9th July, 2014
Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, will become the first head of the global Anglican Church to visit Australia in 17 years when he makes a brief visit to attend the installation of the new head of the Australian Anglican Church, Archbishop Philip Freier, in Melbourne next month.
Archbishop Freier, Archbishop of Melbourne since 2006 and before that Bishop of the Northern Territory, was elected primate of the Australian arm of the church at its General Synod in Adelaide in late June. The inauguration service will be held on 13th August.
Archbishop Welby, the first Archbishop of Canterbury to visit Australia since George Carey in 1997, will fly into Australia after visiting the Solomon Islands and fly on to New Zealand on 14th August.
Archbishop Welby succeeded Rowan Williams as Archbishop of Canterbury in 2013 and is the 105th to hold the title.
– DAVID ADAMS