Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, head of the Church of England and spiritual leader of the global Anglican Communion, resigned Tuesday after an investigation found that he failed to tell police about serial physical and sexual abuse by a volunteer at Christian summer camps as soon as he became aware of it.

Archbishop Justin Welby, the most senior bishop in the Church of England and leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion, resigned Tuesday under pressure over allegations that he failed to respond adequately to accusations against one of the most prolific child abusers in the church’s history.

"As I step down I do so in sorrow with all victims and survivors of abuse," the Rev. Justin Welby wrote in a statement shared on social media