31/01/2026
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Congratulations to Sarah Mullally on being confirmed as the first female Archbishop of Canterbury! In 1,429 years since St. Augustine established the role in 597 AD, no woman has led the Church of England. That changed today when Dame Sarah was confirmed as the 106th person to take up the post in a ceremony at St. Paul's Cathedral, as bells rang out and bishops declared in unison: "We welcome you."
The moment was historic enough that Bishop Rose Hudson-Wilkin called it the Church's "Habemus Mamam" --- a play on the Catholic declaration "Habemus Papam" when a new Pope is elected. George Gross, an expert on theology and the monarchy at King’s College London, said her confirmation highlighted the church’s continuing divergence from the Catholic Church. “It is a big contrast,” he explained. “And in terms of the position of women in society, this is a big statement.”
In an interview, Mullally shared her gratitude for the "support of a whole range of people, including men, in my ministry." She also pledged to use her new platform to confront misogyny. "It is fair to say that I have, both in my secular role as well as in the Church, experienced misogyny at times," she said. Over the years, she has learned it must be spoken about "so that you bring it out into the open."
"I'm conscious that being in this role," she continued, "it's important for me to speak of it, because there are some that don't necessarily have the status or the power of this role, and feel more hesitant to do it. But certainly as a Church of England we have seen many changes over the years and I commit myself to making an environment where all people can flourish and which is safer for all."
A former cancer nurse who became England's chief nursing officer before entering the clergy, Mullally's path to this moment was unlikely. She served as Bishop of London for nearly a decade before being nominated by a 17-member commission and confirmed by King Charles III.
Her appointment has not been without controversy with many conservative Anglican leaders opposing her election. Archbishop Henry Ndukuba of the Church of Nigeria branded it "devastating" and "insensitive" to Anglicans "who are unable to embrace female headship in the episcopate."
Mullally's response was characteristically measured: "I have always understood that people may find my appointment as a woman difficult in the Church, and what I hope to do is to be able to provide a space where I can offer hospitality to people, where I can listen to what their concerns are."
Shortly after the ceremony, stonemasons began carving her name on the plaque at Canterbury Cathedral listing every archbishop back to St. Augustine. She will be formally installed there on March 25, after which her public ministry begins.
Mullally invoked an African proverb to describe her approach to the challenges ahead: "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. My desire is to go far and together."
Kudos to Archbishop Mullally for her commitment to making the church a welcoming place for all!
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To introduce kids to inspiring female leaders from around the world, we recommend the picture book "She Persisted Around The World" for ages 5 to 9 (https://www.amightygirl.com/she-persisted-around-the-world) and the illustrated biography "HerStory: 50 Women and Girls Who Shook the World" for ages 8 to 13 (https://www.amightygirl.com/herstory)
For children's books about more extraordinary women from around the world, visit our blog post "50 Children's Books About Mighty Girls & Women Around The World" at https://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=33102
For books about both real-life and fictional girls and women who confronted sexism and gender discrimination in a multitude of forms, visit our "S*x Discrimination" section at http://amgrl.co/1jdxKIy
