The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby is travelling to Santiago to officially inaugurate the newest Province of the Anglican Communion. The Iglesia Anglicana de Chile – the Anglican Church of Chile – will become the 40th Anglican Communion Province when it is inaugurated on Sunday. Archbishop Justin will preside over the ceremony, which will be held at the Grange School in the city of Santiago. Usual Sunday services in local churches have been suspended to enable people to take part. The service will also be available to watch via the Facebook Live facility.

“The birth of a new province of the Anglican Communion is moment to rejoice and give thanks and praise to God”, Archbishop Justin said. “It is a hope-filled reminder that God’s vision for the Church is always bigger than we can imagine.

“As followers of Jesus we are called to be part of this ongoing revolution of love that transforms lives and changes the world through dealing with sin and opening the way to salvation. Especially at a time when there is so much in our world that needs healing, here is a sign that the Spirit of God points towards Jesus in his obedience to the Father.

“The Anglican Communion is a global family of churches, united by the call to worship and obey God as revealed in Jesus Christ. It exists in more than 160 countries from England to Sudan, and Melanesia to Pakistan. This new province – the 40th of the Communion – is a young, vibrant, Spirit-filled Church that has seen huge growth. It is leading people to Christ in Chile and living out His call to serve others.

“We marvel and delight in the ways that God’s love is being seen through the creativity, passion and faithfulness of Chilean Anglicans. In all this, we give thanks for the visionary leadership of Archbishop Tito.”

Bishop Tito – Héctor Zavala Muñoz – was the Bishop of Chile, a diocese of the Anglican Church of South America. Recently, he became Bishop of Santiago when the diocese was split into four dioceses in preparation for its move towards Provincial status. The other new dioceses are Valparaíso, Concepción, and Temuco. As part of Sunday’s inauguration, he will be installed as Archbishop and Primate of the new Anglican Province.

“It is one of the great joys and privileges of my time as Archbishop to be visiting Chile to be with the Archbishop, bishops, clergy and all the people of this new province this weekend”, Archbishop Justin said. “I am looking forward to it immensely, and I invite Anglicans everywhere to hold the new province, and the whole Anglican Communion, in their prayers at this exciting time.”

More than 800 people will participate in the inauguration service, including diocesan and auxiliary bishops, pastors, leaders and lay members from the four dioceses of the new Province. In addition, priests, bishops and archbishops, academics and missionary societies from many Anglican Communion provinces, as well as local religious and governmental authorities, will also participate.

The Iglesia Anglicana de Chile is streaming the service using the Facebook Live service from 10 am CLST (1 pm GMT) on Sunday 4 November, an hour before the formal start of the service at 11 am CLST.