General Linda Bond, international leader of The Salvation Army, has sent messages of welcome to Pope Francis I and to the Rt Hon and Most Rev Justin Welby, who will be enthroned as Archbishop of Canterbury, leader of the Church of England, on March 21.

To Archbishop Welby she wrote: "The Church universal faces great challenges as we seek to minister the gospel of Jesus Christ and so I want to assure you that Salvationists stand with their Anglican sisters and brothers in the cause of Christ. God bless and keep you and grant you wisdom, courage and strength."

In her message to His Holiness Pope Francis she said: "My prayer is that God will give you physical and spiritual strength, as well as holy courage, so that you might stand firm as a true soldier of Jesus Christ. God bless and keep you always and grant you his peace."