Vested in a magenta and lavender miter, the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church made her first official visit to Pittsburgh, where she had been unwelcome until the majority of congregations in the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh voted to secede from the denomination and join the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone in South America.

Yesterday, Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori was more than welcome at Calvary Episcopal Church in Shadyside, the flagship of the remnant she has recognized as the true Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh. The crowd of at least 750 -- triple normal size -- applauded as the Rev. Harold Lewis gave her a voucher for her next flight to Pittsburgh.

Although she later said she may sue for church property in the dispute with the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh (Anglican), her sermon urged charity toward those on the other side.

"There are saints among the folk who voted to leave the Episcopal Church. There are saints among those who have clearly stayed. There are saints who haven't yet made up their minds. ... We dishonor them and God when we refuse to see their blessedness," she said.

The split occurred because many local Episcopalians believed their church no longer upheld the authority of the Bible, Christian sexual ethics or salvation through Christ alone. The flashpoint was the 2003 consecration of Bishop V. Gene Robinson, a partnered gay man, in New Hampshire.

Bishop Jefferts Schori was elected in 2006. Because she supported Bishop Robinson and because of her perceived theological liberalism, the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh did not recognize her. Twice when the Rev. Lewis, rector of Calvary, invited her to visit, Bishop Robert Duncan refused permission, she said.

During her sermon and in a later time for questions, Bishop Jefferts Schori addressed the divisive issue of whether Jesus is the only way to God.

She said she believes Jesus "is the vehicle of salvation for all those living and dead and those to come after us."

But the Bible also recorded promises to Jews and others, she said.

"Those promises were not broken by Jesus' life, death and resurrection," she said. "Therefore, Jews have access to salvation without consciously saying 'Jesus is my Lord and savior.' I didn't do that; God did it. I also see that God made promises to Hagar and Ishmael, who Muslims claim as their ancestor. I don't think God broke those promises when Jesus came among us."

She sees evidence of holiness in people of other traditions.

"I have to assume that in some way God is present and at work in those people who may not ... know Jesus. It's really God's problem to figure out how to deal with that," she said, to applause.

Regarding litigation against those she called "the departed," she said she had a responsibility to make sure that property donated to the Episcopal Church remains there. Five years ago Calvary filed suit against the diocese to try to prevent departing parishioners from retaining property.

Asked if she would also file suit, she said, "I think that depends on what happens in the coming days and months."

She regards those who left as "former members of the Episcopal Church, and we don't recognize that there is any diocese of the Southern Cone in the United States."

But when a questioner called an agreement for both dioceses to share Pittsburgh's cathedral "duplicitous," she said she would not use that word. Although it may prove difficult, local Episcopal leaders have the right to try, she said.

"I'm sure it's nothing that has to be resolved immediately. Anglicans can live with paradox, and there's a paradox for you," she said.

Deacon Peter Frank, spokesman for the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh (Anglican), said of her visit: "We certainly appreciate any irenic words we might be offered. It would be nice if they were matched with action. We would like to see the national church step away from lawsuits and respect the decision of the majority."