VATICAN CITY: Pope Leo and new Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally met for the first time on Monday, in a symbolic encounter in Rome 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 American leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics, into his formal office at the Vatican’s ornate Apostolic Palace. The two leaders met privately before going together to a 17th-century chapel where they recited prayers in unison.

In formal remarks, Mullally thanked Leo for his new, forceful speaking style. On a four-nation Africa tour, Leo sharply denounced war and despotism, angering US President Donald Trump.

“The world needed this message at this time thank you,” she 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 them.

The pontiff says Catholic Church and Church of England should try to spread Christ’s message together

“We must not allow these continuing challenges to prevent us from using every possible opportunity to proclaim Christ to the world together,” said the pope.

Historic shift for Anglicans

Mullally, visiting Rome this week, was installed as Archbishop of Canterbury in March, a historic shift that received mixed reactions from the global Anglican Communion, upsetting more conservative provinces in Africa and Asia. She described the meeting with the pope as “one of great warmth, and great encouragement, and of hope”.

“I think we both recognise that, regardless of me being a woman, this is a significant moment in that both our churches have been on a journey together to deepen our friendship,” she told reporters.

The Church of England broke from the Catholic Chu­rch in 1534 after Pope Clement VII refused King Henry VIII’s request for an annulment of his marriage to Cath­erine of Aragon. The two denominations were at od­­ds for centuries but have moved closer in recent decades.

Their teachings align on many major issues, though the Catholic Church does not ordain women and generally does not allow priests to marry. Mullally acknowledged the significance of being the first female archbishop.

“I cannot ignore the fact that my appointment as a woman has meant something to people, and that then has opened up the opportunity to be heard by them, maybe in a different way,” she told reporters.

Earlier in the day, she promised in her remarks to the pope that she would remain united with him in prayer: “We receive from one another gifts we cannot generate alone: depth in prayer, courage in witness, perseverance in suffering, and faithfulness in service.” King Charles, the supreme governor of the Church of England, made a state visit to the Vatican in October.

Published in Dawn, April 28th, 2026