The Bishop of Truro has called on churches across the diocese to join together in prayer for all of those affected by the shootings in New Zealand.

The Rt Revd Philip Mounstephen has written to the representatives of the Islamic faith on Cornwall Faith Forum, Dureid Rifai and Naeem Ahmad, to express his “profound sadness and shock at the awful news from Christchurch in New Zealand.”

‘We stand with you’

Bishop Philip wrote: “Both our faiths value hospitality and the welcoming of the stranger. This act is such a shocking denial of that generosity that we cannot call it anything other than Satanic.

“Please know that we stand in solidarity with you and I will be calling on all the churches in the diocese to pray for those affected in this terrible outrage.”