26th May 2017 Holy See
We were privileged, on 18 May 2017, to attend a Papal Audience at which Pope Francis gave his love and support for patients and families with Huntington’s disease (HD). Also present were their carers and advocates as well as researchers striving to find treatments and cures for this devastating disease. HD is a genetic disorder […]
15th February 2017 Holy See
Last week Offer Stern-Weiner, Head of the Modern Slavery Unit at the Home Office, and I journeyed out of Rome to visit a small and tranquil convent in a historic town set in the beautiful Italian countryside. The reason we were there? To meet five young Nigerian women who had been trafficked from Nigeria to […]
25th January 2017 Holy See
January is traditionally a time for New Year’s resolutions and for planning ahead, so it seems a good moment to look at what the year may have in store for the UK and the Holy See. My starting point is Pope Francis’s address to the diplomatic corps, in which he set out how he sees […]
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22nd December 2016 Holy See
Pope Francis turned 80 on 17 December. Messages poured in from around the world (70,000 emails) and the Pope celebrated with 8 homeless people. Much has been written about the Pope’s achievements. He is on a mission to change the Church, making it more global, ecumenical, open to dialogue with other faiths, focussed on the […]
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18th November 2016 Holy See
On 19 November the Cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church will gather in the Vatican. This Consistory (from the Latin “con sistore” – to stand together) is traditionally the opportunity for the Pope to gather the views and concerns of the Cardinals from all corners of the world. It will also be the occasion to […]
28th October 2016 Holy See
On 27 October the Embassy hosted a visit by the Home Secretary, Amber Rudd, who was at the Vatican to attend a meeting of the Santa Marta Group, a gathering of police chiefs and bishops on preventing human trafficking and modern slavery. This issue is a top priority for the UK, and for Pope Francis. […]
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19th September 2016 Holy See
May I introduce myself? I am Sally Axworthy, the new British Ambassador to the Holy See. I presented my credentials to Pope Francis on 19 September. Over the coming four years, I hope to blog regularly to give an insight into the work of this Embassy I come to Rome having just spent six months learning […]
28th June 2016
On 23 June I was given the honour, along with my family, of a farewell audience with Pope Francis. It was not the moment to discuss political or global developments, but to make reference to the depth and importance of the modern relationship between Britain and the Holy See. Characteristically, His Holiness chose to encapsulate […]
18th May 2016
The international activism and high profile of Pope Francis has generated renewed interest in the nature and practice of the Holy See’s diplomacy. Just in the last week, the Pope visited the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy – the papal diplomatic college – to meet the young priests preparing there to take up their role as a […]
6th May 2016
The Green Ribbon awards are amongst Britain’s most prestigious environmental awards. They are awarded by The Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM), the leading independent Chartered professional body for water and environment professionals, which promotes excellence within the sector. They have been presented since 1993, and aim to celebrate the greatest environmental achievements […]
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