The Bishop of Down and Dromore is praying for a peaceful future for Ireland on St Patrick’s Day.

In a statement marking the occasion, the Rt Rev Harold Miller contrasted the recent murders of two soldiers and a police officer by republican dissidents with the self-sacrifice of Patrick, Ireland’s patron saint.

“Those murders are entirely opposed to the message and example of Patrick,” he said.

“Here was a man from Britain who gave his life to bless the people of Ireland, so that they might be freed from destructive ways of living, and brought into the glorious liberty of the Gospel of Christ.”

Bishop Miller said this year’s annual St Patrick’s Day pilgrimage from Saul to Downpatrick would be a time of prayer for Ireland.

“We will pray that the ‘snakes’ of bitterness, division and sectarianism in our attitudes will be cast out for ever,” he said.

Bishop Miller echoed the vow of politicians and other church leaders not to allow the killings to derail the peace process.

“The message of this past week to all who try to take us back to the dark old days is that we are not going there,” he said. “By the grace of God, and in the spirit of St Patrick, we are moving forward together as one community into a peaceful future.”