In a powerful Christmas Day address, the incoming Archbishop of Canterbury made a heartfelt plea for national unity, arguing that shared humanity must overcome divisive debates on immigration. Dame Sarah Mullally, who will legally assume the role of archbishop on 28 January, delivered her sermon at St Paul's Cathedral, setting a tone of compassion and openness for her future leadership.
A Sermon of Hope and Interruption
Speaking in her current capacity as the Bishop of London, Dame Sarah told the congregation that true joy emerges precisely where despair seems strongest. She called on people to 'make room' in their homes, churches, and public discourse, allowing their lives to be 'interrupted by the needs of others'.
She directly addressed the fractures in contemporary society, stating, 'Our national conversations about immigration continue to divide us, when our common humanity should unite us.' Mullally acknowledged the weight of economic pressure and the experience of marginalisation felt by many, framing Christian joy as 'an act of resistance' that meets suffering with courage rather than ignoring it.
Archbishop of York Reflects on Holy Land Walls
The call for breaking down barriers was echoed by the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, in his own Christmas sermon. He shared a poignant experience from a visit to the Holy Land, where he was stopped at checkpoints and 'intimidated by local Israeli militias' who prevented him from visiting Palestinian families in the occupied West Bank.
Cottrell described being given a nativity scene carving from Bethlehem that depicted a large wall blocking the three kings, a symbol of the physical and metaphorical barriers dividing people. 'We have become fearful of each other, and especially of strangers,' he lamented, warning that this fear risks causing a failure to welcome Christ in those seeking refuge or living in hardship.
Pope Leo Laments Gaza Suffering in First Christmas Address
From the Vatican, Pope Leo used his first Christmas sermon since his election in May to decry the conditions faced by Palestinians in Gaza. Reflecting on Jesus being born in a stable, he asked, 'How, then, can we not think of the tents in Gaza, exposed for weeks to rain, wind and cold?'
He extended his lament to the homeless globally and to the destruction of wars, criticising 'the falsehoods that fill the pompous speeches' of those who send the young to fight. His message underscored a theme of fragility and human suffering prevalent across the Christian leaders' Christmas addresses.
Dame Sarah Mullally, a former Chief Nursing Officer for England made a dame in 2005, has served as Bishop of London since 2018. Her Confirmation of Election ceremony at St Paul's Cathedral on 28 January will mark her legal transition to Archbishop of Canterbury. She will remain Bishop of London until that date, with her enthronement scheduled for 25 March at Canterbury Cathedral.
She succeeds the 105th archbishop, Justin Welby, who formally resigned in early January after announcing his intention to step down in November 2024 over his handling of a major church abuse scandal. The Christmas sermons collectively highlighted a church leadership deeply engaged with global conflict, social division, and the imperative of compassion as a new era for the Church of England begins.
