Story by Allan Preston
A Free Presbyterian minister in Co Down has said that he makes no apology for stating that Pope Francis “was most certainly an antichrist”.
Rev Daniel Henderson of Moneyslane Presbyterian Church made the comments during a sermon the day following the pontiff’s funeral in Rome.
Advertising the sermon online - ‘Was Francis an antichrist?’ - the livestreamed service also took aim at other Protestant churches and King Charles for their “wishy-washy” statements of sympathy following the 88-year-old’s death last month.
Rev Henderson, who is originally from Liverpool, told the congregation he was not against Catholics and that his own mother was a previous member of the church, but that he believed successive popes had led “millions” to hell.
His main objection was the “blasphemous” belief of Catholics that the Pope is God’s representative on earth.
“I make no apology in saying that Francis was most certainly an antichrist,” Rev Henderson said during this service.
“Francis was when he was in this office, and no doubt the next individual that will be elected to that office of Pope, claims to be the spiritual father of every man, woman, boy, girl upon the face of the earth whether they like it or not.”
He continued: “The Roman antichrist has truly deceived many, countless millions over the centuries have been sent to a lost eternity in hell for evermore due to the influence of Rome upon their lives.
“The Roman Catholic is not to be hated, they are to be pitied and loved…there is apparently 1.4bn Roman Catholics in this world and they all are in need of the Lord Jesus Christ.”
