THE Archbishop of Cape Town has visited York to establish closer links between the two cities.

The Most Reverend Njongonkulu Ndungane, who is the Primate of the Anglican province of Southern Africa, addressed the joint Synod of the Diocese of York with the York and Hull District of the Methodist Church on Saturday.

The synod, held at Askham Bryan College, also saw the diocese and the district moving closer to unity, with the development of a covenant set to be signed next year at York Minster.

The archbishop spoke about life in South Africa before and after apartheid, the prevalence of Aids and HIV and associated problems, and the rebuilding of the church on the infamous Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned.

He was at the synod as part of a four-day trip to the Diocese of York, as part of the Companion Link project.

He met members of the area's board of education, to discuss ways in which the 126 Church of England schools in the York Diocese could contribute and benefit from the partnership arrangement.

He also attended dinners hosted by the Archbishop of York, Dr David Hope, at Bishopthorpe Palace, and at the Stokesley home of the Bishop of Whitby, the Right Reverend Robert Ladds.

The Bishop of Selby, the Right Reverend Humphrey Taylor, who has been instrumental in setting up the link, said: "I hope many more people of the Cape Town Diocese will follow him here over the next few years.

"We have much to learn from each other."

The link between the two cities was formally launched in October 2001 with the signing of a covenant in Cape Town Cathedral and York Minster.

Meanwhile, the Askham Bryan meeting saw the fulfilment of a promise made two years ago, that the two synods of the Anglican and Methodist churches should meet together in joint discussion and worship.

The Rev Dr Stuart Burgess, chairman of the Methodist York and Hull District, spoke about how the churches could work together in unity, despite their differences.

The diocese and the district asked a special committee to develop a covenant between them, with the aim that it should be ready for signing in York Minster at a service on May 24 next year - the tercentenary of the birth of Methodist Church founder, John Wesley. Both synods agreed to send a letter to Prime Minister Tony Blair, expressing concern about the Middle East crisis.

Updated: 12:01 Monday, April 22, 2002