The Archbishop of Canterbury will miss this week’s Thanksgiving service for the Queen’s reign after being diagnosed with pneumonia and tested positive for Covid.
Justin Welby was due to preach on St. Paul’s Cathedral on Friday. Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of York, will take his place.
Welby, 66, was diagnosed with mild pneumonia last Thursday. On medical advice, he reduced his working hours to allow rest and recovery. After developing symptoms over the weekend, he tested positive for Covid on Monday.
He has canceled all appointments this week and is resting at home and avoiding contact with others. This is the first time Welby has Covid.
Lambeth Palace has informed Buckingham Palace that he is unable to attend the service and has conveyed the Archbishop’s lament.
Welby was also scheduled to light a beacon at Lambeth Palace on Thursday evening as part of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Beacon events. Thousands of beacons will be lit by communities and charities in the UK and overseas territories.
The lighthouse at Lambeth Palace will be lit in the name of the archbishop.
Welby said: “I am deeply saddened to miss the historic platinum celebration of Her Majesty the Queen. However, I will pray for the Queen and thank her for all her extraordinary 70 years of service.
“I will also pray for our nation at this time of celebration and thanksgiving. May the example of the Queen unite us in unity and care for one another.
“For those who attend Friday’s service at St. Paul’s Cathedral and the millions who watch television, I hope this joyful occasion will inspire us with the Queen’s deep commitment to fostering unity and peace among all people, and to promote the care of the natural world that God has given us.
Guided by the love of Jesus Christ, the Queen has lived her life for the benefit of others: I pray to find inspiration from Her Majesty during the Jubilee weekend and much in the future.
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“Meanwhile, as we continue to live with the coronavirus, I also pray for all those who still suffer and for all those who continue to mourn the loved ones who have lost during the pandemic. May everyone know the love and comfort of God.
“As we prepare to celebrate the first platinum jubilee in the history of our nation, may God save the queen and bless her with the knowledge of our deep love and gratitude for the service he has done for us all.”