New Anglican head to make first visit to Vatican

10 June, 2013 - The new spiritual head of Anglicans worldwide will make his first visit to the Vatican on Friday to meet Pope Francis, the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity said on Monday. During the one-day visit, Archbishop Justin Welby of Canterbury, the leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion, that has some 85 million faithful in more than 165 countries, will also hold talks with the Pontifical Council and visit the Necropolis containing the burial place of St Peter underneath St. Peter’s Basilica and pray at the tomb of Blessed John Paul II. The 57-year old Welby, elected Anglican leader on Jan. 10, this year, was unable to attend the inauguration of Pope Francis on March 19^th, as he was installed at the start of his own ministry in Canterbury Cathedral two days later. The July 14 meeting between the leaders of the two Churches will comprise a time of private conversation, followed by addresses and a mid-day prayer service. The Archbishop will be accompanied by his wife, Caroline, and his official representative in Rome, Archbishop David Moxon, as well by Catholic Archbishop Vincent Nichols of Westminster, England. The Pontifical Council noted that Pope Francis and Archbishop Welby share common concerns such as global justice, ethical regulation of financial markets, building bridges between people of every nation and safeguarding marriage and other Christian values in society. The Anglican communion has its roots in the Church of England, which split from the Holy See in 1534 when English King Henry VIII was refused a marriage annulment.