The Independent Orange Order has expressed “great sadness” over King Charles’ meeting with Pope Leo XIV. 

The King and the pontiff are expected to pray together during an ecumenical service in Vatican City on Thursday.

But the event – the first time an English monarch and pope have prayed together at a church service since the Reformation in the 16th Century – has drawn criticism.

The Independent Loyal Orange Institution (ILOI) cited a catalogue of grievances with the “obnoxious” theological position of the Catholic Church, which it said has no Biblical basis. 

It said: "As Supreme Governor of the Church of England, King Charles is well aware that the 39 articles of faith, which form part of the bedrock of beliefs within the established Church over which he presides, clearly state that Romish doctrine of purgatory is repugnant to the word of God along with the worshiping of images and relics. 

“Furthermore the same articles of faith over which the King governs reaffirm that the Church of Rome hath erred on matters of faith".

The planned service in the Sistine Chapel is intended to symbolise the continuing dialogue between both denominations and will be the first time a reigning English monarch has prayed publicly with a Pope since Henry VIII split from Rome in 1534. 

Kyle Paisley, the son of the late DUP founder Ian Paisley, called on Charles to cancel the engagement or “abdicate” and “let someone else take his place who is a true Protestant”.

In a letter to the Belfast Telegraph, the minister at Oulton Broad Free Presbyterian Church in Lowestoft, Suffolk, pointed out the encounter comes 500 years after the first printing of the New Testament in English by William Tyndale who was accused of heresy and executed in 1536. 

It also comes just a week before Reformation Day which commemorates Martin Luther's posting of the Ninety-Five Theses in Wittenberg on October 31, 1517.

“This week’s meeting couldn’t have been more poorly timed,” Mr Paisley added. 

“At his coronation, the King affirmed that he was a true Protestant, and promised to uphold the religion of the established church in England as well as that of the Church of Scotland, which is historically Protestant.

“But by an act of corporate worship with the head of a church which by the ‘sacrifice of the Mass’ denies the finality of Christ's sacrifice on the cross, our King has denied the Christian Gospel, flown in the face of Holy Scripture, given the lie to his oath and shown that he is not at all what he says he is.”

The ILOI also recalled Charles’ oath at the coronation on May 6, 2023 when he as “a faithful Protestant” vowed, “according to the true intent of the enactments which secure the Protestant succession to the Throne, (to) uphold and maintain the said enactments to the best of my powers”.

“A faithful Protestant and in particular the defender of the Protestant faith, should have no form of worship with one who claims to be the Holy Father – a title attributed only to God alone,” the ILOI added. 

"As an Institution we believe that King Charles has been ill advised regarding this proposed meeting with the Pope of Rome and in the strongest possible terms we raise our opposition.” 

ILOI also paid tribute to all those “who suffered and horrendously died, under watchful eye and approval of Rome” during the Reformation. 

The Evangelical Protestant Society has also expressed “deep concern” about the prayer event.

Its secretary, Wallace Thompson, said the fundamental differences which arose in the 16th century remain relevant today and “can't simply be swept under the carpet.”

A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said about the trip, which also involves the Queen, will mark “a significant moment in relations” between both churches, recognise the ecumenical work they have undertaken and reflect the Jubilee year's theme of walking together as 'Pilgrims of Hope'.

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/in-the-strongest-possible-terms-we-raise-our-opposition-independent-orange-order-criticises-meeting-between-king-and-pope/a2104558523.html

by askmac

32 comments

  1. >The Independent Loyal Orange Institution (ILOI) cited a catalogue of grievances with the “**obnoxious” theological position of the Catholic Church**, which it said has no Biblical basis. 

    >Its secretary, Wallace Thompson, said the fundamental differences which arose in the 16th century remain relevant today and “can’t simply be swept under the carpet.”

    *(Wallace Thompson was a senior DUP advisor for decades and could still be for all I know)*

    Have any Unionist politicians been asked what they thought about this? Have their opinions on the matter been cited as news articles? The Free Presbyterian Church, Independent Orange Order (and presumably the main O.O) have voiced their anger. Wallace Thompson was a founder member of the DUP and Paisley’s church.

