London. Ecumenical Vespers in honor of Benedict XVI

Vatican news

In the United Kingdom, visited by Benedict XVI in 2010, the ecumenical celebration of Vespers will be held on Tuesday, January 24, in honor of the Pope, who died on December 31, 2022. This ceremony is part of the week of prayer. For Christian Unity – It will be held at Westminster Cathedral, the mother church of English Catholicism, and will be attended by Catholic, Anglican and Orthodox bishops, as well as representatives of many churches and Christian denominations.

Benedict XVI’s welcome to the United Kingdom in 2010

Visit of Benedict XVI in 2010

Organized by the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, Vespers will be presided over by the English Catholic Primate Cardinal Vincent Nicholls, while the Anglican Lord Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury, will preach. During his visit to the United Kingdom from 16 to 19 September 2010, along with Queen Elizabeth and her husband, Prince Philip, the two religious leaders welcomed Pope Benedict XVI during his visit. An apostolic journey that began in Scotland, John Henry Newman’s beatification in Birmingham, canonization by Pope Francis in 2019 and a speech to Parliament in Westminster.

Celebration

Fourteen English and Scottish Catholic bishops will also attend Vespers, including the Archbishops of Liverpool, Birmingham and Cardiff, Malcolm McMahon, Bernard Langley and Mark O’Toole. The Archbishop of Canterbury will be represented by Primate Justin Welby and Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell in addition to Lord Williams, along with the Bishop of London Sarah Mullally. Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Great Britain Nikitas (Loulias) Thiateira and representatives of the Methodist Church, Salvation Army, Free Churches, Muslim and Jewish communities will also attend.

Ecumenical celebration with Benedict XVI at Westminster Cathedral

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