Archbishop Sarah Mullally’s confirmation of election will be held today at St Paul’s London, making her the first woman to officially become Archbishop of Canterbury in the 1,400-year history of the office.
Archbishop Sarah said, “It is an extraordinary and humbling privilege to have been called to be the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury. 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.”
Following the confirmation, Archbishop Sarah will pay homage to the King and meet with the leaders of other Christian denominations and other faiths in the UK.
She will also preside over the General Synod from 9-13 February. The agenda for the Synod was announced at a press conference on 21 January.
It will include debates on the Living in Love and Faith process, which explores the Church’s approach to identity, sexuality, relationships and marriage; social care; poverty and the Church and the legacy of the Faith in the City report 40 years ago; Church pensions; the safeguarding code of practice; and mental health and the Church.
Archbishop Sarah’s installation service will then be held at Canterbury Cathedral in March, where she will preach her first sermon as Archbishop of Canterbury.
The confirmation of election today is a legal ceremony that takes place within a church service. Archbishop Sarah will take up the primatial cross and give the blessing at the end of the service, as her first official act as Archbishop.
The service will involve participation from local schoolchildren and choirs as well as senior clergy, with hymns and readings intended to reflect the diversity of the Church of England and the broader Anglican Communion.
The Choir of St Paul’s Cathedral will sing an anthem by Elgar, and there will also be music from the Christ’s Hospital School’s gospel choir and a Xhosa South African chant, “Thuma Mina” (Send Me Lord).
A student from Urswick School, Hackney, will give a reading in both English and Portuguese, the majority spoken language in the Anglican Province of Mozambique and Angola, with which the Diocese of London has a pastoral link.
Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell said, “As Archbishop Sarah takes up these new responsibilities and looks towards the beginning of her public ministry at her installation in Canterbury in March, it is a joy to be alongside her at the confirmation of her election as Archbishop of Canterbury.
“Sarah’s clarity of thinking, wisdom, grace and holiness is what the Church needs right now. I very much look forward to working with her and give thanks to God for his call in her life.”
Bishop Joanne Grenfell, the Church of England’s lead safeguarding bishop, said, “As Bishop of Stepney, I worked closely alongside Bishop Sarah and witnessed her full commitment to safeguarding – strengthening systems and processes, and improving the culture across a large, complex organisation.
“I will be praying for her as she begins this vital ministry knowing she will lead the Church of England both in confidence and in service.”