Surprise Honour for Bishop, Church and City
The Rt Revd Christopher Herbert, Bishop of St Albans has been made an Honorary Citizen of Fano in The Marche, Italy. The Diocese of St Albans and the City of St Albans both have formal links with Fano for the last ten years but this is believed to be the first time that an English Bishop has been given the freedom of an Italian city.
The link between the Diocese of St Albans and the Italian dioceses of Fano, Urbino and Pesaro is the first such link between the English and the Italian Churches. Bishop Christopher went to Italy to sign an agreement of friendship on 26 th April and was honoured with the Freedom of the City by the Mayor of Fano at the same time. The formal agreement between the dioceses was also signed in St Albans Cathedral on 20 th January this year.
The friendship between the Italian dioceses and the Diocese of St Albans takes many forms and includes links between six parishes. As a result of the visit, plans are in hand for links between young people in the Italian Diocese and St Albans.
Bishop Christopher greatly values the warm relations between the churches in St Albans Diocese and the Italian Dioceses of Fano, Urbino and Pesaro and on being honoured with the Freedom of Fano said:
“Being made a Freeman was a delightful surprise which itself is a tribute to the warmth felt in Fano for the people of St Albans Diocese and City. The relationship between the two communities is an example of how twinning arrangements can embrace the spiritual as well as the temporal and I hope others will follow it.”
The Mayor of St Albans, Councillor Kate Morris added: “The link between our two ecclesiastical communities is an apt extension of the civic twinning agreement and I am delighted that Bishop Christopher has been honoured for his support to this ecumenical initiative.”
