The Archbishop of Canterbury has paid tribute to the outgoing Church of Ireland Primate Dr Robin Eames at an ecumenical service in Armagh.
The special service of thanksgiving for Dr Eames's 20 years in Armagh was attended by the Catholic Primate, Dr Seán Brady; the President of the Methodist Church in Ireland, the Rev Ivan McElhinney; and the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, Dr David Clarke; all of whom read prayers.
Representing the State, President Mary McAleese also offered prayers. The Northern Ireland Office was represented by junior minister Paul Goggins.
Paying tribute to Dr Eames, who retires at the end of December, Dr Rowan Williams praised his "huge attention to detail", as well as "his patience with people and, out of that, there is his amazing skill at reconciliation".
Dr Eames was "a vastly significant figure", Dr Williams added.
He had worked "to hold the centre for people - central values, uniting values", he said before the ceremony at St Patrick's cathedral.
The service was attended by current and retired Church of Ireland bishops as well as church leaders from elsewhere in the Anglican communion and across England, Scotland and Wales.
The service was also attended by the archbishop's family, including his wife, Lady Eames, and their sons, Niall and Michael.
Members of the representative church body and the general synod of the church presented Dr Eames with the figure of a dove, representing what they said was the archbishop's carrying of "the olive branch of peace and reconciliation" throughout Ireland and the Anglican communion.
Dean Desmond Harman, honorary secretary of the general synod, said: "Doves are also seen as messengers in flight. In difficult times when others were lost for words, you continued to carry a message of Christian conviction and flew on wings of faith."
Dr Eames replied, saying: "I find deep meaning in the symbolism of the gift that the representative church body and the general synod have made and it will be a constant reminder to me of my work and the many colleagues with whom I have served."