On Sunday, 18 May, the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV will be held in St. Peter’s Square, in Rome at 10 AM. A delegation from the Anglican Communion will attend, consisting of primates and Anglican leaders. They will join other Anglican pilgrims and representatives from other Christian World Communions and other religions.

The delegation will represent the prayers and support of Anglicans around the world as Pope Leo is inaugurated. The delegation will also embody the commitment of the Anglican Communion to walk in friendship and partnership with the Catholic Church.

Some of the representatives attending are involved in the ecumenical work of ARCIC and IARCCUM. The Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC) is a theological dialogue that has achieved landmark agreements since 1971 and helped to shape contemporary Anglican and Roman Catholic conversations about communion, authority, and synodality. The International Anglican-Roman Catholic Commission for Unity and Mission (IARCCUM) acts as a sister commission tasked with receiving the work of ARCIC and discerning ways that Anglicans and Roman Catholics can work together locally, especially at the episcopal level.

A third commission, the Inter-Anglican Standing Commission on Unity, Faith and Order (IASCUFO) is also engaged in writing a response to the 2024 publication of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity entitled The Bishop of Rome. That text marks a significant attempt by the Catholic Church to continue to engage other Christians and churches about the gift and promise of the pope’s universal ministry of primacy, a topic that ARCIC has engaged repeatedly, most recently in The Gift of Authority (1998).

The delegation is being hosted by the Anglican Centre in Rome, which since 1966 has embodied the Anglican commitment to cultivating close ties with the Catholic Church, to welcoming Anglican visitors to Rome, and to studying and receiving the fruits of ecumenical research. The centre's Director is the Rt Revd Anthony Ball.

The Anglican delegation will be led by the Most Revd Leonard Dawea, Bishop of Temotu and Primate of the Anglican Church of Melanesia, who serves on the Primates’ Standing Committee and is a member of IARCCUM.

Alongside Archbishop Leonard, other Primates on the Anglican delegation will include The Most Revd and Rt Hon Stephen Cottrell (Archbishop of York and Primate of England), the Most Revd John McDowell (Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland and a member of the Primates’ Standing Committee), the Most Revd Sean Rowe (Presiding Bishop and Primate of The Episcopal Church) and the Most Revd Thabo Makgoba (Archbishop of Cape Town and Metropolitan of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa). Other Anglican leaders will also be present.

Speaking about leading the delegation, the Most Revd Leonard Dawea, Bishop of Temotu and Primate of the Anglican Church of Melanesia said:

“On this historic occasion, we are honoured and blessed to represent Anglicans at the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV. We assure him of our prayers and support. We are inspired by Pope Leo’s commitment to building bridges and his call for people of faith to journey together along the synodal way of unity in God’s Church. The Anglican Communion remains committed to our close friendship and shared mission with the Catholic Church in the communion of Jesus. May God grant Pope Leo wisdom, discernment and strength for the years ahead.”

Speaking about the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV, the Rt Revd Anthony Poggo, Secretary General of the Anglican Communion said:

“We pray for Pope Leo as he prepares for his inauguration on Sunday and are full of joy that a delegation of Anglican Primates and other Anglican leaders will be present. Along with representatives of other Christian World Communions, we express our support and encouragement to Pope Leo.”

The Rt Revd Anthony Ball, Director of the Anglican Centre in Rome, said:

“On the day of his election, Pope Leo reminded us that Christ helps to build bridges with dialogue and encounter as we strive to be one people living in peace. As Anglicans prepare to mark the inauguration of Pope Leo’s ministry, at the Anglican Centre in Rome we renew our commitment to the ongoing dialogue between our traditions and our shared work, so that Christ may be known and glorified.”