Archbishop Robin Eames worked for peace

Archbishop Robin Eames made the call during his final sermon at St Patrick's Cathedral in Armagh.

A new primate is to be chosen in January as Lord Eames, who was ordained as a minister in 1963, retires.

"We cannot pass on to a new generation the hatreds and divisions of the past," he said.

"We have got to create a future under God where young people have real pride in their community.

"The Church, politicians and all of us leading ordinary lives must grasp the opportunities for reaching that shared future which now present themselves.

"I welcome the debates within the Protestant and unionist community on a way forward.

'Grasp the joy'

"I welcome the historic attempts within the nationalist and republican community to address issues such as policing. Let us recognise in both communities, individual courage and integrity when we see it in others we may not always agree with."

Archbishop Eames' final sermon addressed the pilgrimage of the Christian life, his thanks to the Diocese of Armagh and to the people of the church for their support and sharing in that pilgrimage.

The archbishop shared his own experience of faith and urged people to "grasp the joy there is in believing and live by it".

The 69-year-old has been a prominent advocate for peace and understanding in Northern Ireland.

Born in Belfast in 1937 he studied law at Queen's University, but turned his back on a legal career in favour of the Church of Ireland.

He became Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland in 1986, and was the following year a select preacher at Oxford University.

Gay debate

He has been a significant figure within the general Anglican Communion.

In 2003, he was chairman of the Lambeth Commission, which examined significant challenges to unity in the Anglican Communion after the appointment of an openly gay bishop in the Episcopal Church in the United States of America.

The commission published its report ("the Windsor Report") on 18 October 2004.

The report recommended solidifying the connection between the churches of the Communion by having each church ratify an "Anglican Covenant" that would, in part, commit them to consulting the wider Communion when making major decisions.

It also urged those who had contributed to disunity to express their regret.