The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dame Sarah Mullally, will deliver her first Easter sermon on Sunday with a renewed call for peace in the Middle East, as the conflict between the US-Israel coalition and Iran enters its sixth week. The war, which began in late February, has resulted in thousands of deaths and disrupted global fuel supplies due to a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
In her sermon at Canterbury Cathedral, Mullally will pray for an end to the violence and destruction, stating: 'Today, as we shout with joy that Christ is risen, let us pray and call with renewed urgency for an end to the violence and destruction in the Middle East and the Gulf.' She will also pray that 'all people of the region receive the peace, justice and freedom they long for.'
Mullally, the first female Archbishop of Canterbury, will also address personal struggles, offering comfort to those facing illness, bereavement, or unemployment. She will say: 'If you have been knocked off course by illness, bereavement, unemployment or any other human crisis – I pray you know that God walks with you through that darkness.'
Prime Minister Keir Starmer, in his Easter message, acknowledged the anxiety caused by the conflict abroad and pressures at home. He called for unity, saying: 'Our country is at its best when we choose community over division, kindness over indifference, and service over self-interest.' Starmer also praised churches for their community work and reaffirmed the government's commitment to working across faiths.
