The service, streamed last Sunday for the feast of Pentecost, involved the Archbishop, the Most Revd Justin Welby, and Pope Francis. Other church leaders, including Archbishop Anba Angaelos of the Coptic Orthodox Church, also participated. Pope Francis’ message warned that Christians could not expect others to work together if they did not. “How greatly we can become more united to spread the spirit of fraternity but we cannot ask others if we take different paths”, he said, while Bishop Angaelos, who read the Creed, said: “What we have in common is greater than what separates us”. Archbishop Welby said that the Holy Spirit was turning the Church inside out.

In a message available on this website Archbishop Ernest said that Christians are responsible for being witnesses to God’s compassion at a time of uncertainty.

“The words of the Pope and of the Archbishop of Canterbury should inspire us to be ready for a change in our mindset,” he said. “The world needs after this time of trial imposed on us by Covid-19 a new way of living; it needs to be open to receive the Kingdom of God.”

Please click here to read Archbishop Ian's reflection in full.