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On Wednesday 24 September 2025 Members of the Senedd joined church leaders, church goers, and representatives from Christian Aid Cymru, Embrace the Middle East and CAFOD in Wales gathered outside the Welsh Parliament in response to the escalating crisis in Gaza and the West Bank.
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Taking part in a moment of public prayer outside the Senedd were Mari McNeill, Head of Christian Aid Cymru; the Most Reverend Cherry Vann, Archbishop of Wales; Dr Cynan Llwyd, General Secretary of Cytûn; Elinor Wyn Reynolds, General Secretary of the Union of Welsh Independents; Revd Andrew Charlesworth, co-Chair of the Methodist Wales Synod; Ven Mones Farah, St David’s Diocese; and Katie Lewis, Embrace the Middle East. Following some moments of prayer, those assembled stood in silent prayer holding up a Red Line for Gaza.
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Speaking outside the Senedd, Head of Christian Aid Cymru, Mari McNeill, said: “We’re gathered here outside Senedd Cymru today because we are witness to the devastating escalation of violence in Gaza and the West Bank. The cries of Palestinian church leaders for solidarity and an end to the conflict echo across the global Church, to us in Wales, urging us to respond.
“Right now in Gaza, we are witnessing the repeated mass forced displacement of Palestinians. 90% of Gaza’s population have been displaced during the conflict — with some families forced to flee up to ten times. Yet there is nowhere safe to go, with over 60,000 Palestinians killed by Israel’s ongoing military actions, and many facing starvation.
“We’re here because we believe red line after red line is being crossed, and that this moment demands a visible, united Christian witness - one that speaks to our shared commitment to peace, reconciliation, and the dignity of all God’s people.”
“We’re grateful to so many who have joined from all around Wales and hope as many churches as possible will continue to join in prayer and action. We believe that by standing together, in solidarity with those affected by violence and injustice, we can amplify the call for an immediate ceasefire, the release of hostages, for a dramatic scaling up of the amount of aid being let in, and for a meaningful peace process.”
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The moment at the Senedd, which was organised by Christian Aid Cymru, coincided with UN World Peace Day (Sunday 21 September) and the global call to prayer from the World Council of Churches, calling churches to prayer and public witness in solidarity with those affected by the violence in the Middle East, including Palestinian Christians. These plans were developed by a wide group of UK Christian agencies including Christian Aid, CAFOD, Tearfund, Embrace the Middle East, Amos Trust, Sabeel-Kairos, Quakers in Britain, All We Can, Reconciling Leaders Network, Difference, Friends of the Holy Land, USPG, and the Centre for Missionaries from the Majority World.
Church denominations and networks joining this call to prayer and public witness in Wales include Cytûn: Churches Together in Wales, Church in Wales, Undeb yr Annibynwyr Cymraeg, the Presbyterian Church of Wales, Baptist Union of Wales, the Methodist Cymru Synod and the United Reformed Church Wales Synod.
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Christian Aid Cymru is calling on churches locally across Wales to draw a Red Line for Gaza, expressing our solidarity with our neighbours in Gaza and demand greater action. Alongside the call to prayer and the Red Line action, Christian Aid has a range of resources to help churches join the call for a just peace. They include three films featuring voices from occupied Palestine, along with resources for churches in Welsh and English, which can be found via the Just Peace Campaign.
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Dr Cynan Llwyd, General Secretary of Cytûn: Churches Together in Wales, encouraged people to explore the resources: "This year in Wales we're marking 100 years since the churches united under the 1925 Wales Church Leader’s Peace Appeal to America. It was a bold and firm statement against conflict, underlining the biblical call, derived from the teaching of Christ, calling his followers to be united peacemakers.
“This call to prayer and public witness, along with Christian Aid’s new Just Peace resources are a real opportunity for us to be guided by the voices of Palestinians who are affected by war and violence today. Let's take hold of them to reflect on our response in 2025 to the call of Christ which summons us to unity, justice, to compassion, and to peace, embedding it more and more in the life of our churches and communities."
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Prayer for the Holy Land
Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world: In your mercy, provide for all those in Gaza and beyond who suffer from hunger and starvation, that they may be given both physical bread to nourish their bodies and heavenly bread to sustain their souls. By the power of your Spirit, bring a speedy end to this cruel war, the release of all captives, care for the sick and wounded, comfort for those who have lost loved-ones, and the opening of a pathway for a just and lasting peace here in the very homeland where your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, ministered during his earthly life; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.
The Most Reverend Dr Hosam E. Naoum Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem
August, 2025
