Rice's visit 'a source of light'

The bishop said the visit was 'a parable of hope'

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's visit to Lancashire was "a source of light in a dark world", the Bishop of Blackburn has said.

The Rt Rev Nicholas Reade will compare her visit to "a parable of hope at times of national and international crises" in his Easter Sunday sermon.

He will say Jack Straw invited Ms Rice despite opposition to her arrival from anti-war in Iraq campaigners.

He will praise how they lit candles for peace at Blackburn Cathedral.

"Among the policy debates, a school visit and an apparent signing for Rovers, she visited our cathedral. Here she made a journey," the bishop said.

"Here, below the painting of Christ bound in the tomb, foreign secretary and secretary of state joined Dean Christopher for prayers for global justice and lit candles for peace.

"To many, these might have looked quite fragile lights, particularly when set against global conflict symbolised by the protesters' slogans and the stormy weather of that morning.

"But those small candles were also symbols, or parables, of the greater light brought alive in the resurrection hope of Jesus."

Ms Rice visited Foreign Secretary Jack Straw's Blackburn constituency last month.

She also visited Liverpool as part of her two-day trip to the region in March.

She attended a gala concert at the Liverpool Philharmonic, to celebrate the city's status as European Capital of Culture 2008.