THE Archbishop of Canterbury paid a special visit to Hereford at the weekend.
The Most Revd Justin Welby, the leader of the Church of England, was in the city on Saturday (December 9) as part of the Year of Prayer.
The Archbishop’s visit was to support the Rt Revd Richard Jackson, the Bishop of Hereford, who called for a year of prayer across churches in the diocese during 2023.
The Bishop’s mission has been to inspire people to pray and is a core part of the diocese focus as it seeks to re-imagine the work of the church for the 21st Century.
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Next year, he is leading a Year of Faith, building on the foundations of prayer, calling Christians to rediscover the Bible.
The Archbishop met local people, shared his passion for regular prayer, participated in prayer-walking across the city centre and joined in the weekly prayers for peace at Hereford Cathedral.
The event is usually attended by a small group led by the Dean, The Very Revd Sarah Brown. However, the Archbishop's visit saw the congregation swell to nearly 200 who joined in the prayers at which, Sasha, a young Ukrainian girl who is living and studying in the city, read a poem she wrote for peace.
"You could genuinely sense people’s desire for peace in our world," said the Archbishop.
In an earlier conversation at St Peter’s Church in the city centre with The Bishop, the two senior church leaders discussed the challenge of finding time and space to pray every day. The Archbishop also shared how when he prays for peace it is not just about seeking a solution to global conflicts but is also finding peace in everyday relationships with each other.
"It has been hearing about further progress on the new city University which I visited in 2019 as well as learning about growth in some of the tiny rural churches which make up Hereford Diocese," added the Archbishop.
“I’m here to encourage others to pray and in doing so, I hope they will find the faithful God who through Jesus Christ comes close to us.”
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