UK names Sarah Mullally as first female Archbishop to lead Church of England

Bishop of London Sarah Mullally speaks during the annual Lord Mayor's Banquet at Guildhall in London, Britain on December 2, 2024. 

Photo credit: Reuters

Sarah Mullally was appointed as the new Archbishop of Canterbury on Friday, becoming the first woman to lead the Church of England in the 1,400-year history of the role.

Mullally, 63, also becomes the ceremonial head of some 85 million Anglicans worldwide,who are divided between conservative Christians, especially in Africa, where homosexuality is outlawed in some countries, and their generally more liberal counterparts in the West.