The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, preached at St Andrew’s Church, Ramallah, Palestin on Sunday 9 November 2025, where he spoke about resurrection hope, steadfast faith, and peace rooted in justice.
Archbishop Stephen said:
“It is a joy to be with you this morning. I bring you greetings from your sisters and brothers in the Church of England. We come to stand alongside you in solidarity; our hearts cry out to God for peace and justice in this land, and we are full of admiration and joy that you stand firm in the Lord.”
“The first words of the risen Jesus were, ‘Why are you weeping?’ — words that reach out to every sorrow and call us to hope.”
Archbishop Stephen is visiting Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory from 8–11 November 2025 with The Most Revd Hosam Naoum, Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem, on a pilgrimage of prayer and solidarity. Together, they are spending time in Jerusalem and Nazareth, meeting local church leaders, congregations, and community organisations.
In his sermon, Archbishop Stephen reflected on the message that “our God is the God of the living,” calling on all to “stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught.”
He spoke movingly of visiting a Palestinian family in the occupied West Bank, whose generous hospitality endured despite hardship. He said. “We are sorry that we were slow to raise our voice in support of Palestine and the Palestinian people. But we are here to listen to you, to learn from you, and then we will tell these stories when we get home. Because there can be no peace without justice.”
His sermon message highlighted that true peace requires justice — and that Jesus Christ, the risen Redeemer, calls His followers to persevere in faith, to be peacemakers, and to bring light into darkness.
“Peace is not a ceasefire; peace is not the silence after the guns have finished firing. Peace requires justice — and, as followers of Jesus Christ, peace requires reconciliation: where we honour one another, and where we allow each community and each person to flourish.”