Press Releases02 Oct 14

The Archbishop of Canterbury Visits the Church of Ireland

The Archbishop of Canterbury, The Most Revd and Rt Hon. Justin Welby, is currently making a three–day visit to the Church of Ireland.

Yesterday, Wednesday 1st October, as guest of The Most Revd Richard Clarke, Archbishop of Armagh, Archbishop Welby and his wife Caroline toured St Patrick’s Church of Ireland Cathedral, Armagh, with the Dean of Armagh, The Very Revd Gregory Dunstan (pictured), and later met with a range of church and political representatives at a private reception at the See House.

Today, Thursday 2nd October, the Archbishop visited Belfast along with Archbishop Richard Clarke and Archbishop Michael Jackson, Archbishop of Dublin. Following a visit to St Anne’s Cathedral, guided by the Dean of Belfast, The Very Revd John Mann, he was given a tour of North and West Belfast including the Peace Wall at Cupar Way in the company of The Rt Revd Alan Abernethy, Bishop of Connor (pictured).

This was followed by visits to projects in East Belfast at Willowfield Parish (see below) and St Christopher’s in the company of The Rt Revd Harold Miller, Bishop of Down & Dromore, and concluded with an opportunity to meet a range of people at the Dock Café at Belfast’s Titanic Quarter.

Archbishop Welby will later meet with the Archbishops and Bishops of the Church of Ireland in Armagh and attend and preach at a service of Festal Evensong in St Patrick’s Church of Ireland Cathedral, Armagh. The service will be attended by a wide range of guests and Church leaders. The service will be followed by a reception to mark the Archbishop’s visit at the Primate Alexander Synod Hall, Church House, Armagh.

Archbishop Welby’s visit will end on Friday in Dublin, following a visit to Marsh’s Library and St Patrick’s National Cathedral, Dublin, where he will be met by the Dean of St Patrick’s, The Very Revd Victor Stacey. The visit concludes with lunch in the Deanery of St Patrick’s hosted by the Dean.

Photos – Church of Ireland Press Office; Peace Wall – Karen Bushby