Church leaders have banned any political flags or protests from a special gathering at Canterbury Cathedral to pray for peace in the Middle East.

The Vigil of Solidarity is being held on Monday when members of the city’s Jewish, Muslim and Christian communities, as well as other backgrounds, are being invited to come together to pray for peace and remember the victims of the conflict.

Organised and hosted by the Dean of Canterbury Dr David Monteith, it will take place outside Cathedral House in the Precincts at 6.30pm.

A cathedral spokesman said: “This is an entirely non-political event to remember and pray for all communities impacted in the Holy Land.

“Only flags or signs for peace may be displayed. No political slogans or other flags/symbols permitted in the Precincts.”

Those attending are also being invited to bring battery-operated candles and there will be an opportunity for everyone to tie a white ribbon for peace, and a time of silence to remember the dead, kidnapped and injured.

On a recent visit to Jerusalem, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby said the “evil and heinous terror attacks by Hamas on people in Israel were crimes against God and humanity”.

He believes that Israel has a legitimate right to defend itself but condemned the bombing of civilians in Gaza and stressed the urgent need for a ceasefire and the setting up of a humanitarian aid corridor into the territory.

“Israel’s bombing campaign on the heavily populated Gaza Strip is causing massive civilian casualties and suffering,” he said, adding: “The people of Gaza are running out of water, food, medical supplies and places of refuge.”

On Sunday, a rally calling for a ceasefire and “the end of the siege and occupation of Palestine” is being held at the Canterbury War Memorial in the Buttermarket at 11.30am.

It is being organised by the South East Kent Palestine Solidarity Campaign and the speakers include Naomi Wimborne Idrissi from Jewish Voice for Labour, Hugh Lanning, former secretary of the PCS union and former chairman of the national Palestine Solidarity Campaign and Dr Shahd Hammouri from the University of Kent Law School.