Positive response to Passion film

The Passion of the Christ has been a surprise box office hit

Representatives of Northern Ireland's clergy have given a positive response to one of the most controversial religious films in recent years.

A special screening of the Passion of Christ was held at Belfast's Yorkgate Moviehouse on Monday.

The film deals with the last 24 hours of the life of Jesus Christ.

The film has been dogged by accusations of anti-Semitism, with some Jewish groups seeing it as entirely blaming Jews for the death of Christ.

John Dickinson, a minister at Carnmoney Presbyterian church, Father Peter Carlin St Teresa's Church in Belfast, Reverend Lesley Spence Glenavy and Craigmore Methodist Church chaplin Maghaberry prison and Canon Walter Lewis, Rector of St Thomas' Church of Ireland, Belfast, said they believed the film was a positive experience.

It was a moving experience which reminded me again of what has been done for me, not just for me but for so many people Reverend Lesley Spence Craigmore Methodist Church

"My first impression was that I was completely overcome by the portrayal of our Lord's passion and death," said Father Carlin.

"I would have no hesitation in recommending it to my parishioners."

"Without any effort one could understand all of the narrative right the way through, even though there was not a word of English spoken," said Canon Lewis.

"I think everybody should see it, definitely, everybody."

Mr Spence said: "It was a moving experience which reminded me again of what has been done for me, not just for me but for so many people.

"God's spirit certainly spoke through that film into my life today.

Mr Dickinson said he had never seen such a reaction from a cinema audience before.

"I guess the reaction at the end of the film in a sense said it all, not even at the Lord of the Rings was the reaction quite like that, absolute silence, people not really wanting to talk after it," he said.

"It was an incredible film really.

"If I was going to be churlish I would say some gratuitous violence that probably was not needed, although it made the point, it was an awful thing.

This film does not hold back, this film shows the pain and the wounds that were inflicted on Christ Michael McAdam Moviehouse managing director

"The role of Mary, from a Protestant perspective, is probably not how I would see it, but in virtually every other respect it is an amazing film and probably fairly true to how it was."

Tickets were made available to some members of Belfast's Jewish community but it is thought none attended the screening.

Michael McAdam, owner and managing director of Moviehouse Cinemas said the clergy's reaction was encouraging.

"I saw this film some time ago and I have been very passionate about it," he said.

"Religious films have always been surrounded by cotton wool, there has always been a nicey nicey side to them.

"This film does not hold back, this film shows the pain and the wounds that were inflicted on Christ.

"Some people may still want to live in that nicey nicey world but this film tells it as it was."

The Passion of the Christ has been a surprise box office success, reaping more than $250m (£138m) in the US alone.

It remains top of the US box office after three weeks, and experts predict it could reach the $400m (£220m) milestone.

It receives its UK release on 26 March.