Hundreds of onlookeers joined worshippers to celebrate as the Archbishop of York baptised Christians from different denominations in a special Easter open-air ceremony.

Candidates from various churches were baptised by Dr John Sentamu outside York Minster.

The service of baptism was organised by One Voice York, a network of Christian churches and leaders of different denominations working together across the city.

Joint chair of One Voice York, Graham Hutchinson, said: “Baptism is a symbol of death and new life, and it’s especially important at Easter, when we celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.”

In his Easter Day service yesterday, the Archbishop remembered Madeleine McCann and Claudia Lawrence in his Easter sermon.

Speaking at the Easter Day service at York Minster yesterday Dr Sentamu called on the congregation to consider the meaning of the resurrection and to “make Christ visible” by standing by those in suffering.

Dr Sentamu said: “As his followers, may we make Christ visible: Standing alongside all those whose lives are crushed by the heavy burden of financial pressures, unemployment, homelessness, poor housing, poverty and gender based violence; and all the missing: Madeleine McCann, Claudia Lawrence – to name just two.

“And not forgetting the indescribable brutality meted out to defenceless citizens of Zimbabwe by the evil regime of President Robert Mugabe, as well as those in Libya and Syria and many other parts of the world.”

Miss Lawrence was aged 35 when she was last seen walking near her home in York on March 18, 2009.

A police investigation over the last two years has failed to find any trace of her.

Last month her mother, Joan, revealed Madeleine McCann’s family had helped her to find solace during her ordeal.

Mrs Lawrence, 66, from North Yorkshire, spoke of the support she has been given by Kate McCann, whose daughter, Madeleine, went missing aged only three while the family was on holiday in Portugal in 2007.