The rector of Drumcree, the Rev John Pickering, and the church's select vestry are to receive notification from the Church of Ireland Primate, Archbishop Robin Eames, that he cannot give his "blessing" to the July 4th church service at Drumcree.
The move comes after Portadown Orangemen effectively refused to sign up to three pledges governing their behaviour before and after the service. The archbishop is expected to make the announcement on Monday, the same day the Parades Commission will give its ruling on the Portadown parade.
Church of Ireland sources said that as the spokesman for the Portadown Orange Lodge, Mr David Jones, had yesterday rejected the pledge requesting lodge members to obey the rule of law, Dr Eames would be forced to ask Mr Pickering to withdraw the long-standing invitation open to Orangemen to attend the church.
Mr Pickering may still invite the Portadown Orangemen to the church on July 4th, but the service will not have the backing of Dr Eames. "Mr Pickering is caught between a rock and a hard place. All his select vestry are Orangemen and he has been told by people in the town that he is the saviour of the Orange Order," said a church source.
A spokeswoman for Dr Eames said the archbishop intended to wait for official clarification of the decision taken by the Portadown lodge before making a statement. The Orangemen missed the first deadline set by Dr Eames and he extended it to midnight last night. The three pledges outlined by Dr Eames at the General Synod in May request Orangemen to avoid any action that diminished the sanctity of worship, show obedience to the law of the land and avoid the use of the property of the Church of Ireland or its environs for any civil protest.
Mr Jones said yesterday that the lodge did not recognise the Parades Commission and as a result could not accept the pledge requiring the lodge members to obey the rule of law. The Orangemen intended to engage in a peaceful protest if their parade was prevented from walking down the Garvaghy Road, he added.
He also said the lodge members would attend the church even if they were not welcomed by the archbishop. "We will just turn up and join in the normal morning worship at Drumcree".
The Portadown Orangemen have been protesting at Drumcree since their march was prevented from proceeding down the nationalist Garvaghy Road last year.