Lambeth Palace has announced the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, will visit Papua New Guinea from 19-24 Oct 2012 at the invitation of the Anglican Church of Papua New Guinea.

On his five day tour Dr. Williams will meet with church and state leaders in Port Moresby and then travel to Popondetta then on to Dogura to visit a youth conference, dedicate a hospital, tour the church’s theological college and meet with members of Anglican religious communities including the Melanesian Brotherhood, Society of Saint Francis, and the Congregation of the Sisters of the Visitation of our Lady.

“I am delighted to be visiting Papua New Guinea and to be able to experience at first-hand the remarkable life of the church in this nation and its contribution to the wider community,” Dr. Williams said in advance of his visit.

“We much look forward to celebrating the faithful Christian witness and dedicated service of the church among different communities and to seeing for ourselves the church’s central role in health, education and community development.  We also look forward to experiencing how the enduring assets of the country’s rich culture and strong social fabric allow a confident response to the challenges of the day.  There is so much in the life of the church and nation which is a gift for the wider church and for the world,” the archbishop said.