Archbishop of Canterbury Will Meet New Pope

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, will lead representatives from the Anglican Delegation in Rome this weekend in a brief audience with His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI on Monday morning (25th April) in Rome. The meeting will be one of a series of Ecumenical meetings taking place in the Vatican.

Dr Williams will travel to Rome on Saturday in time for the solemn inauguration of the new Pontificate in St Peter's Square on Sunday morning.

Whilst in Rome, Dr Williams will also preside and preach at a Eucharist in the Anglican church of All Saints and preach at a service of Vespers for the Community of Sant' Egidio at the Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastavere.

The official Anglican Communion Delegation for the solemn inauguration includes:

The Archbishop of Canterbury and Mrs Williams

The Rt Revd John Flack, Director of the Anglican Centre in Rome and the Archbishop of Canterbury's Representative to the Holy See

Canon Kenneth Kearon, Secretary General of the Anglican Communion

Canon Gregory Cameron, Director of Ecumenical Affairs for the Anglican Communion, also Secretary of Anglican Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC) and of the Anglican-Roman Catholic Commission for Unity and Mission (IARCUM)

The Most Revd Drexel Gomez, Primate of the West Indies and Chair of the Inter Anglican Standing Committee on Ecumenical Relations (IASCER)

The Rt Revd David Beetge, Anglican Co-Chair of ARCIC

The Rt Revd Michael Nazir-Ali, (ARCIC)

The Rt Revd Geoffrey Rowell, Bishop of the Diocese in Europe (C of E)

The Revd Jonathan Goodall (also Diocese in Europe)

Rt Revd Chris Epting (Representing ECUSA)

Rt Revd Pierre Whalon (Convocation of American Churches in Europe)

The Revd Andrew Norman Archbishop's Secretary for International and Ecumenical Affairs

The Revd Jonathan Jennings, Archbishop's Press Secretary