The Bishop of London has backed legal measures that could lead to anti-capitalist demonstrators being evicted from their camp outside St Paul's.
The Right Reverend Dr Richard Chartres told a crowd of hundreds on the steps of the cathedral that "nobody wants to see violence", including the police.
Later, he said he believed legal measures would be "prudent" and rejected protesters' claims that violence would be an inevitable if an eviction notice was served.
St Paul's and the City of London Corporation announced on Friday that they would try to gain separate High Court injunctions in order to evict members of the 200-tent Occupy London camp.
The cathedral re-opened on Friday after being closed for a week, the first time its doors were shut since the Second World War.
"I have spoken to the police and there is absolutely no use for a violent confrontation," said the Bishop. "I do not think we are on the inevitable road to violence. Getting the legal situation clear is probably a sensible precautionary measure.
"We do not know what is going to happen, the camp could be taken over by people who are very different from the ones who are in charge at the moment. I think it is a prudent measure."
Beforehand, Dr Chartres spoke alongside the Dean of St Paul's, Reverend Graeme Knowles, to a crowd of demonstrators, some wearing Guy Fawkes-style masks, media and passers-by.
He said Rev Knowles had assured him that a controversially delayed St Paul's Institute report on business ethics in the City would be published, but he did not know when. The report looks into the issues of bumper bonuses and high salaries and is based on a survey of 500 City workers taken in August.
Read More
Reaction amongst the protesters to the Bishop's words was mixed. Mark Weaver, 30, from Leeds, who chaired the question and answer session with the clerics, said: "I think if you are in our position and you are worried about being attacked by the police, very very definite answers is what you want to hear."
