Philip Lovegrove, chairman of the Diocesan Board of Finance for over 30 years, and a lay canon of the Cathedral, is among those heading the protest. He said that a delegation of five or six leaders meeting the Bishop next week were likely to begin by pressing him on how he can now be a focus for unity in the diocese after making such a controversial appointment.

He also noted that the matter is "under investigation" with regard to possible clergy violations of diocesan guidelines.

Harper will become interim dean of the cathedral on Aug. 1, he said. Zahl plans to take the month of July as vacation, Harper said.

Last year, Zahl repeatedly made headlines as one of the leaders of a conservative movement in the Episcopal Church that opposes same-sex unions.

Zahl was one of several theologians who signed a position paper saying the Episcopal Church General Convention has no authority to approve blessings for same-sex couples.

The Most Rev Barry Morgan, who succeeded Dr Rowan Williams as Archbishop of Wales, said that the 58-year-old archdeacon was the unanimous choice of the Church's Bench of Bishops.

But a number of clergy in the diocese have expressed anger over the
decision, saying that their wishes had been ignored, and the majority of
canons at Bangor cathedral have protested to the Archbishop.