King’s message of unity for 7/7 attack anniversary
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Religion news 7 July 2025
King calls for ‘spirit of unity’ on 20th anniversary of 7/7 London bomb attack. Former Archbishop of Wales says decision to retire was painful but necessary. Christian foundation of Camp Mystic, swept away by flash floods in Texas, has been widely reported as having a Christian foundation. Lord Evans, chair of the Crown Nominations Commission charged with selecting the next Archbishop of Canterbury, has given an interview to The Times and the Times. He said it had “not been ruled out” that the Church of England could have its first female leader. The former head of MI5, brought up a Baptist and now Anglican, said he aims to avoid a short-list of white, male, Oxbridge, “all-white, male’s” candidates for the post of archbishop of Canterbury. He added: “I don’t think I had a chance to explain the changes we’ve made and how complicated things are, but having heard from them I don”t want to be a problem for them either”
Reflecting on the 20th anniversary of the 7/7 attacks in London, King Charles has called for a “spirit of unity”, saying the attacks had shown the importance of “building a society where people of all faiths and backgrounds can live together with mutual respect and understanding”. Four suicide bombers, carrying rucksacks with explosives, detonated bombs in three underground trains and on a bus, killing 52 people and injuring more than 700. The Islamist terrorists, supporters of Al Qaeda, caused the worst single terrorist attack on British soil. King Charles condemned the “senseless acts of evil” and called on people to stand united “against those who would seek to divide us”. He said his “special prayers remain with all those whose lives were forever changed on that terrible summer’s day”, including those who carried the “physical and psychological scars”. He praised the emergency services and others who rescued survivors, saying that “while the horrors will never be forgotten, we may take comfort from the way such events rally communities together in solidarity, solace and determination. It is this spirit of unity that has helped London, and our nation, to heal”. A service of commemoration will be held at St Paul’s Cathedral this morning.
Former Archbishop of Wales says decision to retire was painful but necessary
The former Archbishop of Wales, Andrew John, has given an interview to BBC Radio Cymru’s religious programme, Bwrw Golwg, about his recent announcement that he is to retire immediately as archbishop and at the end of August as bishop of Bangor. He said the situation was painful, but the decision was the right one for himself and the church. It followed the publication of two reports which described weak governance of finances, a culture where “sexual boundaries seemed blurred” and excessive drinking. The Telegraph published a story on Saturday quoting a former chorister who described a drinking session named the “seven shots of Christ” after a Good Friday service. The central management body of the Church in Wales, the Representative Body, met two weeks ago and ordered more reviews and investigations of Bangor Diocese and Cathedral, as well as calling for a change in leadership. The former Archbishop told Radio Cymru: “Being present at the meeting and [to] have people more or less calling for your resignation was like being in a nightmare. I know the people who were in that meeting. I don’t think I had a chance to explain the changes we’ve made and how complicated things are, but having heard from them I don’t want to be a problem for them either. I think it’s a good decision for the future.” He went on: “It has been very painful and my mental health has suffered in a way I’ve never experienced before, but that’s a consequence of having to make big decisions”. Read the report of the interview here. Listen to the interview in Welsh here
The Christian foundation of Camp Mystic, swept away by flash floods in Texas
Camp Mystic, the Texas summer camp where girls were swept away in flash floods with 11 now missing, has been widely reported as having a Christian foundation. It was founded by the son of a Methodist minister and University of Texas football coach, “Doc” Stewart, in 1926. But it is not associated with any one denomination and offers a broadly spiritual programme alongside sport and creative activities. Sunday is a day of rest, relaxation, and worship, offered on the banks of the Guadalupe River and at a scenic “Chapel Hill” overlooking the camp. The girls sing songs, listen to Bible readings, a devotional time is held after breakfast and at night-time, all with the purpose of spiritual growth. Catholic Mass is also offered on Saturday evenings and once a term, there is a sunrise Holy Communion service on Chapel Hill. Pope Leo spoke about the tragedy yesterday, offering his sincere condolences to “all the families who have lost loved ones – in particular their daughters who were at summer camp. We pray for them.” Texas Public Radio article here
