Anglican bishops launched their conference held once in every ten years with a complex worship ceremony on Sunday, turning their attention to a plea for unity and accord in spite of the serious rupture generated by the divided views upon the Bible and homosexuality.

About one-quarter of the summoned Anglican bishops are staying away from the Lambeth Conference, which is due to end on August 3. In spite of some of the members’ absence, the Canterbury Cathedral, the location where the conference is being held, was completely occupied on Sunday morning. Those who attended the opening ceremony of the gathering listened to Bible readings in Korean and French, prayers in Swahili, and music and dance from Melanesia, according to BBC.

Furthermore, the people attending the worship were also present at a lecture held by Duleep De Chickera, the bishop of Colombo in Sri Lanka, an old friend of Archbishop Rowan Williams, who delivered an indirect reproach to the conservative bishops who have decided to boycott the conference, as a protest against the American Episcopal Church’s pronouncement of ordaining an openly gay man, Gene Robinson, as a bishop four years ago.

As reported by BBC, the explicitly gay bishop, who had not been invited at the Lambeth Conference, was present in Canterbury, but not for the meeting. Gene Robinson attended a picnic and an outdoor service carried out by gay and lesbian activists in the Church.

Furthermore, a group of U.S. Episcopal bishops have arranged two receptions for New Hampshire’s bishop outside the official agenda.