A row over the sale of rosary beads at the Church of Ireland's St Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin has escalated, with the leader of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) and Northern Ireland Minister for Employment Sir Reg Empey warning it could damage investment in the North.
Concerns were also expressed by SDLP leader Mark Durkan and Alliance Party deputy leader Naomi Long, while the Church of Ireland distanced itself from comments made.
In a letter to this newspaper last Tuesday, Wallace Thompson objected to the sale of rosary beads at St Patrick's on theological grounds. An adviser to Nigel Dodds, Northern Ireland's Minister for Enterprise, Mr Thompson is secretary to the Evangelical Protestant Society in Belfast. He had been a civil servant at the Northern Ireland Office and Department of Education for 28 years before appointment as adviser to Mr Dodds last year.
Speaking to Joe Duffy on RTE Radio 1's Liveline on Tuesday, he said: "The Pope is the anti-Christ . . . a lot of Protestants probably might not hold [ that view] but it is still enshrined in the standards." He continued: "It is a strong statement to make, but in expressing those views I am not conflicting with the main teachings of the main churches."
He said he was totally opposed to a papal visit to Northern Ireland and that he would be disappointed if any of his daughters married a Catholic.
Speaking as leader of the UUP, Sir Reg Empey said Mr Thompson's comments could be used against Northern Ireland where inward investment was concerned. "People are entitled to their personal beliefs," he said; "however, if you are in a key position, especially in the run-up to a conference like the investment conference we are planning in May involving American businessmen, then great care has to be taken in how you express those views."
The SDLP leader Mark Durkan said of Mr Thompson: "Those who appointed him are telling us that their programme for government will promote tolerance and mutual respect. His offensive comments reflect intolerance and prejudice. Many people will question how someone as insensitive and intolerant can be trusted to be fair, balanced and open-minded on the decisions which he can influence."
Alliance Party deputy leader Naomi Long said: "I do not want to suppress anyone's right to express their religious beliefs. However, when someone is in public life they need to have an understanding of the potential impact of divisive views."
In a brief "clarification" the Church of Ireland said, regarding Mr Thompson's claims, that "no such description of the Pope is contained in any of the formularies or the historic documents of the Church of Ireland."