Archbishop of Canterbury to preach in Lourdes for 150th anniversary of the visions of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Thursday 18th September 2008
The Archbishop of Canterbury will participate in anniversary celebrations at the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes, at the invitation of the Bishop of Tarbes and Lourdes, Monsignor Jacques Perrier.He will preach at the International Mass on 24th September 2008 which is being celebrated by His Eminence Cardinal Walter Kasper, President of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity.
The Archbishop will also participate in a Pilgrimage of bishops, clergy and laity of the Church of England, which is organised by the Society of Mary and the Anglican Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham.
The Archbishop will be accompanied in Lourdes by the Church of England bishop with particular responsibility for chaplaincies in France, the Right Reverend David Hamid, the suffragan bishop of the Diocese in Europe.
Christian unity is designated as one of the elements of the Church's mission to which the shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes specifically contributes and is one of the strands being celebrated in the 150th anniversary celebrations.