Pope’s cathedral ‘regrets’ Anglican ceremony on main altar

ROME (AP) — The pope’s cathedral in Rome has acknowledged that an Anglican bishop and 50 priests celebrated an Anglican service on the main altar in violation of the Catholic Church’s rules. St. John Lateran Basilica blamed the “unfortunate” incident on a miscommunication. A statement Thursday from the office of the archpriest of the basilica expressed “profound regret.” As the seat of the pope in his capacity of bishop of Rome, St. John Lateran ranks highest among the four Vatican basilicas in Rome. While popes for decades have forged warm relations with the Anglican Communion and its leaders on a path toward greater unity, the Vatican still at least officially considers Anglican ordination to be “null and utterly void.”