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The Christian world is set to witness a first-of-its-kind meeting today when the new Archbishop of Canterbury meets Pope Leo XIV for the first time. Dame Sarah Mullally, the leader of the Church of England, is now on her first pilgrimage to Rome since formally being enthroned in March. The meeting marks the first time both the Pope and the Archbishop will meet while sharing English as a common language. The only English Pope in history, Adrian IV, did not meet the Archbishop during his reign - nor had the Church of England yet split from Rome. It is also the first time the meeting will be conducted with a woman as head of the Church of England. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say Dame Sarah said the goal of her visit is to "strengthen Anglican-Roman Catholic relations" and "aims to deepen bonds of communion, affirm a shared witness, and encourage ongoing collaboration at both global and local levels". She said the historic event was a "joy and privilege" and looked forward to meeting and praying together with the Pope. The two will meet this morning for private prayer and discussion, after which each will give an address. The pilgrimage also marks 60 years since the first meeting between an Archbishop of Canterbury and Pontiff in 1966. That meeting, between Pope Paul VI and Archbishop Michael Ramsay, saw a Common Declaration issued by the pair which committed the two faiths to unity. Pope Paul VI late gave Archbishop Ramsay his Episcopal ring, a large square green stone divided by a gold cross and studded with four diamonds. The ring, traditionally worn by the Archbishop of Canterbury when they visit Rome, was worn by Dame Sarah when she was installed and will be worn again when she meets with Pope Leo. While the Church of England has allowed ordained women priests since 1994, the Catholic Church does not allow women to become priess - though the Pontiff has indicated he is willing to appoint women to leadership roles within the Vatican. The meeting also comes amid a public row between Pope Leo and Donald Trump, who earlier this month said the Catholic leader was " weak on crime , and terrible on foreign policy". POPE LEO XIV AND THE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY - READ MORE: Pope Leo's brother forced to evacuate from home after bomb threat Pope Leo hits back at Donald Trump after US President's blistering criticism of 'weak on crime' Pontiff Church of England to say it is ‘deeply sorry’ for its role in historic forced adoptions Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic convert, said the Pope should stick to "matters of morality" and to "be careful" when speaking about theology. Leo has condemned the Iran war, and said the world was being "ravaged by a handful of tyrants" as he addressed a crowd in Cameroon in a recent tour of Africa. He also said "masters of war" were turning a "blind eye to the fact that billions of dollars are spent on killing, on devastation". Dame Sarah, in a show of unity, backed the Pope's calls for peace at the time. She said she stood in solidarity with the Pope in his "in his courageous call for a kingdom of peace" and urged "all those entrusted with political authority to pursue every possible peaceful and just means of resolving conflict". Pope Leo has insisted his "tyrants" comment was not aimed at Mr Trump and was prepared before the President ever swiped at him. He did, however, say at the time he would continue his "message of peace" and on Friday called for an abolition of the death penalty days after the White House pushed for an expansion of execution methods, including death by firing squad. In a sermon in the Italian capital on Sunday, the Archbishop of Canterbury said there was "violence inflicted on innocent people in conflicts across the globe". And addressing a congregation at the Episcopal church of St Paul's Within the Walls, the first non-Roman Catholic Church to be built within Rome's walls, she said it was important to speak up and defend "the dignity and worth of every human being". Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter
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