The Archbishop of Canterbury met and prayed with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV at the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City on the morning of Monday April 27, during her pilgrimage to Rome.

Archbishop Sarah had a private meeting with the Pope, after which the Pope and Archbishop each gave an address. Archbishop Sarah also introduced the Pope to her delegation and exchanged gifts with His Holiness.

Today’s meeting with Pope Leo was part of the Archbishop of Canterbury’s four-day pilgrimage which began on Saturday April 25. The purpose of the visit is to strengthen Anglican–Roman Catholic relations through prayer, personal encounter, and formal theological dialogue. It aims to deepen bonds of communion, affirm a shared witness, and encourage ongoing collaboration at both global and local levels.

Archbishop Sarah was joined at the papal audience by the Most Revd Richard Moth, Archbishop of Westminster; the Rt Revd Anthony Ball, Director of the Anglican Centre in Rome; the Revd Dr Matthias Grebe, National Adviser for Ecumenical Relations; and Canon Margaret Cave, Director for Episcopal Ministry.

The Anglican Church of Canada has convened a panel of clergy and bishops to study a pair of proposed reforms to the structure of the worldwide Anglican Communion, known as the Nairobi-Cairo Proposals.

Canon Scott Sharman, General Synod’s animator for ecumenical and interfaith relations, says the goal of the informal group—members of which were selected based on their experience in Communion affairs—is to ensure Canadian delegates to this summer’s Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) meeting in Belfast, Northern Ireland are informed and ready to discuss the proposals with representatives from around the world.