Three Christian leaders from the Middle East denied entry to the U.K.

Three Christian archbishops from Iraq and Syria were barred from entering the U.K. despite having an invitation to meet Prince Charles.

Archbishops Nicodemus Daoud Sharaf of Mosul, Timothius Mousa Shamani of St Matthew's in Nineveh valley of northern Iraq, and Selwanos Boutros Alnemeh of Homs and Hama in Syria were supposed to attend the consecration ceremony of the Syriac Orthodox Cathedral in London, Express reported.

However, they were not able to attend the event because the Home Office deemed their visa applications unacceptable.

Prince Charles attended the ceremony at St. Thomas Cathedral last week and spoke about the suffering of Christians in Syria.

Alnemeh was told by the British embassy that it does not grant visas to anyone in Syria. The archbishops were also told that their application was denied because they may not be capable of supporting themselves financially, and they might stay in the U.K.

Archbishop Athanasius Toma Dawod, the leader of Syriac Orthodox Christians in the U.K., expressed his disappointment about the decision.

"These are men who have pressing pastoral responsibilities as Christian areas held by IS are liberated. That is why we cannot understand why Britain is treating Christians in this way?" said Dawod.

Dr. Martin Parsons, head of research at the Barnabas Fund, an aid group which has helped more than 8,000 Christians escape from persecution, also condemned the Home Office's move.

"It's unbelievable that these persecuted Christians who come from the cradle of Christianity are being told there is no room at the inn, when the UK is offering a welcome to Islamists who persecute Christians," he said.

Last August, the Home Office issued a statement which discussed granting asylum to senior members of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood, a group which was labeled as a terrorist organization.

Parsons also claimed that two Pakistani clerics who called for killing Christians accused of blasphemy were granted visas last July.

A Home Office spokesman said that "all visa applications are considered on their individual merits and applicants must provide evidence to show they meet the requirements of the immigration rules."

Two Pakistani Christians were also denied entry into the U.K. last month because they were deemed too poor and posed a risk of becoming illegal immigrants.