Interfaith prayers at St Pauls 'Sermon on the Steps'

An interfaith prayer service was held on the steps of St Paul's Cathedral on Saturday afternoon to mark the third weekend of the Occupy London protest.

Dubbed ‘Sermon on the Steps’, the multi-faith, multi-denominational forum included readings and reflections, prayers and short speeches by representatives of different faiths, and non faith, on the themes of Love, Peace and Unity.

Many Christian churches and organisations were represented - among them members of Pax Christi and Justice and Peace groups. Some participants had come from as far Aberdeen and Bristol.

Speakers included: Revd Paul Nicolson, Church of England; Revd Dr Chris Craig Brittain, University of Aberdeen; Chris Erskine, Christian Charity Worker (Seedbed Christian Community Trust); Roger Chisnall, Jubilee Debt Campaign; Revd Tim, Universal Life Church and OLSX; Revd Dr Kevin Snyman, United Reformed Church; Bruce Kent, Pax Christi; Symon Hill, Quaker and Baptist; Margarida, Agnostic and OLSX; Revd’s David & Julian, Stratford Unitarian Church; Revd James Lawson, Church of England and Fr Joe Ryan, Catholic parish priest north London.

Angela, aged 60, a retired nurse from Bristol, told ICN: "I'm here to be counted. I'm here to pray. I am a Catholic and I care about the future of this country. This isn't a demonstration against the Church. We support them and many of our church leaders support us as well. But there has got to be a sea-change in the way the government and banks work. This current route they are taking us on is a complete dead-end."

Several Christians present said that if there is an eviction of the protesters, they will surround the Cathedral, linking hands in a 'wall of prayer'.