[ACNS, by Gavin Drake] Prayers have been asked for the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, the Most Revd Michael Curry, after he was hospitalised with a subdural haematoma.

Bishop Curry was visiting Bruton Parish Church in Colonial Williamsburg, in the State of Virginia, yesterday (Sunday) as part of celebrations to mark the 300th anniversary of the church when a “medical incident” occurred.

He was taken to a local hospital and then transferred to a medical centre in Richmond, Virginia for treatment.

Medical staff treating Bishop Curry say that a subdural haematoma is “a small collection of blood between his brain and his skull. It comes from banging your head – from headbanging,” a nurse said, speaking at Bishop Curry’s request. “It is a simple thing to fix and we will be working on fixing it [today]. And he should be in great shape probably by the end of the week.”

The nurse stressed that Bishop Curry had not suffered from any kind of brain damage. “Sometimes you will get some . . . mild confusion. He doesn’t have that. He just has some word-finding difficulty and that resolves just as soon as tyou take the pressure off and let the blood out.”

In a video message from his hospital bed, a smiling and joking Bishop Curry said: “I will be back, preaching as normal. But for the next few days I’ll be taking it easy and I’ll be just fine in a few days.

"God bless you. Keep the faith.”

The public affairs office of the Episcopal Church has asked for prayers for Bishop Curry and has circulated a prayer from the Book of Common Prayer:

O God,
the strength of the weak and the comfort of sufferers:
Mercifully accept our prayers,
and grant to your servant Michael the help of your power,
that his sickness may be turned into health,
and our sorrow into joy;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.