By John Bingham, Religious Affairs Editor, The Daily Telegraph

The Archbishop of York offered the BBC presenter Andrew Marr a striking gesture of solidarity as he returned to work after suffering a stroke – taking his hand live on television and offering to pray for healing.

Dr John Sentamu, who is himself recovering from life-saving cancer surgery, dispensed with formality during an interview about politics to tell the broadcaster of his faith in miracles.

The Archbishop has been a regular on the Sunday morning programme in the past. It was during an appearance on the programme six years ago that the Archbishop publicly cut up his dog collar in a symbol of protest against the regime of Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe.

It was among a series of dramatic gestures which the Archbishop has used to highlight issues close to his heart.

In 2006 he had his head shaved at the altar of York Minster and slept rough in a tent in a personal plea for peace in the Middle East following the Israeli strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon.

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