The first female Archbishop of Canterbury has pledged to "create a space where there is difference" as she acknowledged there is not universal support for women bishops.
Dame Sarah Mullally made history when she was named last year as the first woman to hold the high office in its 1,400-year history.
Royals and faith leaders were gathering on Wednesday for her official installation in a ceremony at Canterbury Cathedral, historically known as an enthronement.
“I seek to support everybody's ministry in whatever their theological view is, and to encourage them in their vocation to follow Christ”
Archbishop of Canterbury Dame Sarah Mullally
While the King is technically head of the Church, Dame Sarah has become the most senior bishop and the spiritual leader of the Church and the worldwide Anglican Communion.
Her election to the role was branded "devastating" by Archbishop Henry Ndukuba of the Church of Nigeria, who said last year it was insensitive "to the conviction of the majority of Anglicans who are unable to embrace female headship in the episcopate".
The Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Rwanda and chairman of Gafcon (Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans), Laurent Mbanda, previously published a statement saying the "majority of the Anglican Communion still believes that the Bible requires a male-only episcopacy", insisting it is therefore "impossible for the Archbishop of Canterbury to serve as a focus of unity within the Communion".
Dame Sarah, speaking to the BBC ahead of her enthronement, was asked about continued controversy about women bishops.
She said: "What I'm conscious of is the installation will be a wonderful celebration.
"There'll be lots of people there and I suppose, in my role, in my ministry, what I seek to do is to try and find space and hospitality for everyone, to create a space where there is difference, but there is also welcome, and that I seek to support everybody's ministry in whatever their theological view is, and to encourage them in their vocation to follow Christ."
Dame Sarah previously pledged to speak out on misogyny - something she said she had experienced herself and which she insisted must be spoken about "so that you bring it out into the open".
Crowds gathered outside the cathedral ahead of the service, with one person saying they were keen to "see this brilliant moment in history".
The Prince and Princess of Wales, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch are among guests in the 2,000-strong congregation inside.
Sir Keir, speaking in Parliament on Wednesday, described the position as a "key role in our national life" and said he wished the new archbishop "every success".
Dame Sarah said she is aware of the "significance of being the first female archbishop" and paid tribute to the "women that have supported me in my ministry, and also the men as well}".
Wednesday's ceremony has "women's voices right the way through it", she added.
She said: "There's something about celebrating women, but also being able to say to other people, in a sense, it's entirely possible for you to follow your dreams and what you want to do."
Special features include five of the so-called "Africa Six" - the first female Anglican bishops from across Africa - processing through the Cathedral's nave in their robes.
And, in celebration of the contribution of female scholars, musicians and writers through the years to the Church, choral music will range from the Renaissance to contemporary, including the anthem All Shall Be Well by British composer Joanna Marsh.
Arriving at the cathedral on Wednesday morning, Dame Sarah told the Press Association she was feeling "absolutely great" ahead of her installation.
She got to Canterbury on Sunday following a six-day walking pilgrimage where she aimed to meet people as part of her preparation to take on her new role.
She told the BBC: "Whilst I think I'm just Sarah, people see the Archbishop, so trying to use simple language, you know, listening to them, meeting people, where they are, is really important."
While she was confirmed in post at a St Paul's Cathedral ceremony in January, Wednesday is the first occasion a sermon will be heard from Dame Sarah in her new role.
Dame Sarah has replaced Justin Welby in the role, after he announced his resignation in November 2024 over failures in handling an abuse scandal.
She has also previously acknowledged the challenges ahead because of the "legacy of deep harm and mistrust" she said existed after past safeguarding failures in the Church.
In her first presidential address at the Church's Synod - also know as its parliament - in February, Dame Sarah described safeguarding as a "fundamental, non-negotiable responsibility, sharpened by our past failings and shaped by the work we still have to do".
In her BBC interview this week, she said the Church was "seeking to become more trauma informed, listening to survivors and victims of abuse", and she added that "light should be shone on all our actions, and the more senior we are, the more light should be shone".
She reaffirmed her "commitment to do all I can to ensure that the Church becomes safer and also responds well to victims and survivors of abuse".
The ceremony is taking place despite a recent meningitis outbreak in Canterbury, which sparked a vaccination rollout to students in the area.
Wednesday's ceremony was scheduled to go ahead without any specific safety mitigations being required amid the meningitis outbreak in Kent.
Dame Sarah, in a statement issued last week, said her thoughts and prayers were with the families of two young people who have died in the outbreak, saying her "heart goes out to them in their devastating loss".
The service will not involve Holy Communion, but those gathered may exchange handshakes as is traditional in offering a sign of peace to those nearby.
Officials said they were keeping in contact with health authorities to monitor the situation, but that the event had been "categorised as low risk so will proceed as planned".
Dame Sarah, who was chief nursing officer in England before she was ordained，invited NHS nurses and carers working in hospitals and hospices in Canterbury to attend the ceremony。