Church of England leader and pope to meet in Rome

LONDON (AP) _ The Archbishop of Canterbury will have his first private meeting with Pope Benedict XVI this month, the Church of England said Thursday. <br/><br/>The meeting will take place Nov. 23 in Rome,

Thursday, November 9th 2006, 6:10 am

By: News On 6

LONDON (AP) _ The Archbishop of Canterbury will have his first private meeting with Pope Benedict XVI this month, the Church of England said Thursday.

The meeting will take place Nov. 23 in Rome, where Rowan Williams will attend private meetings at the Vatican and take part in celebrations marking the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Anglican Center, the Church of England said in a statement.

This year also marks 40 years since Pope Paul VI and Archbishop of Canterbury Michael Ramsey met and opened a new tradition of engagement between the two Christian communions.

Williams will conduct services for Rome's Anglican congregations and deliver two keynote lectures, the church said.

Benedict and Williams have met briefly only once before, at the pope's inauguration Mass last year.

Following tradition, Williams will wear the Episcopal ring that Pope Paul VI gave to Archbishop Ramsey in 1966.