Pope Leo Meets Archbishop Sarah Mullally in Historic Vatican Encounter
First meeting between Catholic and Anglican leaders marks symbolic reconciliation between churches that split in 1534
Quick Look
- Pope Leo, the first American leader of the Catholic Church, met with Archbishop Sarah Mullally, the first woman to lead the Anglican Communion, at the Vatican on Monday.
- The historic encounter brought together the leaders of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics and 85 million Anglicans for the first time, nearly 500 years after the churches split in acrimony in 1534.
- The two exchanged gifts, prayed together in a 17th-century chapel, and discussed the need for unity despite new problems that have arisen in recent decades.
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Why It Matters
The Catholic Church and Church of England split in 1534 during the reign of King Henry VIII when he broke from papal authority to establish the Church of England. This meeting represents the highest-level encounter between the two denominations since the split, with both leaders being firsts in their positions – Leo as the first American pope and Mullally as the first woman archbishop of Canterbury.
Pope Leo and new Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally met for the first time on Monday, in a symbolic encounter at the Vatican in which the leaders of the long-separated Catholic Church and Church of England exchanged gifts and prayed together. Mullally, the first woman to serve as spiritual leader of the world's 85 million Anglicans, was welcomed by Leo, the first US leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics, into his formal office at the Vatican's ornate apostolic palace. The two, who lead Christian denominations that split from each other in acrimony in 1534, met privately before going together to a 17th century chapel where they recited prayers in unison. "The world needed this message at this time – thank you," the archbishop said. "It reminded us that despite our sufferings, people long for life in all its fullness, and countless people are working each day for this vision of the common good." Leo told Mullally that progress had been made in drawing the Catholic Church and Church of England together but lamented that "new problems have arisen in recent decades", without specifying those problems.
Open Questions
- What specific 'new problems' did Pope Leo refer to regarding Catholic-Anglican relations?
- What gifts were exchanged between the two leaders?
- Will this meeting lead to formal reconciliation talks?
