Church of England names first female Archbishop

Sarah Mullally has been named the new Archbishop of Canterbury, becoming the first woman to hold the post. 

Prime Minister Keir Starmer congratulated Mullally, 63, wished her success, and expressed hope for close cooperation in the future, Caliber.Az reports per the office of the UK Prime Minister.

The Archbishop of Canterbury is regarded as playing a pivotal role in the national life of the country.

This marks the first election of an Archbishop of Canterbury since the Church of England allowed women to become bishops in 2014.

It is the first time in nearly 500 years of history that the religious body has nominated a woman to its highest office. 

The Church of England has been without a leader since last November when Justin Welby resigned over a child abuse cover-up scandal.

As a reminder, the Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, as well as the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, which has around 85 million members in more than 165 countries.

By Sabina Mammadli