The Church of England's second most senior cleric Stephen Cottrell will call in a Christmas sermon on Wednesday for repentance and change within an institution reeling from child abuse cover-up scandals.

The Archbishop of York, who is set to temporarily lead the Anglican Church, called for the institution to “repent.” This was made during his Christmas sermon following revelations of several cases of sexual abuse.

A Church of England bishop has branded the Archbishop of York's Christmas Day sermon as "empty words" amid ongoing abuse scandals within the institution. Bishop of Newcastle Helen-Ann Hartley delivered the stinging rebuke on social media following Stephen Cottrell's address at York Minster.