First female Archbishop of Canterbury urges prayers for an ‘end to the violence and destruction in the Middle East’ in first Easter service sermon in the role

The Archbishop of Canterbury called for prayers for ‘an end to the violence and destruction in the Middle East and the Gulf’ in his first Easter Day homily.

The Rev. Dame Sarah Mullally delivered her first Easter message at Canterbury Cathedral since succeeding Justin Welby, calling for peace with ‘renewed urgency’.

He said that ‘violence, division and insecurity affect the lives of billions of people around the world’ and that ‘many feel their hearts are being torn apart’.

Dame Sarah, England’s former chief nursing officer, was officially appointed as the 106th Archbishop less than two weeks ago, during which she said her teenage self ‘never could have imagined the future that lay ahead’.

He called for peace in the Middle East on Sunday, adding: ‘Hoping that all the people of the region will achieve the peace, justice and freedom they long for.’

He told the congregation: ‘We know that violence, division and insecurity affect the lives of billions of people around the world. Many feel their hearts are being torn apart. Victims, injured, refugees.

‘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 the resurrection of Christ, 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 may all the people of the region attain the peace, justice and freedom they long for.’

The United States and Israel began a conflict with Iran on February 28, launching attacks that killed the country’s leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Iran responded by attacking Israel and US-allied countries in the Gulf.

Dame Sarah has previously said she ‘misses’ the ‘life-changing hope’ of Jesus Christ reaching out to those caught up in war and living in extreme poverty and those ‘on the front lines of the ever-worsening climate crisis’.

In his first speech when he was appointed Archbishop in October, he said: ‘For our Palestinian Christian brothers and all the peoples of the Middle East. For the people of Ukraine, Russia, Sudan, Myanmar and the Democratic Republic of Congo. May God end the horrors of war, give solace to those who mourn, and give hope to those who live in despair.

Pope Leo XIV also delivered his Easter message, Urbi et Orbi, in Rome on Sunday.

The Pope appeared to be targeting US President Donald Trump when he said, ‘Those with guns, let them go.’

He added the world was ‘growing accustomed to violence, resigning ourselves to it and becoming indifferent’ and urged ‘those who have the power to unleash wars’ to ‘choose peace’.

The 70-year-old Pope did not name a specific conflict but described it as “terrible” on Palm Sunday last week.

Pope Leo XIV also called for peace in his Easter speech in Rome

Also on Easter Sunday, one of America’s most conservative bishops called it ‘problematic’ US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s reference to Jesus to justify war.

Archbishop Timothy Broglio, appointed by Pope Benedict XVI, said in an interview with CBS that US attacks on Iran are not justified by Saint Augustine’s just war theory.

The theory says that war is morally permissible only when it punishes wrong or defends the innocent and with the ultimate purpose of restoring peace rather than revenge or conquest.

Archbishop Broglio said the administration’s justification was based on the threat of nuclear weapons, which Iran does not have.