    Given how many senior Unionists like DUP leader Gavin Robinson are members of the Orange Order and Evangelical churches like the Free P’s it seems a safe assumption that many of them, right across political unionism would hold the same backward, aggressively anti-Catholic views.

    Would the news media not be curious? Do the public not deserve to know?

    The fact that leaders of both their church and sectarian groups they belong to are calling for the King they’re supposed to be loyal to, to abdicate surely has broader interest even to non evangelical unionists? Right?

  2. The funniest thing is that the King couldn’t care less about them.

  3. There’s an Independent Orange Order?

    Thought these lads hated independence notions

  4. This is like falling out with your mate because he watched the theatrical release of Lord Of The Rings, but you only like the extended editions.

    (Is that analogy a stretch? It feels like a stretch now that I’ve written it out)

  6. It’s cute they think either the Pope or the King know who the Independent Orange Order are or that they’ll care what some bigoted dinosaurs think.

    They need to understand it might be 1690 in their estates but it’s 2025 everywhere else.

  7. Wait to you see the look on their faces when they realise the royals don’t give one fuck about them, and neither does anyone else over there

  10. It’s class that the English outsourced this embarrassing shite to us this in the 17th century and now they can act all progressive and secular and we are seen as backwards nutters. Love that for us! 

  13. Remember what the Queen said about the knuckldraggers, the sectarian fleg sheggers should put that in their pipes and smoke it, they really all are nonentities that no decent person in the entire world cares about, the Brits want rid of them, please indigenous people vote to unite your wonderful Island and educate them.

  14. Would be interesting to see the Orange Order decide they dont want to recgonise the monarch as the head of state after this… I believe the word for that is republicanism

  16. He must think of them as a baby reindeer type fan club

  17. Their whole identity is hating catholics. Nothing to do with Christianity or preserving their religion. Embarrassing

  20. The dawn of the anti-monarchy loyalist British not Irish but born in Ireland independent Republican Orange Protestant but not Church of England order is here

  21. Dear Kyle and the IOO. Please don’t be sad, its all just made up.

  22. Spitting image was created for moments like this. Picture the scene, Charlie sitting on his throne crown and cloak. He’s scrolling through his social media feed. William has tag him in a post “Father you’re Facebook famous” close up on Charlie’s reaction, over theatrical eye roll, dead pan to the burning fire.

    I’m not a writer don’t judge.

  24. As a Catholic it is hilarious to see the sheer panic of those within Protestantism that the Catholic Church is attempting to entice the Anglicans back to full communion with them.

    Charlie has been to Mosques, opened Islamic centres, invited Muslims to one of the palaces at Ramadan, even prayed with Muslims but that’s ok. One visit to the Vatican and they are watching Frankenstein, cleaning their shovels and looking into reanimating Paisley.

    Viva Papa Leone.

  25. Well the strongest possible terms from a bunch of lads wearing wee sashes that with LOL plastered on them is not very strong. Similar to a wet paper bag but even that has some use, and hell had a history of being useful!

  26. It’s so funny seeing people getting up in arms about their interpretation of a fairy tale. Bunch of LARPers.

  27. COE person here who has no objection whatsoever with the meeting. World did not end. IOO need to grow up.

  29. Why do these people think the King gives a flying fuck?

  30. Silly marches as their queen put it. You also have a news story on an out of touch bigoted organisation reporting on another out of touch organisation.

  31. You know that VERY odd night where you happen to have too much to drink where you are convinced everyone else is wrong, your mate tells you to settle yourself and your wife orders a taxi for you and everyone else at the party is the asshole…then you wake up the next day with a splitting hangover on the sofa smelling of your own vomit and realise actually shit “I was the asshole last night, I have a lot of apologies to make”

    The orange order still needs to go to sleep let alone wake up on the sofa.

  32. Keep in mind that Orange Loyalism is not unconditional. The Orange pledge of loyalty is to the King and heirs only so long as they maintain the Protestant Ascendancy. It’s amusing to think that if the King is no longer maintaining this (we can debate whether or not the ascendancy is now over or not) then in theory they are now free of their pledge to be loyal to him.

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