Picture: L-R: Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally and Pope Leo XIV
The newly installed Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, will travel to Rome this weekend for a four-day pilgrimage, including a meeting with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on April 27.
Describing the trip as a spiritual journey, Mullally will visit the tombs of St. Peter and St. Paul, continuing a tradition of Archbishops engaging with the papacy since 1966 — a milestone that reshaped relations between the Anglican and Roman Catholic churches.
The visit carries symbolic weight, as Mullally becomes the first female Archbishop of Canterbury to meet a pope, highlighting contrasts between the Anglican Church, which ordains women, and the Catholic Church which ordains only male priesthood.
Both leaders are expected to share warm relations, with Mullally expressing eagerness for dialogue and prayer.
The trip also marks her first overseas visit, underscoring its importance for her global standing, especially ahead of a planned visit to Africa, where some Anglican leaders oppose her leadership.
Beyond symbolism, the meeting may advance ongoing ecumenical discussions on key issues such as women’s ordination and shared Communion, longstanding barriers to full unity.
Mullally emphasized the need for cooperation, saying both churches must work together to promote peace, justice, and hope in a divided world.
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Anglican Church, Catholic Church, Sarah Mullally, Pope Leo XIV, Vatican, Ecumenism, Religion, Christianity