Crown Nominations Chair: No all-white, Oxbridge, male shortlist
Lord Evans, the chair of the Crown Nominations Commission charged with selecting the next Archbishop of Canterbury, has given an interview to The Times and the Church Times on the task ahead. The former head of MI5, brought up a Baptist and now Anglican, told The Times that he aims to avoid a shortlist of candidates “all of whom are white, Oxbridge, male and come from the southeast of England”. He said it had “not been ruled out that the Church of England could have its first female leader” . The Times lists top contenders and betting odds, which put the Bishop of Chelmsford, Guli Francis-Dehqani, as favourite. Lord Evans told the Church Times that a number of names had come up quite often, and that age was not “an absolutely key issue”. He observed that: “the level of ill-tempered and polarised debate is very high” and the church is difficult to lead. His own church has people from different traditions who worship together, and he said the next Archbishop “needs to be somebody who can accommodate and help to thrive the diverse traditions within the Church.” He urged the 17 CNC members to approach the process with an open mind and spoke of a widespread desire for a leader who can offer genuine spiritual direction, speak with a Christian voice into national affairs, and take the lead on safeguarding. Commenting on the rarity of such interviews, Kaya Burgess reflects: “Never before has a CNC chief spoken publicly during the recruitment of a new archbishop. It is the Anglican equivalent of getting a glimpse behind the locked doors of the Sistine Chapel during a papal conclave”.
Bishops reluctant to be considered for ‘impossible’ Canterbury job
In The Sunday Times, Ruth Gledhill, once the Times religion correspondent and now assistant editor of The Tablet, describes the difficulty the Commission faces in finding candidates who want the” “impossible” job, and have no safeguarding issues in their background. She reports that the field of candidates is so thin, that suffragan bishops – less senior than diocesan bishops – are also being looked at. Drawing on her extensive experience of covering the Church of England, she says: “The Anglican church has a longstanding tradition of would-be archbishops claiming nolo episcopari: I do not want to be bishop. On this occasion, however, most of them actually mean it”. Once more, Bishop of Chelmsford, Guli Francis-Dehqani, is named as favourite for the job. The article is here
Indulgences, banned by Henry VIII, return to England’s Anglican cathedrals
Once banished by Protestant churches as part of the sweeping changes wrought by the Reformation 500 years ago, indulgences — a Roman Catholic means of ensuring the remission of sins — are now making a comeback in English cathedrals in a symbol of ecumenical friendship. Today, Canterbury Cathedral is to host a Roman Catholic mass celebrated by the papal nuncio, the Pope’s ambassador to the UK, which marks the feast of the translation of Thomas a Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury murdered in the cathedral. It commemorates the move of his remains from the crypt to a new shrine, which was then destroyed in 1538. Some relics are still held in the nearby Catholic parish church of St Thomas of Canterbury and some of Becket’s bones will be brought to the Cathedral to be displayed during the mass. Pope Francis designated 2025 a holy or jubilee year, which means Catholics can secure an indulgence for those who are truly repentant and meet certain conditions, including going to confession and holy communion, praying for the Pope’s intentions, and visiting a pilgrimage site. The earning of indulgences at post-Reformation Canterbury is a first, but similar visits are possible to relics in Lichfield, Hereford and St Albans. Read Catherine Pepinster’s article here.
Retired priest arrested in Palestine Action protest
The Rev Sue Parfitt, an 83-year-old retired priest from Bristol, was among 29 people arrested in Westminster on Saturday, at a Palestine Action protest in Parliament Square. The group is proscribed under the Terrorism Act 2000, which means that showing support for Palestine Action has become a criminal offence and could lead to up to 14 years in prison. Sue Parfitt estimates she has been arrested around 30 times at various protests, including over climate change. Last autumn, the Bishop of Bristol, Viv Faull, declined to grant her permission to officiate after she was charged with criminal damage from a Just Stop Oil protest at the British Library.
