A group of faith leaders and officials at the Durham University, in the United Kingdom, have recently extended an invitation to Pope Benedict XVI to visit the Cathedral at the university. If the pontiff accepts, then this could be the first ever papal visit to the North East of England, which would mark a historic moment. According to a DU mail, a unique partnership of University, Anglican Church and Catholic Church representatives have made the invitation possible. A visit of Vatican representative and HM Ambassador to the Holy Seat HE Francis Campbell to the university in March also contributed.

“The strong academic and ecumenical background of this invitation means there is simply no more appropriate place in the country to host such an academic lecture than Durham. Leaders of the major churches of the region are working together alongside scholars in Durham University’s department of Theology and Religion, which was recently confirmed as the leading research department in its field in the most recent government Research Assessment Exercise,” DU Vice-Chancellor, professor Chris Higgins, says. He is also one of the co-signatories to the letter of invitation.

“Durham has in recent years become a major global center for ecumenical work and the close interlinking of Cathedral and University means that is well placed to host an event which is simultaneously academic and ecumenically spiritual,” the Lord Bishop of Durham and the university’s senior representative, Dr. Tom Wright, adds. He is also the leader of the invitation, which is currently developing a strong ecumenical character. This happens because of the increased sensitivity in Anglican-Roman Catholic relations, analysts explain.

Durham University’s academic standing in this field extends beyond the recent research ranking of its long established Department of Theology and Religion, to its hosting of the UK’s first permanent Center for Catholic Studies in the public university system, and the country’s only endowed professorship of Catholic Theology, the “Bede Chair,” each of them world-acclaimed developments.

“I add my strong support to the proposal for the Pope to visit Durham. The Cathedral and University are well placed to host such a high profile visit. There would be many benefits to Durham and the North East and a visit would be fully in line with our plans to use our cultural heritage to help regenerate our communities,” concludes councilor Simon Henig, the leader of the Durham County Council.