Cancer nurse turned archbishop celebrates election as first woman to lead Church of England

Sarah Mullally, a former cancer nurse, is being publicly installed as the Archbishop of Canterbury on Wednesday, marking her formal start as the first woman to lead the Church of England. While she officially assumed the role in January, this event celebrates her leadership of both the Church of England and the global Anglican Communion, a group of over 100 million members. The ceremony, attended by prominent figures like Prince William and Prime Minister Keir Starmer, coincides with the Feast of the Annunciation, honoring Mary, the mother of Jesus. Mullally's appointment represents a significant moment for the Church of England, which has been ordaining female priests since 1994 and female bishops since 2015. Her leadership begins during a period of division within the Anglican Communion, particularly regarding issues like the role of women.

Sarah Mullally is being installed as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury, the first woman to hold the position in the Church of England's history. She assumes leadership during a challenging period for the church, which faces safeguarding failures, internal divisions, and questions about its relevance in modern society. Other news includes the US potentially deploying troops to the Middle East amid escalating strikes, and Donald Trump's claim of productive talks with Iran. Rachel Reeves has stated that future energy bill support would be targeted, not universal. Additionally, the meningitis B vaccination program will expand in Kent, and Meta has been ordered to pay $375 million for misleading consumers about platform safety. Finally, Ofcom will investigate climate change denial complaints.