Paisley, who founded the Free Presbyterian Church in 1951 and once called the pope "the Anti-Christ", is a hero to many of Northern Ireland's majority Protestants who admire his staunch defense of the province's position within the United Kingdom.

The 81-year-old preacher last year set aside decades of hatred to work with predominantly Catholic Irish nationalist foes in administering Northern Ireland's day-to-day affairs.

But in May he will step down as first minister in a power- sharing government that ushered in political stability after a peace deal in 1998 helped end violence that killed 3,600 people. ...