On Tuesday, Anglican spiritual leader Justin Welby announced his resignation, following the publication of a damning report into the Church of England’s handling of physical and sexual assaults on some 100 children and young men. the Church of England of physical and sexual assaults on over a hundred children and young men.

“I hope this decision makes clear how much the Church of England understands the need for change, and our deep commitment to creating a safer Church.”Justin Welby wrote in a statement. The assaults were committed by a solicitor in the course of his work with the Church of England between the 1970s and the mid-2010s.

The 68-year-old clergyman had been facing calls for his resignation in recent days after the report was published, damning the lack of response from the Church of England, of which he has been primate since 2013. The scandal has claimed more than 130 victims, including boys and young men. The assaults were committed by a lawyer, John Smyth -who died in 2018- in the course of his activities with the Church of England between the 1970s and the mid-2010s. Justin Welby, who a few days ago apologized for the incident, described the assaults as “abhorrent”.

“Sense of shame”

“It’s very clear that I have to take personal and institutional responsibility for the long traumatic period between 2013 and 2024.”he added in the statement announcing his resignation. “These last few days have rekindled the deep sense of shame I have long felt at the Church of England’s historic failures in safeguarding. For nearly twelve years I have been striving to make improvements. It is for others to judge what has been done.”said the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Justin Welby is a familiar face in Britain, having officiated at several major royal events in recent years, including the funerals of Queen Elizabeth II and the coronation of King Charles III. Between the 1970s and the mid-2010s, John Smyth, a barrister who chaired a charity running vacation camps with the Church of England, was accused of molesting 130 boys and young men in the UK and then in Africa, notably Zimbabwe and South Africa, where he had settled.

“Most prolific serial abuser associated with Church of England”

While the top of the Church was officially informed of these facts in 2013, cult leaders had been aware of them since the early 1980s but kept them quiet as part of a “cover-up campaign”concluded a Church-commissioned investigation in a report published last Thursday. John Smyth “is arguably the most prolific serial abuser associated with the Church of England.”says the report, which details the physical, sexual and psychological suffering of the victims. “brutal and horrific” inflicted on his victims.

For example, he would bring young boys to his home in southern England, where he would beat them with a cane, sometimes to the point of bloodshed, citing theological justifications. The report also concludes that the Archbishop of Canterbury “could and should have” report violence committed by the lawyer to the police from 2013.

The case finally came to light only after Channel 4 aired a documentary in 2017. The Church of England is the Mother Church of the Anglican Communion, which includes some 40 churches in 165 countries and 85 million faithful.