VATICAN CITY -- The archbishop of Canterbury and Pope Paul VI today pledged themselves to an increasing dialogue directed toward Christian unity. In the first official summit meeting of Anglican and Roman Catholic Church leaders since the 16th century, the two men sealed their pledge with a kiss of peace in the splendor of the Vatican's Sistine Chapel.
The archbishop, Dr. Michael Ramsey, told the Pope there are formidable difficulties of doctrine on the road to unity. But he expressed the hope there would be increasing dialogue between the two churches.
"Your steps do hot resound in a strange house," Pope Paul told the archbishop. "They come to a home which you, for ever valid reasons, can call your own."
"We are happy to open its doors to you," the pontiff said.
Ends 400 Year Hiatus
The formal kiss of peace marked the first such official encounter since the 16th century and had not been scheduled until the final common act of worship Thursday.
But -- almost spontaneously at the end of their speeches -- the two religious leaders moved together for a warm embrace under the spectacular Michelangelo fresco of "The Last Judgment."
Speaking in English, Dr. Ramsey addressed the Pope as "Your Holiness, dear brother in Christ."
"All Christendom gives thanks to Almighty God for what was done in the service of unity by the greatly loving and greatly loved Pope John XXIII," he said. It was the late Pope John, Paul's predecessor, who called the Ecumenical Council credited with opening the door to Christian unity.
The historic meeting, with Pope Paul flanked by cardinal aides and Dr. Ramsey by Anglican bishops, came shortly after British Protestant demonstrators heckled the archbishop during a Holy Communion service at the All Saints church in Rome.
Ramsey Criticized
It was the second day in a row Dr. Ramsey was, criticized as "a traitor to Protestant Britain."
It also was the second consecutive day the archbishop ignored the demonstrators. Dr. Ramsey said he was not even aware anything happened in the English church today.
Five Baptists and Presbyter, ians, four of them ministers, came to Rome from London on the same commercial flight with Dr. Ramsey Tuesday apparently for the express purpose of heckling the Anglican leader. Italian police promptly expelled two of them.
The archbishop arrived for the epochal Vatican meeting at , 9:45 a.m., (3:45 a.m., EST). Papal aides ushered him from his limousine ' at the Sistine Chapel.
