiable responsibility."

The Church of England only permitted women priests since 1994 and female bishops since 2014. Mullally now leads both the Church of England and serves as spiritual head of the global Anglican Communion, which has approximately 85 million members worldwide.

The Crusader's Opinion

Let's not sugarcoat this. The global Anglican Communion is fractured, and this appointment deepens the divide. While the Western church celebrates, the African church, which represents the vast majority of practicing Anglicans worldwide, has called this devastating. When your brothers and sisters in Nigeria and Rwanda, who face actual persecution for their faith, tell you this goes against Scripture, perhaps the response should not be a ceremony featuring five languages and a designer Bible. The Church of England ordained its first female priest only 32 years ago. Now it has placed a woman at the very top. Whether you celebrate or mourn this moment, one thing is clear: the Anglican Communion as we know it may not survive the fracture. Unity requires listening to all voices, not just the ones that align with the culture of the moment.

Take Action

• Pray for the unity of the global Anglican Communion and for Archbishop Mullally's leadership during a deeply divisive time.
• Support persecuted Christians in Nigeria and across Africa who worship under threat through Open Doors or The Shepherd's Shield.
• Contact your local Anglican or Episcopal parish leadership to discuss how your congregation is responding to this historic shift and what it means for your church's future.
• Read the full text of the Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans' statement at GAFCON.org to understand the concerns of the conservative Anglican world.
• Support the Voice of the Martyrs at persecution.com, which advocates for Christians suffering for their faith around the world.