Who is the current Archbishop of Canterbury?
Dame Sarah Mullally is the current Archbishop of Canterbury, the 106th holder of the office. She was confirmed on the 28th of January 2026 and is the first woman to hold the position.
Questions about Archbishop of Canterbury
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Who was the first Archbishop of Canterbury?
Saint Augustine of Canterbury was the first Archbishop of Canterbury. He was sent to England by Pope Gregory I and arrived in Kent in 597 AD, where he was accepted by King Æthelberht after the king's conversion to Christianity around 598.
How is the Archbishop of Canterbury appointed?
The Archbishop of Canterbury is appointed by the British monarch on the advice of the prime minister. In practice, candidates are selected by the Crown Nominations Commission, a Church of England body that advises the prime minister on the appointment.
What is the Archbishop of Canterbury's role in the Anglican Communion?
The Archbishop of Canterbury serves as the ceremonial head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and is recognised by convention as primus inter pares, meaning first among equals, among all Anglican primates. The archbishop holds no legal authority outside England but has convened the Lambeth Conferences of worldwide Anglican bishops approximately every ten years since 1867.
When did the Archbishop of Canterbury break from the Catholic Church?
The break came during the English Reformation when King Henry VIII severed communion with Rome and declared himself head of the Church of England. Thomas Cranmer, appointed Archbishop in 1533, became the first Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury and played a central role in shaping Anglican doctrine.
What is the St Augustine Gospels used by the Archbishop of Canterbury?
The St Augustine Gospels is a gospel book catalogued as Cambridge Manuscript 286, held in the Parker Library at Corpus Christi College, University of Cambridge. Dated to 6th-century Italy, it is believed to be directly associated with Augustine's mission to England and is still used during the swearing-in ceremony of new Archbishops of Canterbury.