Archbishop decries ‘terrible violence on innocent people’ ahead of meeting with Pope

The Archbishop of Canterbury condemned the “appalling violence inflicted on innocent people in conflicts around the world” during his pilgrimage to Rome.

Addressing a congregation in Italy’s capital, Dame Sarah Mullally stressed the importance of defending and defending the “dignity and worth of every human being”, including refugees.

His remarks came ahead of a meeting with Pope Leo scheduled for Monday at the Vatican.

The visit comes amid the latest public criticism of the pope from US President Donald Trump, who earlier this month branded the religious leader “weak on crime and terrible on foreign policy” and asked him to “focus on being a great Pope, not a politician”.

The Pope used his first Easter message to harshly criticize the war and called on “those who have weapons to put them down.”

Leo doubled down on his comments after Mr Trump’s criticism, warning that the world was “devastated by a handful of tyrants” during his recent four-country tour of Africa.

Dame Sarah made a statement at the time supporting the Pope’s calls for peace.

He said he stood in solidarity with the pontiff “in his bold appeal for the kingdom of peace” and called on “all those entrusted with political authority to pursue every possible peaceful and just means to resolve the conflict.”

On Sunday he preached a sermon calling for justice and peace at St Paul’s Within the Walls, the first non-Roman Catholic church built within the city walls.

He said: “The Book of Wisdom reminds us: ‘God did not create death… but He created all things so that they might exist.’

“God’s desire is life—life in its fullness, life shared, life given.

“Yet when we look at our world today, we see something very different: instead of prioritizing justice and peace, we see the horrific violence inflicted on innocent people in conflicts around the world.

“In such a world, the Church cannot lose confidence in the Gospel. For the Gospel is exactly that: life, not death, has the last word; Christ has broken the power of violence not by greater power, but by his sacrifice.”

Dame Sarah is making her first pilgrimage to Rome since she was formally enthroned in March as the first woman to hold the most senior role of bishop in the Church of England.

Lambeth Palace said the aim of his four-day visit was to “strengthen Anglican-Roman Catholic relations” and “aim to deepen congregational ties, confirm a common witness and encourage ongoing cooperation both globally and locally”.

In his sermon at the Episcopal church on Sunday, he also spoke of “an increasingly polarized world” and said the Church must “continue its ministry and acts of love outside: caring for the excluded, welcoming strangers, in the company of refugees and those who find themselves displaced, unseen or unheard.”

Dame Sarah is expected to meet the Pope on Monday morning for private prayer and discussion, after which they will each give a speech.

The Archbishop will also join the Pope for noon prayers in the Urban VIII Chapel in the Apostolic Palace.

He is accompanied on his trip by the Archbishop of Westminster, Richard Moth, the leader of Catholics in England and Wales.