Patsy McGarry,
Religious Affairs Correspondent
The Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin, Most Rev John Neill, yesterday addressed what he described as a very significant event last year that had gone unnoticed by many.
"The most widespread opposition to the war in Iraq came from a very united Christian voice across Europe - and though views differed to an extent within all the churches, there was one of the clearest messages from the churches heard for a very long time, and possibly that has ever been heard," he said.
He gave thanks "for the determination of many lay and ordained in all our churches to put their basic unity in Christ far above denominationalism".
He was speaking at the inaugural prayer service for the annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity at the Pro-Cathedral, in Dublin.
It was attended by Cardinal Desmond Connell, Catholic Archbishop of Dublin, and a large representation from the other Christian denominations.
Near the end of the last century, "Christians in South Africa were telling us that apartheid was too strong for a divided church - and it was Christians together that broke through that terrible evil." But, referring to Ireland, he said "this land is for many in the world a symbol of divided Christians - exploited, yes, by all sorts of other forces, but we cannot deny that our divisions have done Ireland and its Christian witness a great deal of damage.
"The mission of the Church in this city must be to make Jesus real in every part of life. This is about our outreach to the poor. It is about our concern for those with addictions. It is about the battle against HIV/AIDS. It is about issues of justice. It is about the welcome to those from other cultures, it is about encounter with those of other faiths."