Across
1 Mettle shown by leader of Catholics these days (7)
5 Where Cranmer met his Maker under threat (2,5)
9 Make full use of influence set during infancy (4,5)
10 Exploit Galilean town Nahum heartlessly ignored (5)
11 Heal injured matriarch (4)
12 Serious study time during settlement process (10)
14, 15A enitential Eve's duty over, ashes scattered (6,7)
16 See 21
18 Nineteenth-century reformer throws out church performer (6)
20 Radio report of Pope overstretched in northern town? (10)
21, 16A eligious meeting that's laid on for early birds? (4,2,5)
24 Exclusive shop of benefit to members on Sabbath (5)
25 'One must abandon what we believe in' - Queen's opening words in church (3,6)
26 Journalist rejected present rate (7)
27 State prohibition stops Christmas going west (7)

Down
1 Beast turned up then left (5)
2 Relative, not caught, remains free (7)
3 Book that is followed by Romans (4)
4 His seasonal present came in one of three similar shades (8,7)
5 Socratic marshal's strange title for a story (1,9,5)
6 Capital religious rite underpinned by love (10)
7 A very quiet song was fitting (7)
8 Continued in compassion, overlooking male tendency to stray (7)
13 Porter's cross upset goalie (10)
16 Contrary tyrant abruptly holds work up (7)
17 Farm machinery brings exclamations of wonder outside pub (7)
19 Wrong guards accompanying saintly bishop (7)
22 Highwayman avoiding quiet Italian city (5)
23 18's crude work advanced in style (4)

Last week's solution