Anglican Leaders to Meet at Washington Cathedral
Episcopal News Service. March 12, 1981 [81081]
WASHINGTON -- Washington Cathedral will be the site of an historic meeting from April 26 through May 2. The primates of the Anglican Communion, headed by the Most Rev. and Rt. Hon. Robert A. K. Runcie, the Archbishop of Canterbury, will meet at the College of Preachers on the cathedral grounds. The Anglican Communion is a loosely knit association of Anglicans/Episcopalians in every continent in the world.
The meeting marks the first time that this August body has ever convened outside of England. The twenty-eight heads of the churches, which number a total of close to 64 million members, are coming to the United States at the invitation of their brother bishop, the Rt. Rev. John Maury Allin, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church (United States).
Archbishop Runcie will open the meeting with a festival evensong at 4 p. m. on Sunday, April 26 at which he will be the preacher. All of the prelates will attend. Archbishop Runcie will also preach at the 11 a. m. service in the cathedral that morning.
On Friday, May 1, the Archbishop of Central Africa, the Most. Rev. Khotso Makhulu, will preach at a festival evensong in the cathedral. At this service the diplomatic corps will be honored guests and there will be a reception following in the Bishops Garden.
In addition to the sermons he will preach at Washington Cathedral, Archbishop Runcie will also address the National Press Club on Tuesday, April 28 at noon. The speech will be broadcast over National Public Radio.
In cooperation with the National Council of Churches, the National Broadcasting Company is producing a special television program covering the Archbishop of Canterbury's visit to the cathedral. Produced by Patricia Mauger, who also produces the cathedral's Christmas telecast, the program will feature interviews with Archbishop Runcie and others of the prelates done by famed television commentator Edwin Newman. The program will be aired on Sunday, May 3, immediately following the meeting. (The program is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. Eastern time, but please check your local NBC station for the time in your area.)
Before and after the Primates' meeting, many of the primates -- including the Archbishop of Canterbury -- will visit various dioceses in the Church.