THE Archbishop of York has today undergone surgery for prostate cancer.

In a statement released at 6pm, Dr John Sentamu said he had had an operation in Leeds for a locally-advanced cancer.

The 63-year-old Archbishop, who said he would be "out of action" for some time, thanked surgeon Bill Cross and his team from St James' Hospital who carried out the procedure.

Dr Sentamu said: "I am also grateful to the nursing staff who are caring for me.

"I am thankful, too, for all of you who regularly pray for me and support me, especially my staff at Bishopthorpe Palace.

"I will be out of action for some time and will continue to value your prayers. I look forward to resuming my ministry as soon as possible."

It had not been know that the Archbishop had been suffering from cancer until he released his statement.

He added: "As I have often said, during the most trying times, I have derived great comfort from the words of the Taize chant, 'Aber du weisst den Weg fur mich', adapted from a passage in Letters and Papers from Dietrich Bonhoeffer, (a German Pastor and Theologian executed by the Nazis in 1945):

"God, gather and turn my thoughts to you. With you there is light, you do not forget me. With you there is hope and patience. I dont understand your ways, but you know the way for me."

He ended his statement by saying: "I wish you all joy in the Lord."

Dr Sentamu, a former barrister and judge, came to the UK in 1974 having fled Uganda, where he was a critic of the dictator Idi Amin.

 

He was enthroned as Archbishop of York - the second most senior clerical position in the Church of England - in York Minster in November 2005 and proved such a popular choice that he was named Yorkshire Man of the Year two years later.

Britain's first black Archbishop, earlier this year Dr Sentamu had been spoken of as a possible successor to Rowan Williams as Archbishop of Canterbury, but that role went instead to the then Bishop of Durham, Justin Welby.