Mullally prepares to be enthroned as Church of England's first female leader

LONDON, March 23 - When Sarah Mullally is enthroned as the Church of England's first female Archbishop of Canterbury on Wednesday, she will inherit a task that has eluded her predecessors: uniting a divided 85-million-strong global Anglican Communion. Read more at straitstimes.com.

LONDON, March 23 - When Sarah Mullally is enthroned as the Church of England's first female Archbishop of Canterbury on Wednesday, she will inherit a task that has eluded her predecessors: uniting a divided 85-million-strong global Anglican Communion.

Mullally, 63, will be installed at Canterbury Cathedral before an audience of 2,000 guests, including heir-to-the-throne Prince William, his wife Kate, and Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Her appointment in October drew sharp criticism from a conservative grouping of Anglican churches in mostly African and Asian countries called Gafcon, which this month established a new council in a direct challenge to her leadership.

The bloc, which had rejected Mullally's predecessor Justin Welby's leadership over same-sex blessings, opposes the ordination of women - approved in the Church of England for more than three decades - and greater inclusion of LGBTQ+ members.

SERVICE TO BLEND TRADITION WITH GLOBAL SYMBOLISM

The service for Mullally's enthronement as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury will blend centuries-old tradition with global symbolism.