The Church of Ireland’s Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, Archbishop John McDowell, will be a member of the delegation of the Primates of the Anglican Communion attending the enthronement of Pope Leo XIV this Sunday (18th May 2025).
The delegation will be led by the Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Melanesia and Bishop of Central Melanesia, the Most Revd Leonard Dawea, from the Solomon Islands. It will also include the Archbishop of Cape Town and Primate of Southern Africa, the Most Revd Dr Thabo Makgoba, and the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church in the USA, the Most Revd Sean Rowe.
Archbishop McDowell remarked: “It is an honour to have been included in the delegation of Primates from the worldwide Anglican Communion who have been invited to attend the enthronement of Pope Leo XIV in Rome on Sunday, 18th May. The members of the Anglican Communion delegation will also be present at a General Audience to be given by the Pope on Monday, 19th May.
“The Anglican Communion has been in formal theological dialogue with the Roman Catholic Church since the late 1960s following Archbishop Michael Ramsey’s visit to Rome to meet and to pray with Pope Paul VI. These formal dialogues are deepened and strengthened by Anglican attendance at such events as the enthronement of a Pope and also by the close working relationship between Anglican and Roman Catholic bishops in their respective countries.
“I have been delighted, and my episcopal ministry has been enriched, by my friendship and partnership in the Gospel with Archbishop Eamon Martin, just as my predecessors have in their day. I would like to take this opportunity again to offer the Roman Catholic people of Ireland, their priests and bishops the best wishes of the Church of Ireland. Please be assured of our prayers for the work and witness of your new Chief Shepherd, Leo XIV.”
The Primates leading the Anglican Communion member churches will be joined by the Archbishop of York, the Most Revd Stephen Cottrell.
The Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC) was established by Archbishop Ramsey and Pope Paul VI in 1967 and is currently in its third phase of work, which was commenced by Archbishop Rowan Williams and Pope Benedict XVI in 2011.