Across

1 Erring vocalist evaded Vatican court official (6,8)

9 Longed to see changed in deanery (7)

10 What medium goes into, touring hospital block (7)

11 Persuasion’s appropriate when securing a husband (5)

12 Query regarding priest’s morality in capital (9)

13 Starts to take Evensong anthem unaccompanied, in order to wind up (9)

14 Confusion surrounding one cross fairy (5)

15 Current church in Tyneside for particular clientele (5)

17 Learns to remember to provide message and gets better (9)

20 Unforgivable lapse from folk at home? (6,3)

22 Sailor adopting exercise to become slimmer (5)

23 Both ends of nerve under single cell (7)

24 Flier’s usual beer order leading to trouble (7)

25 Best footballer’s annoyed after gutless shot ­­— that’s standard (2,7,5)

Down

1 Many do often eat crackers when fasting is appropriate (3,2,9)

2 I must enter church HQ shortly for last rites (7)

3 Lent is much abused, apart from Sunday noon or thereabouts (9)

4 Reckon fish is going off (7)

5 Vatican legate’s first to enter country with spirit (7)

6 Rift such as minister covers up (5)

7 Friar suppressing fight that may emerge at 3? (4,3)

8 Religious texts distributed to local addresses (4,3,7)

14 Austere Carthaginian accepting girl to be educated (9)

16 Depraved sound from Kitty turning over in bed? (7)

17 Therapist providing service ­— regret being upset (7)

18 Drinker’s shot wearing man’s vestment (7)

19 Singer, very quiet, conveyed nothing (7)

21 Came to floor, looking up in wonder (5)

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