Canterbury to visit Rome this week

Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams will join in the anniversary celebration of a unity council at the Vatican this week.

The visit follows the announcement from five Church of England bishops of their decision to join the Roman Catholic Church. Dr Williams will visit the Vatican on November 17 in honour of the 50th anniversary of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity.

The council aims, in part, to develop dialogue and collaboration with other churches and world communions. Metropolitan John Zizioulas of Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and the Archbishop Kurt Koch, president of the council, will also attend.

Last week, it was confirmed that five bishops would defect from the Anglican Communion to the Catholic Church. On Monday, Williams accepted "with regret" the decision of the Anglo-Catholic bishops who are leaving over the consecration of women bishops.