'RIP' as an expression of sympathy after a death is unbiblical and a form of superstition connected to Roman Catholicism, according to Northern Ireland's Protestant Orange Order.

The Order, has asked members to stop using the term, which stands for Rest in Peace or Requiescat in Pace, in a publication marking the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, according to the BBC.

The Orange Order defends the civil and religious liberties of the Protestant community in the province,

The move follows comments by Wallace Thompson, secretary of Evangelical Protestants Northern Ireland, who told the BBC's Talkback programme: 'Observing social media, we have noticed that the letters RIP are used a lot by Protestants, and by some evangelical Protestants.'

He said that 'RIP' is a prayer and that he did not encourage prayers for the dead.

'From a Protestant point of view, we believe, when death comes, a person either goes to be with Christ for all eternity, or into hell,' he said.

'That's what we believe the gospel to be and in this 500th anniversary year of the Reformation, I think Luther, when the scales fell off his eyes, realised that it was all by faith alone, in Christ alone, the decision is made during life, on this earth, so that when death comes it has been made and no decision has been made after death.'

The article has drawn fierce criticism online, with Thompson accused of being anti-Catholic. However, he said in response to one questioner his words were 'directed at Protestants who are into culture but have little idea about their faith. That's the target audience!'

He said in a Facebook post he had been 'subjected to some vile abuse in the last few hours, but some folks have stood by me'. Thompson referred to a column in the Belfast Telegraph by Ruth Dudley Edwards in which she ranked him with 'thoroughly decent people who take a dim view of Roman Catholicism but would never be disrespectful to or about Catholics'.