The Archbishop of York and the Archbishop of Canterbury have called for the entire Church of England to hold a special Day of Prayer tomorrow for peace in Ukraine.

Both the Most Rev Stephen Cottrell and the Most Rev Justin Welby have called the Russian invasion an "act of evil".

In a joint pastoral letter on Thursday the Archbishops said: ““The attack by one nation on a free, democratic country has rightly provoked outrage, sanctions, and condemnation.

“We lament with the people of Ukraine, and we pray for the innocent, the frightened and those who have lost loved ones, homes, and family.

“We continue to call for a ceasefire and the withdrawal of Russian forces as well as wide-ranging efforts to ensure peace, stability and security.”

The Church of England has a congregation in Ukraine.

The Anglican Bishop in Europe Robert Innes said: “Our little church in Kyiv are right at the centre of this crisis.

“Some of them have fled the city by car, others are still there.

“These are our people, our brothers and sisters, and of course we are very concerned for their wellbeing and safety.

“In the face of military action and aggression, we feel powerless. What can we do? One thing that we can all do is pray.”