ecumenism" "
With a solemn ceremony in the presence of the country’s highest public and religious authorities, the Rev. Rowan Williams received the official investiture as archbishop of Canterbury on Thursday, 27 February. The ceremony took place in Canterbury cathedral, “mother church” of the Anglican Communion. Those present included the diocesan bishops of England and Wales, prime minister Tony Blair, Charles Prince of Wales, ambassadors and political leaders. One of the lessons was read by the Catholic archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Cormac Murphy O’Connor. With his investiture, Rowan Williams has officially begun his public office. The announcement that Williams had been chosen as the new archbishop of Canterbury was made on 23 July 2002: Williams assumes the post of George Carey, who had announced his retirement in January. Among the first to welcome Williams’ nomination was Cardinal Murphy O’Connor: “a theologian, a man of great spirituality and an able communicator the cardinal had said he will represent a great stimulus for this country and for the whole Christian world”. Married and the father of two children, Williams has to his credit many publications on theology, spirituality and poetry. Consecrated bishop of Monmouth on 5 December 1991, he was elected archbishop of Wales in December 1999. Williams is the 104th archbishop of Canterbury and the first to be nominated outside the English Church since the time of the Reformation.
