Archbishop to pray for Middle East peace in first Easter sermon

Archbishop of Canterbury Dame Sarah Mullally will deliver her first Easter sermon at Canterbury Cathedral, where she plans to pray for peace in the Middle East and call for an "end to the violence and destruction." Mullally, who recently assumed the role of Archbishop—the spiritual leader of the Church of England and symbolic head of the Anglican Communion—will use the high-profile pulpit to address one of the world's most intractable conflicts during Christianity's holiest observance. Easter sermons by the Archbishop of Canterbury carry significant weight both within the Anglican faith and in broader international discourse, making this an early signal of her priorities and pastoral concerns. The timing reflects ongoing violence and humanitarian crises in the Middle East that have drawn calls for intervention from religious leaders worldwide. Mullally's message will set a tone for her leadership in a role traditionally used to influence conversations on global conflicts and moral questions.