Religion news 9 April 2026
Pope Leo welcomes ceasefire agreement; Christian nationalism and the US war in Iran; Pastor charged with manslaughter after man drowned during baptism; CofE to apologise for its role in historical forced adoption
Pope Leo welcomes ceasefire agreement; Christian nationalism and the US war in Iran; Pastor charged with manslaughter after man drowned during baptism; CofE to apologise for its role in historical forced adoption
Trump suspends bombing of Iran – Pope Leo says threat against the entire Iranian people was ‘unacceptable’; World Council of Churches ‘gravely concerned’ at threats against Iran; Wireless festival cancelled after Kanye West denied permission to enter UK; Charity warns pipe organs could disappear in 40 years
Pete Hegseth urges prayer for Iran war victory ‘in the name of Jesus Christ’; US Military bishop: ‘hard to cast this war as sponsored by the Lord’; UK Church leaders use Easter messages to urge end to war; BBC’s Pilgrimage series on route to Holy Island, Lindisfarne
Church leaders unite in their Easter messages, calling for an end to war in the Middle East
Royal Maundy service in Wales for only the second time in 800 years; Easter message from church leaders in Jerusalem: pray for peace; Archbishop Richard Moth: ‘Refugees are in God’s image’
Board urges UK bars Kanye West over antisemitism; Food parcels distributed for Passover; PM to work with church on shared values; Pope calls for peace and hopes for truce over Easter; Call for faith literacy in health care, as youth mental care referrals triple
Inter Faith Week 2025 grew with more youth and regional engagement; Faith leaders Easter reception at Number Ten; Israel’s ambassador to the Vatican summoned over Palm Sunday ban
Cardinal blocked from holy site in Jerusalem to celebrate Palm Sunday; Pope warns God ‘rejects prayers of those who wage war’; More than 1,000 march against Christian nationalism; Quiet Revival report withdrawn – RMC briefing 1200 today
Quiet Revival report withdrawn because of ‘fraudulent responses’; Spanish woman dies by euthanasia despite legal action by her family; Archbishop Sarah to meet the Pope in April as they pledge to continue dialogue
Sarah Mullally: A church for the whole nation and for the world; Warm applause for first female Archbishop of Canterbury; Bishop condemns attacks on Lebanon; Ban political abuse of religion campaign holds meeting in parliament
