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Pope Leo XIV greeting Britain's King Charles at the Vatican last month. Alamy Stock Photo

Orange Order grand masters wrote to King Charles over prayers with Pope Leo

The Pope’s historic meeting with Charles has come in for criticism from unionist figures in the North and elsewhere over recent weeks.

SENIOR ORANGE ORDER figures have called on Britain’s King Charles to “reflect on his coronation oath” after praying with Pope Leo.

The Grand Masters of Ireland, England and Scotland told Charles that he needed to consider the oath and the “promises he made before God” when he came king.

In an article contained within The Orange Standard, the official publication of the order, the three – Edward Stevenson from Ireland, Tim Lord of England and Scotland’s Andrew Murray – outlined that that “many members” will have been “disappointed” that their king chose to pray with the Catholic pontiff.

The piece mentions that Charles had taken an oath to maintain “the Protestant Reformed religious established by law” in the UK.

Last month’s meeting between Leo and Charles was notable as it marked the first time since the Protestant Reformation in the 16th Century that the Pope and reigning British monarch had publicly prayed together.

But it has faced criticism in recent weeks, with the son of the late DUP founder Ian Paisley among those calling for Charles to abdicate in light of the prayer meeting.

It encouraged other members to “remain steadfast” when faced with the “winds of change” which the article added have already so for “centuries”.

With reporting by Diarmuid Pepper

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