Tsunami mass held at Westminster

The cardinal urged people to continue giving and praying

A multi-faith service to commemorate victims of the Asian tsunami has been held at London's Westminster Cathedral.

Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor, the Roman Catholic leader in England and Wales, led the service, attended by Prime Minister Tony Blair.

The cardinal said he wanted the victims "to know that their sorrow is shared by the rest of humankind".

Hundreds at the Catholic cathedral heard him praise the "selfless generosity" of many after the tragedy.

He urged everyone to consider what they could do to help the bereaved rebuild their lives.

"As individuals we can do so through our prayers and generosity. Governments can do it by sustained aid efforts," he said.

Trade comment

And he called for "imaginative initiatives" to relieve the burden of debt on poor countries by improving the terms of trade.

Archbishops pray for tsunami dead Asia quake 'could test faith'

He added: "I hope that we shall now have new eyes to see, and respond to, the daily tragedy of the 30,000 lives that are lost to poverty and hunger, to the 1.5m lives a year that it is within our power to save."

The congregation included a minister from the Thai embassy, as well as ambassadors from Sweden and Germany.

Earlier this week, Cardinal Murphy O'Connor had prayed for the tsunami victims alongside the Archbishop of Canterbury in a chapel at Westminster Cathedral.

In a show of unity between the two Christian churches, the Archbishops prayed for the "brothers and sisters who have died or who have lost loved ones and livelihood".

"We commend the dead to your loving care, those who mourn to your compassion, those who fear to your comfort, those who despair to your protection," they said.