LONDON (AP) — Bishop of London Sarah Mullally was announced Friday as the next Archbishop of Canterbury, the first time in 1,400 years that a woman has been chosen as the spiritual leader of the Church of England. The choice of Mullally as Archbishop of Canterbury-designate marks a major milestone for a church that ordained its first female priests in 1994 and its first female bishop in 2015. She follows 105 men who have held the role since St. Augustine became the first Archbishop of Canterbury in the year 597. Sarah Mullally, the new Archbishop of Canterbury, spiritual leader of the world's 85 million Anglicans, speaks inside Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, England, Friday, Oct. 3, 2025. While each national church has its own leader, the Archbishop of Canterbury is considered first among equals.