The Anglican church's top cleric has thrown out a plea by rebel parishioners to ditch their new priest, it was revealed yesterday.

Archbishop of Canterbury Dr. George Carey backed Bishop of Bermuda Ewen Ratteray's stance and issued a personal plea for the hatchet to be buried at troubled St. Mark's Church in Smith's.

Dr. Herman Brown -- Assistant Secretary for Anglican Communion Affairs at the Archbishop of Canterbury's Lambeth Palace in London -- confirmed Dr. Carey would take no action over the bid to ditch Father William Hayward.

Dr. Brown said: "According to the advice we have received, it's a matter entirely within the provisions of the local constitution and it's not a matter the Archbishop has any jurisdiction over.'' And he added: "There was nothing ultra vires (beyond his powers), unconstitutional or unpastoral on the part of the Bishop of Bermuda.

"The Archbishop takes these things very seriously, but he is also keen to respect the wishes of the Bishop of Bermuda and he would wish the Bishop every good wish on this. And he hopes the matter can now be accepted and resolved amicably.'' The Anglican Church's pronouncement effectively slams the door on bids to remove Fr. Hayward.

The rebels struck after Bishop Ratteray confirmed a special St. Mark's search committee choice of Fr. Hayward for St. Mark's.

They organised a petition, signed by around 90 members of the 200-plus official church roll, protesting the appointment.

And they carried out a boycott of the official induction service in March with a host of parishioners and the choir staying away. The rebels also wrote to the Archbishop of Canterbury, the final authority in Anglican affairs, asking him to convene a special church court with a view to having the appointment overturned.

The group argued that Fr. Hayward did not meet the criteria set out by the church and his appointment was not handled with the usual openness -- the usual method at St. Mark's -- although they conceded there was nothing wrong legally.

They insisted that the church had asked for an "experienced parish priest'' and Fr. Hayward had never held a parish.

And parishioners were also upset because appointees at St. Mark's in the past have been married, with a wife prepared to take a part in parish life. Fr.

Hayward is single.

But Dr. Brown said: "The last reports we got here were that it was settling down and things were not as hot as they were in previous months.'' Bishop Ratteray was staying tight-lipped over the Archbishop's backing of his stand and declined to comment.

But Fr. Hayward said: "I had felt all along that this is what he would say. I can't see anyone in his position going over a local Bishop who was duly elected and consecrated.

"I'm glad to know there is a finality to the whole thing. I just hope that in time parishioners will come back. I have a couple of them who come to church now and I've received them warmly. I have had a tremendous amount of support.

The protesters are all welcome at any time. I still respect their view -- I'm not happy about it, but they have a right to think the way they think.'' Father Hayward: `I just hope in time parishioners will come back.'