Primates of the Anglican Communion issued two statements and traveled to Gaza during their biannual meeting, in Jerusalem March 11-17. The primates called for "peace, justice and equality for all people" in one of their statements. The other concerned the killing of Israeli children at the Jordan border.

"We call upon Anglicans throughout the world to work and pray for peace to take deep root in this troubled land," the larger, more general statement said.

"We are one with the people of Israel in their search for a lasting peace in the Middle East. The Jewish peoples have suffered enough in their long and terrible journey. We are one with the Palestinian people, also a proud and ancient people, whose journey, too, has been one of suffering. There can be no justice for one part of the human family without justice for another."

In the statement on the killing of the Israeli children, the primates said they "were shocked and horrified by the news that reached them."

The primates traveled to Gaza by bus, and entered Palestine by foot as they changed to United Nations buses at the Erez checkpoint, where they handed over passports to be collected on the way back to Israel. They also visited a hospital which is a ministry of the Diocese of Jerusalem, attended a lunch given by President and Mrs. Yasser Arafat, and participated in the Eucharist at St. Philip's Church. They visited a refugee camp and a Benedictine Roman Catholic monastery.

At an opening service of Evensong in St. George's Cathedral, the Most Rev. George Carey, Archbishop of Canterbury, welcomed church leaders and other dignitaries.

"As we gather in Jerusalem from many different parts of the world, we do not come with ready-made answers," he said in his sermon. "Jerusalem is a microcosm of issues and challenges that the Anglican Communion has to wrestle with," in places like Northern Ireland, Rwanda, the Sudan and elsewhere. "Wherever in our world there is conflict, wherever cultures and creeds clash, Christians clash. Christians should be there at the heart of reconciliation."

The archbishop deplored "extremist groups who murder innocent people and justify it in the name of religion. There can be no peace anywhere if violence is used to threaten and browbeat others. Jews and Palestinians, with the support of the world community, must defeat those minority groups on both sides for whom peace is only acceptable if their cause is victorious.

"We, primates of the Anglican Communion, come to this place where dreams collide to be renewed and reinvigorated for our task. We shall be reminded by our preparations leading up to Easter that dreams and longings can be dashed and disappointed."

The Rt. Rev. Samir Kafity, Bishop of Jerusalem, greeted each of the Anglican primates individually during that service and introduced Archbishop Carey to the congregation. He called Jerusalem "the mother city of the Christian faith," and said the presence of the primates symbolized their solidarity with the Palestinian church.

The Most Rev. Edmond L. Browning, Presiding Bishop, preached at the Sunday Eucharist. "The most important thing that we can give those committed to our care is the example of Christian courage that we set for them," he said. "Let them see Jesus: Let them see leaders who value our faith so highly that we are glad to sacrifice for it ..."

Episcopal News Service and Anglican Communion News Service contributed to this article.