‘Inflammatory’ sermon leads to Charity Commission disqualification
The Charity Commission has disqualified Harun Abdur Rashid Holmes, a trustee of the Nottingham Islam Information Point, from serving as a trustee or holding any senior management position in a charity in England and Wales for three years, following a sermon judged to be inflammatory and divisive. The Commission opened a compliance case in 2023 after concerns were raised over a sermon he delivered on the charity’s premises six days after the 7 October Hamas attack on Israel. The statement says: “The regulator reviewed the sermon and found that it contained language such as ‘the hour will not begin until the Muslims fight the Jews and the Muslims will kill them until a Jew hides behind a rock or a tree’. The sermon also included statements on politics which could be interpreted as encouraging people not to vote or to disengage from the democratic process, calling on attendees not to “busy yourselves with politics and voting”. The Commission says it recognises some of the content had been taken from a specific Hadith, but it lacked “appropriate context to its source material and as such was inflammatory and divisive. There was no consideration given to how appropriate it would be to deliver such a sermon just six days after the events in Israel of 7 October 2023”. The Commission also issued the charity with a formal warning.
Statutory inquiry opened into The Outreach Ministry
The Charity Commission has opened a statutory inquiry into The Outreach Ministry, a charity based in northwest London, which “works to advance the Christian faith through ministry and events”, predominantly in London. In a statement, the Commission says it opened a “regulatory compliance case into The Outreach Ministry in November 2024 after concerns were raised about its financial controls and use of charity funds. On inspection of the charity’s bank account, the Commission noted several payments referencing the trustees and potentially related parties that cannot be adequately explained. Additionally, there were payments referenced that may not be furthering the charity’s stated purpose”. As a temporary measure, the Commission has restricted the trustees from certain financial transactions without its prior approval”. Full statement here
Baha’is report recent increase in arrests and imprisonment in Iran
The Baha’i International Community is reporting an increased number of arrests of its members in Iran since the beginning of June. 44 Iranian Baha’is were arrested, brought to court or jailed in June and hundreds more await summons to court or prison. A member of the Baha’I community told The Telegraph that Iranian authorities often increase pressure on Baha’is during times of international distraction. The Baha’i faith was founded in the 19th century by Baháʼuʼlláh, who is seen as a messenger of God, but they have been persecuted as heretics by Iranian authorities.
Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light seeks charitable status
The Guardian and The Telegraph have run stories on the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light, whose leader is based at the group’s headquarters in Crewe. Both articles say the group has applied for charitable status in the UK, with the Charity Commission currently considering the application. They describe how the group chose an abandoned orphanage in Crewe as its UK base, persecution of its supporters in Muslim majority countries, the home schooling of children living in its community in Crewe and slick films appearing on the You Tube channel “The Mahdi has appeared”. Read our factsheet on the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light here
The King’s poignant message 20 years on from the ‘senseless evil’ of 7/7: Charles pays tribute as Home Secretary says Islamic extremism still ‘greatest threat’ to UK
The King has called on the nation to remember the ‘extraordinary courage and compassion’ displayed in the aftermath of the July 7 terrorist attacks in London. Islamist suicide bombers struck on three Tube trains and a bus that morning in 2005, killing 52 people and injuring more than 770. In a message to mark today’s 20th anniversary of the atrocities, Charles praised those ‘who rushed towards danger to help strangers’ He asked that the country continues to work towards building a society ‘of all faiths and backgrounds’ in order to stand against ‘those who seek to divide us’ Home Secretary Yvette Cooper warned that Islamic extremism remains ‘the greatest threat’ to Britain.
Islamist suicide bombers struck on three Tube trains and a bus that morning in 2005, killing 52 people and injuring more than 770.
In a message to mark today’s 20th anniversary of the atrocities, Charles praised those ‘who rushed towards danger to help strangers’ and said comfort can be taken from the ‘spirit of unity’ which allowed the nation to heal afterwards.
Meanwhile Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, writing in the Sunday Mirror, warned that Islamic extremism remains ‘the greatest threat’ in Britain.
She also praised the work of anti-radicalisation programmes, adding: ‘Communities across the nation were determined that hatred would not win. The work done at that time has endured and evolved.’
