Iran conflict to forefront of UK religious and political leaders’ Easter messages | US-Israel war on Iran
In their Easter messages, religious and political leaders in England draw attention to the conflict in the Middle East and call for “peace, justice and freedom” in the region.
The archbishop of Canterbury will deliver his first Easter sermon as presiding bishop of the Church of England at Canterbury Cathedral on Sunday. Dame Sarah Mullally will call with “renewed urgency” for peace in the Middle East and pray for “an end to the violence and destruction” in the region.
The archbishop’s call comes as the war against Iran, which the United States and Israel launched at the end of February, enters its sixth week. Thousands of people have died so far in the conflict, and beyond the region, it has also caused fuel prices to rise, along with an effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important shipping routes.
Mullally, who is expected to pray for “all people in the region to attain the peace, justice and freedom they long for,” will tell the congregation at the cathedral: “This week our gaze and prayers have been turned to the land where Jesus was crucified and rose from the dead. Today, as we joyfully shout for the resurrection of Jesus, let us pray and call with renewed urgency for an end to the violence and destruction in the Middle East and the Gulf.”
“Let our Christian brothers know and celebrate the hope of the empty tomb, and let all the people of the region achieve the peace, justice and freedom they long for.”
Mullally is also expected to pray for people dealing with personal hardships, from unemployment to death, telling them: “God is walking with you in this darkness.”
He will say: “Perhaps you are here today facing your own darkness, perhaps with your own heart torn apart… If your path has been disrupted by illness, death, unemployment, or any other human crisis, I pray that you will know that God is walking with you in that darkness.”
Mullally, a former matron in England, will make special mention of those who care for others in society. It will say: “Last night, in hospitals across the country, nurses cared for those having trouble sleeping. In nursing homes, caregivers and loved ones will have held someone’s hand, letting them know they are not alone. Parents will have cradled their babies to sleep. This watch of care is the work of being quiet and in the dark.”
Mullally is E’s first female archbishop of Canterbury and was enthroned last month at a ceremony attended by the Prince and Princess of Wales.
In his Easter message, Keir Starmer also touched upon the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, saying it was causing “real anxiety” in people.
The Prime Minister called Easter “a celebration of hope, new life and renewal” and paid tribute to churches and Christian communities across the country who “quietly and tirelessly support families, children and neighbors, offer comfort, bring people together and stand with those most in need.”
He said: “Churches remain rooted in their neighborhoods and work to combat poverty, fear and isolation. In times when some seek division, the government is committed to working across faiths and differences to build a more resilient, inclusive and connected country.”
Starmer said Easter this year was “a time of real anxiety for many people” as “conflicts abroad, pressures at home and uncertainty about the future place a heavy burden on families and households”. He concluded his message with a call for unity: “Our country is at its best when we choose community over division, kindness over indifference, and service over self-interest.”
