Bishop Sarah Mullally has become the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury, at her Confirmation of Election at St Paul's Cathedral, and she is the first woman to hold the office in the 1,400-year history of the Church of England.

On Jan. 28, 63-year-old Dame Sarah Mullally was officially confirmed as the first female Archbishop of Canterbury, capturing global attention across the Anglican Communion, whose members span more than 165 countries, The Times of India reported.

Her confirmation ceremony at St Paul's Cathedral in London, an ancient and legal ecclesiastical rite, was both celebratory and symbolic.

Bells rang as she assumed the role of spiritual leader once held only by men, and pledging to champion unity and pastoral care.

While her appointment represents a historic advance in gender equality within global Christianity, it exposed fractures within the worldwide Anglican Communion, from liberal provinces that celebrated the milestone to conservative branches that raised profound theological objections.

In many parts of the Anglican world, Mullally's appointment was welcomed as a long-overdue step toward equality and inclusion.

Clergy and lay leaders from more progressive provinces applauded the Church of England for breaking the "stained-glass ceiling" and demonstrating that women can occupy the highest offices of spiritual leadership.

Conservative Anglican groups, especially in parts of Africa and the Global South, expressed strong objections to Mullally's leadership, citing her gender and broader concerns about theological direction and biblical interpretation.

Groups, such as the Global Anglican Future Conference, issued statements criticising the appointment.

GAFCON said the decision marks a departure from what it considers the "historic and consensual interpretation" of Scripture and that the Archbishop of Canterbury can no longer function effectively as a unifying leader of a divided Communion.

While the British monarch, King Charles, is head of the Church of England, the Archbishop of Canterbury is the most senior bishop and the spiritual leader of the Church and the worldwide Anglican Communion.

The Church of England began during the 16th-century Reformation and the break with Rome.

The Roman Catholic Church had been the dominant form of Christianity throughout Britain.

The break came with King Henry VIII, who sought to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon after she failed to give birth to a male heir.

However, Pope Clement VII refused to grant the annulment.

According to the Church of England Yearbook 2024, there are more than 93 million Anglicans worldwide, with Nigeria accounting for the largest share at 25 million. The E

According to her official website, Bishop Sarah was educated at South Bank Polytechnic in London and Heythrop College, University of London.

Before being ordained, she worked as a nurse in the National Health Service, which she has described as "an opportunity to reflect the love of God."

She specialised as a cancer nurse and became a ward sister at Westminster Hospital before being made Director of Nursing at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital.