Anglican archbishop gives Pope ‘Holy Grail’ beer

Vatican City, Jan 29, 2008 / 20:15 pm

The Anglican Archbishop of York presented a gift of beer to Pope Benedict XVI on his recent trip to the Vatican, the York Press reports.

Archbishop of York John Sentamu, visiting Rome to celebrate the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, presented the Pope with an illustrated history of York Minster and a cut-glass beer tankard from the Minster. 

He also gave to the Pope two Yorkshire beers, Holy Grail beer and Black Sheep Ale from the Black Sheep Brewery.

Archbishop Sentamu said the gifts were chosen to reflect the Pope’s appreciation for Bavarian beer. The gifts pleased the Pope, who is Bavarian by birth and prefers beer to wine and water, according to The Guardian.

The Archbishop of York is the second-highest-ranking prelate in the Church of England, second only to the Archbishop of Canterbury.