THE Archbishop of Canterbury introduced herself by her first name to schoolchildren as a “sense of humility in coming before God”, the incoming chaplain to the Archbishop, the Revd Claire Dowding, said after Archbishop Mullally’s installation on Wednesday.
After the installation, Ms Dowding told the Church Times that the most meaningful moment of the service for her was when Archbishop Mullally stood at the door of Canterbury Cathedral and was greeted by the pupils from the school. “She just introduced herself as Sarah, and it was just so moving, that sense of humility as her coming before God, just using her first name,” she said.
“It was an historic occasion and a wonderful moment in the life of the Church.”
The Bishop of Bujumbura, in Burundi, the Rt Revd Eraste Bigirimana, said that he was “very happy to attend this vibrant and good service.
“This is the first time to see the installation of a woman as the Archbishop of Canterbury. It is really very special for the Church.”
Reflecting on the service, the Revd Vicky Coneys, a priest in Canterbury diocese, said: “It was very historic to see Archbishop Sarah sitting on St Augustine’s throne. It’s a privilege to be there and to feel that there are people, Christians, all around the world, who are part of that. It was really special.”
Before the installation, the Tower Captain of the Canterbury Cathedral Company of Change Ringers, Dr Tom Brett, said: “While we always strive to ring to a high standard for whichever service we ring for, the installation of the Archbishop is one of the biggest and most important of them all. The eyes and ears of the world are on the Cathedral.”
Dr Brett, who who began ringing at Canterbury Cathedral in 1983, said that after the installation they rang a quarter-peal, “where we ring continuously for around 50 minutes”.
