THE Archbishop of Canterbury said that the country has entered “dangerous new terrain” with unpredictable consequences. In a joint statement with Dr David Hope, the Archbishop of York, Dr Rowan Williams said he was praying “at this difficult and troubling time” for all sides in the conflict.

“The road that has led us to military action with Iraq has been a long and difficult one,” their statement read. “We pray for servicemen and women and their families, for those who seek to support and to sustain them, and for the people of Iraq and the region, whose immediate future is so uncharted.”

Dr Hope led prayers and lit a candle for peace at a service in York Minster yesterday evening.

Dr Williams has decided to keep a low profile, making further statements only as events require it. He will not contribute to the BBC Radio 4 Thought for the Day slot and has refused requests for interviews and articles.This has led to concern among some church insiders that he is not fulfilling the prophetic role that they hoped he would embrace. But staff at his London headquarters defended his decision.

“People want mainly to know that he is praying,” one source close to the Archbishop said. “Well, there is plenty of prayer going on at Lambeth Palace.”

In a statement, the Roman Catholic bishops of Scotland said: “We deeply regret that, in the context of the present international crisis, the very serious issues that are adjudged to have brought us to this point have not been resolved through peaceful means.”

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