From nurse to Lambeth Palace, Dame Sarah Mullally was yesterday confirmed as the next Archbishop of Canterbury.
The 'Confirmation of Election' at St Paul's Cathedral was the moment where she legally became Archbishop of Canterbury, though her public ministry will begin in March at her installation service at Canterbury Cathedral. A Confirmation of Election combines a church service with a legal ceremony (as explained here, when Bishop Michael was confirmed as Bishop of Lichfield in 2016) and usually takes place at the church of Mary le Bow in London, or less often St Paul's Cathedral.
Central to the service was 'The Charge', in which the duties and expectations for her as Archbishop were delivered by a mix of clergy and laity, young and old, concluding with the most personal advice for the expectations she may have of herself and affirmation of vocation for her, and applicable to all:
"I think one of the very worst pieces of advice human beings can give each other, be it a job interview, a first date, or the confirmation of election to be the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury, is this Sarah ‘Be yourself’; for outside of that new humanity which we have in Jesus Christ, ‘just being yourself’ is the problem, since we are constantly told that we are not good enough, not thin enough, not young enough, not clever enough, or in our case, when the Church itself forgets the gospel and its radical message of hospitality and inclusion, not holy enough, not penitent enough, not wise enough: yet, standing here, one disciple speaking to another, and therefore one beggar telling another beggar where to get bread, it is the very best - and indeed the only - thing I have to say to you: Sarah; be yourself. For it is you that God has called to be 106th Archbishop of Canterbury. It is you, with your particular blend of gifts, passions, experiences, and with your wisdom and your ‘uniquely blessed-Sarah’ lens through which to see and understand and share the gospel of Jesus Christ and build the Church."
Her Installation at Canterbury Cathedral takes place on 25 March: She is the first woman to hold the office of Archbishop of Canterbury in its 1,400-year history.
Images: Graham Lacdao / St Paul’s Cathedral