London, Mar 21 (ANI): The parish priest, who had dressed up as a hooker for a charity "tarts and vicars" party in Britain, has resigned after he was called a pervert and threatened with violence.
Reverend Martin Wray, 59, had received a warm welcome when he arrived in shiny gold tights, a little black dress, pink high heels, a pink necklace and a long black wig at the charity event near his church in South Shields, Tyneside.
But the reaction when his picture was published in a local newspaper was less enthusiastic, and some parishioners complained to his superiors that he had brought the church into disrepute.
His family and friends support him, and his sister has said she suspects that some of his "elderly and very old-fashioned" parishioners used the pictures as a smokescreen to attack him for his sexuality.
The vicar had revealed his homosexuality to his flock when he announced that he was entering a civil partnership with his partner Lee Lovely, 34, a divorced father of one, at their local registry office last May.
"My brother has been subjected to a witch-hunt for being gay," the Telegraph quoted Janet Bridges, 54, Rev. Wray's sister, as saying.
"When he announced to his congregation at a service one Sunday that he was getting a civil partnership everyone stood up and applauded.
"But a lot of people in that church are elderly and very old-fashioned. When his picture appeared in the paper dressed like that some people used it as an excuse because they didn't like the fact he is gay.
"He started receiving threatening abuse. Martin played me one message left on his phone, which threatened violence against him and called him a pervert.
"Martin's wife suffered a long illness and he nursed her through it until her death. He was probably born gay, I certainly suspected it, but when he was growing up that kind of thing wasn't recognised. His partner Lee is a lovely person," she stated.
Rev Wray confirmed he has resigned from the parish and retired, saying he regretted dressing in drag.
"I have taken early retirement following advice from my doctor. I have apologised to people in the church, but people can say one thing to you and think something different," he said.
"Perhaps the problem was of my own making. Perhaps I should have been wiser and not taken part in the event. But that's what life is about. Sometimes it takes you down a different route.
"I regret dressing up like that for the party. My intention was to raise money, not bring the church into disrepute. But you never know what people are going to think," he added.
The Archdeacon denied homophobia had lain behind the controversy, saying worshippers accused of it had been hurt.
"We have not found this to be the case and it is something that the congregation would vehemently refute. They have been deeply hurt by this accusation," he said. (ANI)
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