Ecumenical work at the Chapel of Unity in 1967
In July 1967 Archbishop Cardinal, the Apostolic Delegate, was guided around the Cathedral by Bishop Cuthbert Bardsley and Provost Williams before attending a service.
This was the first visit by the Pope’s official representative to an Anglican Cathedral since the Reformation.
The visit of the Papal Delegate followed the ground-breaking ecumenical work based at the Chapel of Unity. It is hard to think that no Papal Delegate had entered an Anglican cathedral for 400 years, and Coventry broke the ice! There is no such thing as a Papal Delegate today as since 1982 the Vatican has appointed ambassadors - itself a sign of improved relations.
The service that he led was in praise of St Benedict. It received no general advance publicity because relations with the RC church were a very sensitive issue. The Cathedral was packed with members of local RC congregations.