Last night the monarch asked that the country continues to work towards building a society ‘of all faiths and backgrounds’ in order to stand against ‘those who seek to divide us’.
He said: ‘Today, as we mark 20 years since the tragic events of July 7, 2005, my heartfelt thoughts and prayers remain with all those whose lives were forever changed on that terrible summer’s day.
‘We remember with profound sadness the 52 innocent people who were killed in senseless acts of evil, and the enduring grief of their loved ones.
Islamist suicide bombers struck on three Tube trains and a bus in the July 7 terrorist attacks in London in 2005, killing 52 people and injuring more than 770
A bomb damaged Circle Line subway train is seen stopped between Liverpool Street and Aldgate staions in London, Thursday, July 7, 2008
In a message to mark today’s 20th anniversary of the atrocities, King Charles praised those ‘who rushed towards danger to help strangers’ (pictured: the King during a visit to Kirkcaldy to unveil a Commemorative Cairn last week)
The 7/7 bombers (l-r) Hasib Hussain, Shehzad Tanweer, Jermaine Lindsay and Mohammad Sidique Khan
‘We recall, too, the hundreds more who carry physical and psychological scars, and pray that their suffering may ease as the years pass.
‘In doing so, we should also remember the countless stories of extraordinary courage and compassion that emerged from the darkness of that day.
‘The selfless bravery of emergency services, transport workers and fellow citizens who rushed towards danger to help strangers, reminds us of the very best of humanity in the face of the very worst.’
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said last night: ‘I remember it still so vividly. We stand with those who carry the pain of that day – the families, friends and colleagues of those who never came home. We will remember them always.’
Senior members of the Royal Family are set to join today’s services and memorials, including the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh who will attend the National Service of Commemoration at St Paul’s Cathedral.
King Charles says horrors of 7 July bombings ‘will never be forgotten’
The King has urged the nation to reflect on the ‘extraordinary courage and compassion’ shown in the wake of the 7 July bombings. Four suicide bombers targeted the capital’s transport network, killing 52 people and injuring over 770 across three underground trains and a bus. The monarch called for a renewed commitment to fostering a society of all faiths and backgrounds, standing firm against those who seek to sow division. He said: “While the horrors will never be forgotten, we may take comfort from the way such events rally communities together’
In a message marking two decades since the atrocities, he highlighted the “spirit of unity” that emerged in London and across the country, which has aided national healing, he said.
On 7 July 2005, four suicide bombers targeted the capital’s transport network, killing 52 people and injuring over 770 across three underground trains and a bus.
The monarch called for a renewed commitment to fostering a society of all faiths and backgrounds, standing firm against those who seek to sow division.
He said: “Today, as we mark 20 years since the tragic events of 7 July 2005, my heartfelt thoughts and special prayers remain with all those whose lives were forever changed on that terrible summer’s day.
Emergency services outside Kings Cross station following the attacks (Getty Images)
“We remember with profound sadness the 52 innocent people who were killed in senseless acts of evil – and the enduring grief of their loved ones.
“We recall, too, the hundreds more who carry physical and psychological scars, and pray that their suffering may ease as the years pass.
“In doing so, we should also remember the countless stories of extraordinary courage and compassion that emerged from the darkness of that day.
“The selfless bravery of our emergency services, transport workers, and fellow citizens who rushed towards danger to help strangers reminds us of the very best of humanity in the face of the very worst.”
Other members of the royal family are to join services and memorials to mark the anniversary.
On behalf of the King, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh will attend the National Service of Commemoration at St Paul’s Cathedral from 11.30am on Monday.
The King also stressed the importance of communities coming together in times of adversity.
A London bus destroyed by one of the suicide bombers on 7 July (AFP via Getty Images)
He said: “While the horrors will never be forgotten, we may take comfort from the way such events rally communities together in solidarity, solace and determination. It is this spirit of unity that has helped London, and our nation, to heal.
“As we remember those we lost, let us therefore use this 20th anniversary to reaffirm our commitment to building a society where people of all faiths and backgrounds can live together with mutual respect and understanding, always standing firm against those who would seek to divide us.”
