19/05/2025
The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell was in Rome to attend the Mass of Inauguration which saw Pope Leo XIV officially begin his pontificate. The service took place in St Peter’s Square yesterday and was attended by thousands of people, including church leaders from around the world.
Archbishop Stephen was part of a delegation from the Anglican Communion which consisted of primates and Anglican leaders, representing the prayers and support of Anglicans around the world.
This morning Archbishop Stephen also joined the official ecumenical and interreligious delegations private audience with His Holiness Pope Leo inside the Vatican.
Archbishop Stephen said, “It has been an honour to be here in Rome to witness and pray at the inaugural Mass and to meet with Pope Leo in person alongside other ecumenical leaders. At his inaugural mass, Pope Leo said that now is the hour for love, a beautiful invitation for the whole world to see ourselves as sisters and brothers because of the gospel, because of what God has done in Jesus Christ.
"It is clear to me, that he longs for the unity of God's Church and sees working for that unity as one of his priorities, so that the world may believe. I look forward to continuing the work we have been doing to increase the co-operation and understanding between the Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches.”