Moderator appeals on parade dispute

The Presbyterian Moderator, Dr Trevor Morrow, has expressed a hope that those involved in Monday's disputed Apprentice Boys' parade on the Ormeau Road in Belfast would fully co-operate with the Parades Commission.

The church had "consistently called upon those who wish to parade and those who may wish to protest to seek local accommodations, (and) where this does not prove possible, to obey the determinations of the Parades Commission, to treat one another with generosity, understanding and respect, and not to block any legally permitted parades," he said.

"Given the recent history of problems connected with parades and protests, any attempt to block the parade by sitting on the road would be provocative and unhelpful and will inevitably cause additional difficulties."

The Church of Ireland Primate, Archbishop Robin Eames, has said that this Easter those in the farming community know "the real meaning of despair and disappointment".

The knock-on effect of the foot-and-mouth crisis touched many lives and occupations, he said. "We need a new sense of hope - and so many need a realistic answer to despair. The Easter hope speaks directly to them."

Many in the community "find their lives dominated by memories of the past - and many such memories are ones of sadness, even resentment. Easter speaks to us all about how we deal with our memories as a society - and as individuals."

He said many who were searching for a dimension to their lives which would provide a sense of usefulness, a sense of purpose and a sense of identity "feel forgotten and undervalued as people. The Easter message speaks of the sanctity of each human life - and its importance to God."