Sarah Mullally, the new archbishop of Canterbury, spiritual leader of the world's 85 million Anglicans, poses for the media inside Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, England, Friday, Oct. 3, 2025. NAIROBI, Kenya (RNS) — Anglican women bishops in Africa are celebrating the unprecedented appointment of the Rev. Sarah Mullally as archbishop-elect of Canterbury, becoming on Friday (Oct. 3) the first woman selected as spiritual leader of the Church of England. Former Canterbury Archbishop Justin Welby left the post in January, after resigning amid allegations he mishandled a series of abuses by volunteers at Christian summer camps. Being the first woman archbishop of Canterbury, we believe things will be done differently.