Thousands to gather for enthronement of first female Archbishop of Canterbury
Dame Sarah Mullally, the first woman to be appointed to the Church of England’s highest ministerial post, has spoken of the “tremendous privilege” she feels ahead of her official enthronement.
He is expected to arrive in Canterbury on Sunday, the culmination of a six-day walking journey that started in London.
As the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury, Dame Sarah is making history as the first woman to hold this prestigious office in its 1,400-year existence.
Its official installation, also known as the enthronement, is planned for Wednesday at Canterbury Cathedral.
More than 2,000 attendees are expected to attend the ceremony, including British royals and representatives of faiths from around the world.
Officials confirmed no safety measures were required for the event despite the meningitis outbreak in Kent. However, they stated that they are in contact with health authorities to monitor the situation closely.
Dame Sarah said in a statement earlier this week that her thoughts and prayers were with the families of the two young people who died in the epidemic, adding that her “heart is with them in their devastating loss”.
Wednesday’s ceremony marked a symbolic beginning to Dame Sarah’s term as Archbishop of Canterbury; This follows a lengthy process in which he was first appointed to the role last October and his election was confirmed at a ceremony in St Paul’s Cathedral in January.
He will deliver his first sermon of his duties at Canterbury Cathedral to an audience that includes the Prince and Princess of Wales, who represented the King at the historic ceremony.
Charles is the supreme governor of the Church of England, but his son and heir William will act as head of state at the ceremony, at which time an order from the King will be given for the appointment of Dame Sarah.
Other guests will include more than two dozen primates from the Anglican Communion, Christian churches around the world of which Dame Sarah is currently spiritual leader.
These will include some of the first female Anglican bishops from across Africa, who will take part in a procession through the Cathedral.
In tribute to the diversity of the Anglican Communion, the service will feature a variety of languages, including singing in Urdu, reading the Bible in Spanish and a prayer in Zambia’s Bemba language.
The pope will not attend but will send a representative from the Vatican and the new Archbishop of Westminster, the leader of Catholics in England and Wales, will give a reading from the Old Testament.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch are expected to attend the ceremony, as well as other faith leaders, charities, healthcare workers and school children.
Dame Sarah, who was chief nursing officer in England before her appointment, also invited NHS nurses and carers working in hospitals and care homes in Canterbury to attend the ceremony.
He said: “As I prepare to begin my ministry as Archbishop of Canterbury, I am grateful for the prayers and support I have received from people here and around the world.
It is a tremendous privilege to be welcomed into the city and diocese of Canterbury, and I am grateful to share this moment with people of all ages and backgrounds from the Church of England, the Anglican Communion, our nation and around the world.
“Our world today needs the love, healing, and hope that we find in Jesus Christ. I continue to pray to renew our trust in this good news and rededicate ourselves to sharing the joy of the Gospel.”
The Reverend David Monteith, Dean of Canterbury, said the installation of the first female Archbishop was “almost unimaginable even 50 years ago”.
He added: “This day is important. As we combine centuries of tradition in this ancient ministry with elements unique to Sarah’s ministry, we welcome her to our Cathedral and diocese and pray for her as she takes on the role of Archbishop of Canterbury.”
