AN invitation has been sent to the Vatican that could see the first papal visit to the North- East.

University and religious leaders hope Pope Benedict XVI will accept their invitation to become the first world leader of the Roman Catholic church to visit the region, by delivering an address in Durham City.

The partnership behind the offer includes both North- East Anglican and Roman Catholic church leaders, political and civic figures.

Pope Benedict has been invited to present a major academic address in Durham Cathedral during his scheduled visit to Britain, next September.

The invitation stems from a visit by Vatican representative and Her Majesty’s Ambassador to the Holy See, His Exellency Francis Campbell, to Durham University in March.

Although Benedict’s predecessor, Pope John Paul II, made a pastoral visit to Britain, which included an appearance at the Knavesmire racecourse in York, in May 1982, there has not been a papal visit to the North-East, a region considered a cradle for Christianity.

Leading the invitation is the Right Reverend Dr Tom Wright, Bishop of Durham.

He said: “Durham has in recent years become a major global centre for ecumenical work and the close inter-linking of cathedral and university means that Durham is well placed to host an event which is simultaneously academic and ecumenically spiritual.”

Bishop Seamus Cunningham, Roman Catholic Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle, said: “In the age of Bede, before there was a single university in the world, never mind this country, this region was the foremost centre of Christian learning in the western world.

“It continues to be a worldregarded centre of Christian learning today.”

Durham University vicechancellor Professor Chris Higgins said: “The strong academic and ecumenical background of this invitation means there is simply no more appropriate place in the country to host such an academic lecture than Durham.”

Durham City MP Dr Roberta Blackman-Woods said: “The possibility of a papal visit to Durham and to Durham Cathedral, a site of unparalleled beauty, would be of tremendous benefit to the North East.”

Chapter clerk Philip Davies, speaking on behalf of the cathedral’s dean and chapter, said: “Everyone at the cathedral is very excited indeed at the prospect of a visit by Pope Benedict.

“It would be a great honour for the cathedral and for the region as a whole and His Holiness would be assured of a very friendly welcome to this land of the Northern Saints.”