Representatives of nine Anglican and Lutheran churches in the British Isles and northern Europe signed an agreement Sept. 1 establishing full inter-communion. Church leaders gathered in Trondheim, Norway, to sign the Porvoo Agreement, which permits interchangeability of clergy in addition to full communion.

The Most Rev. George Carey, Archbishop of Canterbury, represented the Church of England at the signing and said, "Relationships between Lutherans and Anglicans around the world are, at present, a particularly fruitful area of ecumenical encounter."

More than 1,000 persons were present for a celebration of the Eucharist in Nidaros Cathedral. The Most Rev. Richard Holloway, Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, preached at that service and spoke of the doctrine of justification by God's grace alone, which he called "a doctrine particularly treasured by the Lutheran churches and preserved by them as their special offering to the coming great Church."

Other Anglicans who signed the document were Bishop John Neill of Tuam, Killala and Achonry in the Church of Ireland and Archbishop Alwyn Rice Jones of the Church in Wales.

Other churches which participated were the Church of Norway, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Estonia, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, Church of Sweden and the Church of Iceland. A 10th church, the Lutheran Church of Latvia, has yet to give approval to the Porvoo document.

A similar celebration will be held at Westminster Abbey in London Nov. 28.

Ecumenical News International contributed to this article