London, April 13 (TIWN) The Archbishop of Canterbury on Sunday hailed the "heroism" of the UK's front-line workers during the coronavirus pandemic, as the country's churches remain closed over Easter for the first time in hundreds of years.

Justin Welby led the first national digital Easter Sunday service from his kitchen at Lambeth Palace.  Meanwhile the Archbishop of Westminster has highlighted how faith can be a comfort "in a time of darkness".  With the UK under lockdown, worshippers are marking the festival from home.  It comes as the number of coronavirus deaths in UK hospitals reached 9,875.  'We need Easter as much as ever,' says the Queen Pope Francis urges people not to 'yield to fear' How coronavirus is changing religious festivals Boris Johnson 'owes his life to NHS staff' In a video from his flat in central London Archbishop Welby called for "a resurrection of our common life".  "After so much suffering, so much heroism from key workers and the NHS, we cannot be content to go back to what was before as if all is normal," he said in the sermon recorded on his iPad.  "There needs to be a resurrection of our common life."  The service was broadcast live on BBC Radio 4 on Sunday and is available to watch on the Church of England's website and Facebook page.  The Archbishop normally presides before a congregation of 1,500 people at Canterbury Cathedral on Easter morning.