Remembering 7/7: A Nation’s Tribute 20 Years On
King Charles III led national commemorations on the 20th anniversary of the 2005 London bombings. The bombings, carried out by four British men influenced by Al-Qaida, marked the first suicide attacks on European soil. On July 7, 2005, during
The bombings, carried out by four British men influenced by Al-Qaida, marked the first suicide attacks on European soil, resulting in 52 deaths and over 700 injuries. On July 7, 2005, during the morning rush, they targeted three subway trains and a bus.
In a poignant message, King Charles III offered solace, emphasizing the courage shown during and after the tragic events, while reiterating the importance of unity in overcoming divisions. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper stressed the ongoing threat posed by extremist terrorism and other security challenges.
(With inputs from agencies.)
‘Covfefe’: Trump invents new word and melts internet
‘Covfefe’: Trump invents new word and melts internet. Donald Trump made a typo on Twitter and the internet had a lot of fun with it. It took six hours before he acknowledged it with a good-humoured response. Some users put the word on a T-shirt, which they started to sell on eBay. Some people made parodies related to films, such as Arrival. And US game show Wheel of Fortune became a trending topic on Twitter. And then Europe woke up, and it started all over again. The word Covfefe has been narrowly winning the online pronunciation poll. It seems likely the word Mr Trump was reaching for was “coverage”, social media users have been trying to guess other alternatives.
Image source, EPA Image caption, Donald Trump made a typo on Twitter and the internet had a lot of fun with it
31 May 2017
One word was close to breaking the internet on Wednesday morning: “covfefe”.
It was an apparent typo in a tweet by US President Donald Trump, and internet users have been mocking him mercilessly.
“Despite the constant negative press covfefe,” he tweeted just after midnight, Washington time.
And he then appeared to have gone to bed, without finishing his thought or correcting his mistake.
It took six hours before he acknowledged it with a good-humoured response, and by that time a lot of people had had a lot of fun.
White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer was asked by journalists at Wednesday’s daily briefing what the tweet meant.
Mr Spicer provoked incredulity from the assembled media as he replied: “The president and a small group of people know exactly what he meant.”
Image source, Twitter / Donald Trump
Although it seems likely the word Mr Trump was reaching for was “coverage”, social media users have been trying to guess other alternatives or motivations.
Others deliberated on the pronunciation, and wondered why no aides had stepped in to alert him to the mistake.
Google Translate recognised the word as Samoan, though could offer no English translation. A BBC reader has written in to debunk any suggestion that the president is a secret Samoan speaker. Among many other reasons for this, the language does not even have a letter C.
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Image source, Twitter / Fusion Image caption, Cov-FEE-fee has been narrowly winning the online pronunciation poll
Image source, Twitter/ Donovan Kay
No time was wasted as some users put the word on a T-shirt, which they started to sell on eBay.
Someone also appears to have bought the domain name, covfefe.us.
Image source, Twitter / Jimmy Kimmel Image caption, US comedian Jimmy Kimmel was among the celebrities to join in
Image source, Twitter / Jackson Dame Image caption, Some people made parodies related to films, such as this take on Arrival
Image source, Twitter / Steve Galgas Image caption, And US game show Wheel of Fortune
Getting caught up in an explosion of memes, some social media users said they could not sleep, as everyone on the internet seemed to be trying to outdo each other with the best response.
And then Europe woke up, and it started all over again.
#Covfefe is currently a trending topic on Twitter across the world.
Image source, Twitter / Peter Speigel Image caption, The news editor of Financial Times got involved in the UK
Meanwhile, Twitter accounts for Covfefe the Strong and the Wizard Covfefe appeared online on Wednesday, claiming to have been summoned by Mr Trump’s puzzling word.
Image source, Twitter
Philadelphia’s police department also poked fun at how the term could be used.
Image source, Twitter
And when President Trump reappeared on Twitter, six hours later, he deleted the mistake, but seemed to be enjoying the spectacle.
He asked followers to keep guessing, while giving nothing away.