Anglican Communion News Service

The Most Revd Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, has concluded his tour of the Church of the Province of Melanesia. The eight-day visit to the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu covered six of the eight Anglican dioceses in the archipelago. The Archbishop also spent time with the Melanesian Brotherhood and paid his respects at the graves of the seven members of the brotherhood who were martyred last year in inter-communal violence.

The visit was at the invitation of the Primate of the Province, the Most Revd Sir Ellison Pogo KBE, Archbishop of Melanesia. It represented the first visit of an Archbishop of Canterbury to Vanuatu.. Dr Williams spent time with communities and congregations of the 250,000-member Anglican Province as well as with church and civic leaders. The photographs that follow cover all aspects of the visit.

The Most Revd Rowan Williams, blesses the many gathered at Sola,
his first stop in Vanuatu (Anglican World/Rosenthal)

The Archbishop blesses children during a liturgy in St Mark's Chapel,
Tambalia, the home of the Melanesian Brotherhood
(Anglican World/Rosenthal)

The Melanesian Brotherhood (Anglican World/Rosenthal)

At the Martyrs' graves, Tambalia (Anglican World/Rosenthal)

(Anglican World/Rosenthal)

Archbishop Williams leads a meditation for the members
of the various religious communities serving the Church (Anglican World/Rosenthal)

A colourful welcome for the Archbishop's visit to
Bishop Patteson Theological College (Anglican World/Rosenthal)

Panpipers and ceremonial chair - arriving at Fera Island -
Archbishop Williams is carried to a waiting boat
(Anglican World/Rosenthal)

No other way: from Fera Island to Jejevo by 'canoe' - accompanied by
the Primate of Melanesia (rt) and the Bishop of Ysabel (Anglican World/Rosenthal)

Arrival at Jejevo (Anglican World/Rosenthal)

An unusual welcome for the Archbishop of Canterbury (Anglican World/Rosenthal)

The Bishop of Malaita, the Rt Revd Terry Brown, escorts Archbishop Williams
from the airstrip to Auki Primary School for an outdoor Eucharist, complete
with traditional warrior procession (Anglican World/Rosenthal)

Gospel procession at Honiara Cathedral (Anglican World/Rosenthal)

The Archbishop of Canterbury at the altar of St Barnabas Anglican Cathedral
in Honiara, the Solomon Islands, as the three dioceses
gathered for a dramatic Eucharist
(Anglican World/Rosenthal)

6,000 in Honiara sports stadium heard the Archbishop
preach at an ecumencial service with clergy from Roman Catholic,
Full Gospel, and Evangelical Churches leading the prayers
(Anglican World/Rosenthal)