The Grand Orange Lodge has expressed its "deep shock" that death threats were received by three of its chaplains who urged an end to the Drumcree protest.
The RUC has informed the chaplains - the Rev William Bingham, of Co Armagh; the Rev Robert Coulter, of Co Antrim, an Assembly member; and the Rev Warren Porter, a retired Presbyterian minister - about the threats, which were not accompanied by paramilitary codewords.
The RUC press office said it was not policy to discuss specific threats against individuals.
Mr Bingham declined to comment on the threats. Last Sunday, the morning after the deaths of the three Quinn boys in an arson attack in Ballymoney, Mr Bingham said it would be a "hollow victory" for Orangemen to walk down Garvaghy Road following the Ballymoney tragedy.
Mr Coulter and Mr Porter are members of the representative group of Orange Order chaplains which "entirely" supported Mr Bingham's defence of the sacredness of human life.
Mr Coulter said he was not taking the threat seriously. Because no codeword was used, he assumed it was the work of a crank.
The Grand Lodge said the threats were "totally reprehensible". The lodge said: "We again condemn all threats or violence and acts of intimidation against any person regardless of denomination or occupation. Violence or the threat of violence is wrong; there is no place for it in the vocabulary or actions of a democratic society."
Informed sources say a number of the chaplains are set to resign as the divisions within the organisation over the Drumcree standoff continue to grow.
A meeting of the Order's central committee is expected to discuss the matter shortly.
The RUC continued its search of the Drumcree area yesterday. A spokesman said the search would continue until the area had been thoroughly inspected.
During yesterday's search, the RUC found a blast bomb, a number of petrol bombs and several shotgun cartridges. Two balaclavas, a fireworks launcher and a grappling hook were also seized.
As part of the operation, the RUC has stopped Orangemen from entering the field at Drumcree. Fewer than a dozen Orangemen, including the Portadown District Master, Mr Harold Gracey, remain in the area where only a week ago thousands were present at nightly rallies.
Meanwhile, the leading loyalist campaigner, Ms Pauline Gilmore, appeared in court in Craigavon yesterday on charges of possessing explosives and ammunition with intent to endanger life. Mr Gilmore (32), from East Belfast, was arrested at Drumcree on Wednesday. She appeared with another man, Mr James Cross, from Belfast, who was charged with possessing ammunition. Both deny the charges.
Six men and two juveniles who also appeared in court at Craigavon were granted bail on charges arising out of alleged incidents during the Drumcree stand-off.
An application for bail by one of the other defendants, Robert James Dickson (38) from The Isle of Shinney Walk, Ballynahinch, did not proceed because the High Court application for bail had already been refused.
The Portadown Orange Lodge expects the RUC search to continue next week, according to its spokesman, Mr David Jones. He criticised the police for taking an "unbelievable" amount of time to carry out the search.
Further evidence of the more relaxed security situation in the North came with the announcement yesterday that soldiers in the first battalion of the Parachute Regiment started returning to their barracks in Aldershot yesterday.
Most of the 800 British soldiers who were drafted into the North before the July 12th parades have now left.
