Pope Leo XIV meets with Archbishop Sarah Mullally, urging Christian unity
via Punch Nigeria1 min read
Pope Leo XIV met with Archbishop Sarah Mullally, the first woman to lead Anglican Christians, at the Vatican on Monday. The meeting was part of Mullally's first international trip since becoming the Archbishop of Canterbury last month. Pope Leo emphasized the importance of Christian unity for more effective evangelization, stating that divisions weaken the capacity to bring peace to the world. He noted progress on historically divisive issues between the two churches but acknowledged new challenges without specifying them. Pope Leo, leader of 1.4 billion Catholics, stressed that these challenges should not prevent joint efforts to proclaim Christ. Mullally, a 63-year-old former nurse, leads the Church of England, which separated from the Catholic Church in the 16th century. While relations have improved over centuries, issues like the ordination of women, forbidden in the Catholic Church, remain divisive. The Church of England has permitted women bishops since 2014. Mullally's visit follows King Charles III's meeting with Pope Leo six months prior, marking the first time a supreme governor of the Church of England prayed with a pontiff.
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