A bid to hold a mass prayer gathering has been knocked back over fears it could break Covid rules.
An "affiliate" of a local church had asked to hold a Lisburn Call to Prayer at Wallace Park for 200 people - just two days after lockdown is set to end.
Lisburn and Castlereagh councillors asked for information about the man behind the plan, who signed off only as "Robert".
Speaking at the Leisure and Community Committee on Tuesday, mayor Nicholas Trimble said the crowd size "set off alarm bells".
Councillors were asked to approve the event - initially proposed for November 15 - to be held only after a ban on outdoor gatherings of more than 15 people was lifted.
Mr Trimble added: "My fear is the legislation we are bound by at the moment would forbid this event.
"I don’t think any of us can foresee the future - will things be changed on the 13th of November?
"I do not want to see any hint of us getting caught foul of the Covid legislation."
His UUP colleague, Deputy mayor Jenny Palmer, said she would like to be there herself, adding "I don’t think there’s any issue, I would totally support this and I would propose it even, that we do allow this at some point."
In his request, Robert said 200 people were expected, but spaces marked out in a 50 by 50 metre area of the park would allow for more.
About a dozen volunteer marshals would be on hand and masks would be worn in and out of the area "but it is hoped when socially distant they can be removed".
Green Party councillor Si Lee said they still didn't know enough about this "guy called Robert" to make a call.
He added: "In principle I don’t have any objections about it but just a wee bit concerned, do we know anything about this organisation?
"At the minute we just know it’s a guy called Robert - can he deliver these stewards?"
Sinn Féin 's Ryan Carlin agreed, and said "I know there's been some issues in Belfast recently with people preaching anti-LGBT stuff and I just wouldn't want to see us caught into anything like that but in principle I've got no issue with public prayer."
A council officer said the applicant was "affiliated" with a local church and they were confident he was "bona fide".
UUP's Stuart Hughes said: "We're talking numbers of 200 here, I don't see any time remotely soon where we're going to have numbers on that scale back.
"I don't think anybody's saying no ... but I would like this to come back to members with more information."
Robert's request read: "With a great body of Christians in Lisburn who believe in the power and need of prayer this gathering is aimed to enable those who believe in the need to unite together in prayer.
"It is at this time of great need in our communities that we believe our prayers are most needed."
Councillors voted to send the request back to him for more information before making a decision.
