Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has resigned following a damning report revealing that the Church of England covered up s*xual abuse perpetrated by a British barrister.

Welby, the highest-ranking bishop of the Church of England and spiritual leader of 85 million Anglicans worldwide, faced mounting pressure to step down after the independent Makin Report criticized his insufficient response to allegations against John Smyth, described as one of the Church’s most prolific abusers.

In his resignation letter, Welby expressed deep remorse, acknowledging both “personal and institutional responsibility” for the Church’s failure to act against “heinous abuses.”

He stated, “The past few days have intensified my longstanding shame over the Church of England’s historic safeguarding failures. I hope my resignation underscores our commitment to meaningful change and to building a safer church. I step down in sorrow, standing with all victims and survivors of abuse.”

Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, the Church’s second-highest official, praised Welby’s decision, calling it “the right and honorable thing to do.”

Welby, 68, resigned five days after the report singled him out for his handling of abuse allegations dating back to the 1970s.

The Makin Report detailed how John Smyth, a British lawyer, abused over 100 boys and young men over four decades, subjecting them to severe physical and s*xual abuse.

Smyth inflicted up to 800 strokes with a cane on some victims and provided them with diapers to manage the bleeding. He would often lay over the victims, sometimes kissing their necks or backs.

Smyth was the chair of the Iwerne Trust, which sponsored Christian camps in Dorset, England, where Welby worked as a dormitory officer before his ordination. Smyth moved to Africa in 1984, where he continued his abusive behavior until his death in 2018.

The Church of England was aware of the abuse allegations at the highest levels by 2013, the same year Welby became Archbishop of Canterbury. The report suggested that had the allegations been reported to police at the time, a full investigation could have been launched, potentially leading to Smyth facing charges before his death.

Smyth died in Cape Town in 2018 at age 75 while under investigation by Hampshire Police, but was never prosecuted for his crimes, leaving a legacy of abuse without justice, the review concluded.