Across

1 Woman keeping others in order? (6)

4 Dull, amateurish performer bar none in Northern diocese (6)

8 Nomad, i.e. bound to wander (7)

9 Writer’s valued piece about priest, 51 (7)

11 Time before Easter with many lads up running around (4,6)

12 Part of church to backslide without leader? (4)

13 Parents embracing rector in Italian city (5)

14 Fire bishop ‘past it’ among Eastern followers? (8)

16 Patterns varied in wing of church (8)

18 Late sailor on duty disheartened (5)

20 Expression from minister misquoted (4)

21 Priest might offer it — a book with something sought by crossworders? (10)

23 Bananas and nuts for saintly figure (7)

24 Cautious about holy books in place endowed for mass (7)

25 White coat of a canine? (6)

26 Look inside a sanctum initially in French city (6)

Down

1 Ring two articles covering Religious Education (5)

2 Mistake healthy plant? (7)

3 Prescribe advice in diplomatic residence, shunning right-winger (9)

5 It’s characterised by one Mitford sister (5)

6 Area of ship found with tool, we hear, in bag (7)

7 Rising number in control in spiritual community (9)

10 Millenarian deviant wandering around on street (9)

13 Hunt down a body of followers, not large, within diocese (9)

15 Opinion on the fellow occupying helm awkwardly in David’s home (9)

17 Excellent Home Counties chaps raised plant (7)

19 Attendants about to draw round Greek character (7)

21 Saying representing the Christian ear? (5)

22 Some retrogressive, ghoulish types (5)

Last week's solution