A vicar has blessed the mobile phones and laptops of city workers in a church ceremony.
The Rev Canon David Parrott blessed a pile of laptops and smart phones on the altar of London's 17th-century St Lawrence Jewry church.
The ritual was an effort to remind the capital's busy office workers that God's grace can reach them in many ways, he said.
Blessed be: The congregation hold up their mobile phones, iPods and Blackberries as Canon David Parrot conducts a service at the City of London Corporation's church, St Lawrence Jewry, on Monday
The short blessing capped Monday services at the Christopher Wren-designed building - the official church of the Corporation of the City of London, which runs the capital's financial district.
Parishioners took out mobile phones as Rev Parrott recited a blessing over them and their electronic devices. A few held their phones up in the air as he ran through the prayer.
Holy: Rev Parrot held the service to remind the capital's busy office workers that God's grace can reach them in many ways
He said that ceremony didn't have much relevance for his church, which was 'nowhere near a field, in the middle of London'.
Gadgets: Rev Parrot claims that as technology is our daily working tool, it ought to be blessed
He said he hoped the ceremony had made worship 'lively and relevant to the people who work nearby, in the financial district.'
Parrot said parishioners were welcome to leave their phones on during the service - so long as they kept them on silent.
