The new Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, will meet Pope Leo XIV in Rome this weekend in what is being described as a historic moment in relations between the Anglican and Catholic churches.

Mullally, the first woman to lead the Church of England, will begin a four-day visit to the Vatican on Saturday, marking her first international trip since her enthronement last month.

She is expected to hold an audience with Pope Leo XIV, the leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.

The meeting comes 60 years after the first high-level encounter between the two churches in 1966, when Archbishop Michael Ramsey met Pope Paul VI.

Relations between the Anglican and Catholic churches have improved over the decades, although differences remain, particularly over the ordination of women and other doctrinal issues.

Mullally, a former nurse and mother of two, leads the 85-million-member global Anglican Communion and is the first woman to hold the position.

While the Anglican Church has allowed female bishops since 2014, the Catholic Church continues to prohibit the ordination of women.

Her visit has been welcomed by women’s rights advocates, who say it could help advance discussions on gender roles within the Catholic Church.

The meeting also comes amid broader efforts by both churches to strengthen cooperation on global issues such as poverty, migration, conflict, and climate change.

Observers say both religious leaders face similar internal challenges, including divisions over doctrine, leadership, and social issues such as same-sex marriage and priestly celibacy.

Officials close to the Vatican described the upcoming meeting as an opportunity to build personal and institutional ties between the two churches.

Mullally is also expected to meet members of the Catholic community during her visit.

The Vatican has not indicated whether doctrinal issues will be discussed during the meeting.