The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has written to the Rt Revd Ezekiel Kondo who was enthroned yesterday as Archbishop of the new Internal Province of Sudan.

Archbishop Justin was represented at the service at All Saints Cathedral, Khartoum, by the Chair of the Sudan Church Association, the Ven Michael Paget-Wilkes.

The text of the letter follows:

I am delighted to have this opportunity to send you my warmest congratulations on your enthronement as the Archbishop of the new Internal Province of Sudan. I am sorry that I am not able to be with you in person for this joyous occasion, but I am nonetheless pleased to be able to represented at this historical moment in the life of the Church in Sudan.

Please be assured of my prayers as you embark on this new phase of your ministry, which will no doubt hold many challenges for you in the years ahead. May the Holy Spirit guide and strengthen you as you share in this work and the task of building up the Christian communities in this new internal Province in Sudan. Yours is no easy task, and I hope and pray that the Church in Sudan will grow and prosper. You may certainly count on the support of Archbishop Daniel Deng and all your fellow bishops in the Episcopal Church of South Sudan and Sudan, and in the wider Anglican Communion.

Once again, I offer my prayers and best wishes to you, to your wife and to all your family, and to all those gathered here today for this memorable occasion.

In Christ,

+Justin Cantuar
The Most Revd and Rt Honourable Justin Welby
Archbishop of Canterbury