A Belfast rector and member of the Church of Ireland's sectarianism committee has criticised the Drumcree rector, the Rev John Pickering.
Earlier this year the church's General Synod asked Portadown Orangemen to make three pledges. These were doing nothing which might "diminish the sanctity of the worship"; respecting "the integrity of the church by word and action"; and obeying the "civil law before and after the service", which meant not marching home via the Garvaghy Road.
In his parish magazine the Rev Walter Lewis, of St Thomas Rectory, south Belfast, wrote: "It greatly saddened me when it was reported that the Rev John Pickering, who voted against the pledges, was `unfazed' by the very large majority decision of the Synod. The service at Drumcree would go ahead as usual. I believe the rector of Drumcree is wrong to disregard the mind of the church which was expressed in a clear manner in the Synod votes."