Powerful Easter Message: Archbishop Prays for Middle East Peace
In her first Easter sermon, the Archbishop urges peace in the Middle East, calling to end violence and bring justice amid the ongoing conflict crisis.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, in her first Easter sermon as the leader of the Church of England, will appeal for an end to the "violence and devastation" in the Middle East.
Dame Sarah Mullally will offer a "renewed and fervent" prayer for peace before the congregation gathered at Canterbury Cathedral, coming just as the conflict involving the US, Israel, and Iran enters its sixth week.
She will appeal to all the people of the Middle East and the Gulf region to "find the peace, justice, and freedom they long for."
This Easter sermon comes less than two weeks after her appointment as the first female Archbishop of Canterbury—an appointment regarding which she had remarked that her teenage self "never could have imagined the future that lay ahead."
On Sunday, she will tell the congregation: "This week, our eyes and our prayers are turned toward the land where Jesus was crucified and where He rose again from the dead.
"Today, as we joyfully proclaim that Christ has risen, let us pray and make a renewed and fervent appeal for an end to the violence and devastation in the Middle East and the Gulf region.
"May our Christian sisters and brothers know and celebrate the hope of that empty tomb—and may all the people of this region find the peace, justice, and freedom they long for."
According to reports, thousands of people have been killed in this ongoing conflict, which began on February 28; the conflict erupted when the US and Israel launched large-scale attacks on Iran, to which Iran responded by striking Israel and US-allied nations in the Gulf region.
Subsequently, Israel has also launched large-scale attacks on Lebanon. These attacks occurred after the Iran-backed group Hezbollah fired rockets at northern Israel in retaliation for the assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader at the outset of the conflict.
Preaching from the Gospel of St. John, the Archbishop will tell the congregation that the resurrection of Jesus Christ began when Mary was waiting in sorrow by His tomb.
She will also offer prayers for those grappling with personal hardships and "their own forms of darkness"—such as illness or the grief of losing a loved one.
She will say: "I pray that you may know that, even within that darkness, God walks with you."
England's former Chief Nursing Officer, Dame Sarah, will pay tribute to those who are caring for others—whether they are looking after loved ones or serving as caregivers in hospitals and hospices.
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"This attentiveness to care is, in essence, an act of 'staying put'—that is, the work of remaining present even amidst the silence and the darkness." During her installation as Archbishop in late March, Dame Sarah offered a similar prayer that peace and justice might prevail in "all the war-torn regions of the world."
She told an assembly of nearly 2,000 guests—including the Prince and Princess of Wales—that some members of the Church were unable to attend the service due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
This marked a symbolic beginning to her ministry as Archbishop; she was appointed to the post after her predecessor, Justin Welby, resigned following criticism regarding his handling of a serious misconduct case in 2024.
Dame Sarah will lead a global Church that is grappling with widening rifts over issues such as sexuality and women's leadership. Some conservatives within the Church—and some members of the wider global Anglican community—are still opposed to the idea of ordaining women as priests.
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