The head of the Church of England, Justin Welby, has resigned after a scandal over the cover-up of sexual abuse

Justin Welby, head of the Church of England and spiritual leader of the Anglican Communion worldwide, has resigned after an investigation found he failed to report physical and sexual abuse by a Christian summer camp volunteer to the police as soon as he became aware of it. of it.

Pressure has been mounting on the Archbishop of Canterbury after the release of findings sparked outrage at a lack of accountability at the highest levels of the church. Some members of the General Synod, the national body of this church, started a petition for Welby to step down, saying “he no longer trusts his pastors.”

“I believe that withdrawing will benefit the Anglican Church, which I love and am honored to serve,” he said in a statement.

Welby’s position has put him in the spotlight over the past two years, at church events surrounding the death of Queen Elizabeth II and the coronation of King Charles.

More to come