The Archbishop of Wales, John Davies, has warned Covid-19 is pushing the homeless crisis off the agenda.

In a message for Homelessness Sunday this weekend, Archbishop John urged people to pray for homeless people and to petition on their behalf. 

He expressed concern that the plight of homeless people is being forgotten because of the pandemic.

Archbishop John, who is also Chair of Housing Justice Cymru, said: "Covid-19 has brought great suffering to very many lives. One of the problems is that something like this can sometimes overshadow or help us to forget that there are other on-going crises in the lives of many people and homelessness is such a crisis."

"Having a home is far more than having a roof over one's head. Having a home means having a degree of security, having a degree of knowing what life holds for us into the future. It is so easy to take a home for granted.

"So on Homelessness Sunday please try to focus your prayers and please try to commit to doing what you can to draw the attention of others who have the capacity to do something about the real plight of those who are homeless - their anxiety and insecurity and the danger which they face day by day."

Third sector bodies estimate that annually just under 3,000 people sleep rough every year in Wales.

Homelessness Sunday is an initiative of the Christian charity, Housing Justice.

The Housing Justice website features a prayer especially for Homelessness Sunday:

Heavenly Father, 

Thank you for who you are and for giving us hope. 

Also, we thank you for everyone who is here commemorating Homeless Sunday, but help us not to forget that people are homeless every day across our nation.

We pray for those sleeping under bridges, on park benches, in doorways or bus stations.

For those who can only find shelter for the night but must wander in the daytime.

For families broken because they could not afford to pay the rent.

For those who have no relatives or friends who can take them in.

For those who have no place to keep possessions.

For those who are afraid and feel hopeless.

For all people affected by homelessness, we pray that you will help us to provide shelter, security, comfort and hope.

Jesus, help us to see your face in the eyes of every homeless person we meet so that we may be empowered through word and deed, and through all the means we have, to bring justice and peace in their time of need. Stir our hearts to move more deeply in our walk with you, so that we can be active to share your love with our neighbours and the community.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.