A Presbyterian church minister has issued a warning following the first legal recognition of a Pagan 'church' in Northern Ireland.
Minister of Magheramason Presbyterian Church in Londonderry, Rev Graeme Orr, told the Irish News Letter: "There is a dark spiritual side involved with paganism that I would like people to be wary about.
"I would invite people to come and speak to me and find their answers through God."
While most religions go back hundreds, even thousands of years, The Order of the Golden River – Northern Ireland's first official Pagan church – was established just six years ago, in 2009.
Led by Patrick Cranberry, now legally recognised as a Pagan priest in the country, the group's members have remained anonymous since its founding – other than 65 who have 'liked' the organisation on Facebook. They say that until now, they have lived in fear of prejudice about their beliefs.
The Order was not recognised as an official church by Northern Ireland until the end of March. Cranberry, the "Sovereign and Founder" of the group – who also goes by the Spirit Name 'Knighthunter' – is now legally able to marry people within the order.
He told the Independent he was "absolutely over the moon" at the decision. "I'm still in shock, we were not expecting to be recognised," he said.
"We can now do hand passings [a pagan marriage ceremony], which is our official belief, rather than having to have a ceremony outside as we'd prefer and then another in the local registry office."
One commentator has described The Order's new status as a "huge breakthrough" for Pagans, both in Northern Ireland and elsewhere.
"In a world where we still have witch hunts and where Pagans are quickly associated with Devil worship, becoming official and being able to be fully open about your beliefs is a big deal," Heather McBane, a self-described 'Tacoma Paganism Examiner', writes for Examiner.com.
"Surely, we can expect that this will have a worldwide impact they [The Order of the Golden River] move forward and grow."
Though Cranberry says he has recieved a lot of support in the last few weeks, Orr says he is worried for the people of Londonderry, where The Order has been offered a building.
Last month, the minister warned against the burning of a wooden temple in Derry, telling the BBC that the practice could leave people open to the "influence of the occult and Satan".
