Photo Credit: Neil Turner / Lambeth Palace
Pope Leo XIV has sent a message to Sarah Mullally on the occasion of her installation as Archbishop of Canterbury, assuring her of his prayers and invoking 'grace, mercy, and peace… in truth and love'.
The message was delivered by the Pope’s envoy, Cardinal Kurt Koch, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, on Thursday 26 March at the conclusion of a prayer service in Canterbury Cathedral.
The Archbishop of Canterbury has also shared a message to the Pope, expressing commitment to Christian Unity and Anglican-Roman Catholic dialogue.
Pope Leo XIV's message to the Archbishop of Canterbury
Pope Leo's message recognises the Archbishop's ministry carries significant responsibilities, not only within the Diocese of Canterbury but also across the Church of England and the wider Anglican Communion.
The Pope affirms the significance of Anglican-Catholic theological dialogue facilitated by the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC) and the International Anglican-Roman Catholic Commission for Unity and Mission (IARCCUM).
Both commissions arose from the historic meeting in 1966 between Pope Paul VI and Archbishop Michael Ramsey and the Joint Declaration, which committed Catholics and Anglicans to 'a new stage in the development of fraternal relations, based upon Christian charity'.
The Pope celebrates how the dialogue has contributed to the growth of 'mutual understanding', and that 'the rewards of this valuable work have set us free to witness together more effectively. This is especially vital given the manifold challenges facing our human family today.'
The Pope's message also acknowledges that the Archbishop is commencing the duties of her ministry at 'a challenging moment in the history of the Anglican family' and prays that she may be strengthened with wisdom and guided by the Holy Spirit, drawing inspiration from Mary, the Mother of God.
Citing a Joint Declaration from October 2016, the Pope references that the Anglican-Catholic ecumenical journey has also encountered difficulties at times, but that differences 'cannot prevent us from recognizing one another as brothers and sisters in Christ by reason of our common baptism'. He assures that 'For my part, I firmly believe that we need to continue to dialogue in truth and love, for it is only in truth and love that we come to know together the grace, mercy and peace of God, and thus can offer these precious gifts to the world.'
The message states 'The unity which Christians seek is never an end in itself, but is directed towards the proclamation of Christ, in order that, as the Lord Jesus himself prayed, “the world may believe”.'
Pope Leo also draws on the words of Pope Francis, who said to the Anglican Primates in 2024 that 'it would be a scandal if, due to our divisions, we did not fulfil our common vocation to make Christ known.' Supporting those words, Pope Leo concludes: 'Dear sister, I willingly make these words my own, for it is through the witness of a reconciled, fraternal and united Christian community that the proclamation of the Gospel will resound most clearly.'
The Archbishop of Canterbury's message to the Pope
In response, Archbishop Sarah has thanked the Pope for his prayers, and assured him of her own. 'I am deeply grateful for your gracious letter, and for the assurance of your prayers at the time of my installation as Archbishop of Canterbury,' she wrote. 'Your words of encouragement, and your invocation of the Holy Spirit’s guidance, are received with profound appreciation.'
In her message, which was sent to Pope today, the Archbishop wrote: 'As Archbishop of Canterbury, I too am called to serve as an instrument of communion within the Anglican Communion, and to seek the full and visible unity to which our Lord has called us all (John 17:21).'
She added: 'I very much look forward to meeting Your Holiness in the near future and to continuing to strengthen the bonds of friendship and our shared commitment.'
The greetings come as Lambeth Palace confirms today that Archbishop Sarah Mullally will visit Rome from 25 – 28th April. During the visit the Archbishop will meet with Pope Leo at the Vatican.
Speaking after this morning’s service, the Archbishop of Canterbury said: 'Sixty years ago, Pope Paul VI and Archbishop Michael Ramsey set before our Churches a vision of reconciliation grounded in charity, truth, and a shared desire for unity in Christ. Their meeting marked a new beginning in Anglican–Roman Catholic relations - one that continues to bear fruit in dialogue, friendship, and common witness across the world. I give thanks for this shared journey, which continues to grow, not least through the recent state visit of His Majesty The King to Pope Leo XIV in Rome.
'Through ongoing dialogue, including the work of the Anglican–Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC) and the International Anglican–Roman Catholic Commission on Unity and Mission (IARCCUM), we continue to seek that unity in Christ, in whom we find both the source and the fulfilment of our communion. We pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to guide us into all truth, deepen our fellowship, and lead us ever closer to the visible unity for which Christ prayed.'
The Catholic Delegation at the Installation Service
The 2026 Catholic delegation at the Installation of the Archbishop of Canterbury included Archbishop Flavio Pace, Secretary of the Dicastery; Cardinals Vincent Nichols and Timothy Radcliffe; Archbishop Bernard Longley of Birmingham, co-chair of ARCIC; Archbishop Richard Moth of Westminster; Archbishop John Wilson of Southwark; Archbishop Leo William Cushley of Saint Andrews and Edinburgh; Bishop Kenneth Nowakowski of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in the United Kingdom and the chargé d’affaires of the Apostolic Nunciature in London, Ante Vidović.
Read Pope Leo XIV's message in full.
Read Archbishop Sarah's response.