Orange Order chiede scusa per orangista che urina contro chiesa a East Belfast

L’Orange Order ha chiesto scusa ai cattolici di East Belfast per la fotografia di un uomo che urina contro i cancelli della loro chiesa durante la parata commemorativa per l’Ulster Covenant di sabato scorso.

Il cappellano dell’Ordine, il reverendo Mervyn Gibson, si è recato alla chiesa di San Matteo, a Short Strand, per porgere personalmente le proprie scuse al prete cattolico. Ha detto che invierà una lettera da leggere ai fedeli di San Matteo.

Drew Nelson, gran segretario dell’Orange Order, ha parlato di “comportamento oltraggioso assolutamente inaccettabile” e spera che l’Ordine “agisca” contro il responsabile.

Prima della parata commemorativa unionista, erano state imposte delle restrizioni per il passaggio davanti alla chiesa di San Matteo.

Orange Order apologises to Catholics for photo of man urinating at church gates

The Orange Order has apologised to Catholics in east Belfast after a photograph of a man urinating at the gates of their local church during Saturday’s Ulster Covenant commemoration march was published in a local newspaper.

Grand chaplain Rev Mervyn Gibson travelled to St Matthew’s Church at Short Strand to apologise in person to the parish priest. He said he would be following up with a letter that could be read to parishioners.

Orange grand secretary Drew Nelson had called the act “outrageous behaviour” that was “utterly unacceptable” and pledged that the Order would be “taking action” against the individual. St Matthew’s Church had been singled out for restrictions by the Parades Commission prior to the march.