UNITED KINGDOM: Scotland's First Minister, Alex Salmond unveils a sandstone gift for Pope Benedict as reception is held ahead of his visit

Record ID: 783979

  • Title: UNITED KINGDOM: Scotland's First Minister, Alex Salmond unveils a sandstone gift for Pope Benedict as reception is held ahead of his visit
  • Date: 16th September 2010
  • Summary: VARIOUS OF SCHOOL BOYS PLAYING BAGPIPES
  • Embargoed: 1st October 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: United Kingdom
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Topics: Religion
  • Reuters ID: LVA6LH13YGSP9JE7EFG5RD8KR65F
  • Story Text: Scotland's first minister, Alex Salmond marked the historic visit of Pope Benedict XVI by holding a reception at Edinburgh Castle on Tuesday (September 14), unveiling a sandstone gift.
    The evening reception, held two days before the Papal visit, started with a silent procession to recognise Tuesday's feast day as the Feast of the Cross Triumph of the Cross.
    Eight young people carried the Scottish Youth Cross from the Castle Esplanade to St Margaret's Chapel, the oldest part of the castle. The cross, measuring 2.5 metres tall and 1.2 metres wide, marked 20 years of Catholic Youth Service Scoland, the youth ministry agency of the Bishops' Conference of Scotland. Cardinal Keith O'Brien, president of the Catholic Youth in Scotland for 20 years, blessed the cross in a mass inside the tiny chapel.
    Salmond, joined by O'Brien, then held a reception at the Great Hall in Edinburgh Castle where he unveiled Scotland's gift to the Pope. A sandstone block, celtic in design carrying an inscription on the block which reads, "Te Dominum Laudamus" (We Praise the Lord), words taken from one of Scotland's ancient Christian relics, the Latinus Stone.
    The stone is inlaid with granite from St Ninian's Cave in Drumfriesshire, South-west Scotland, who was the first saint of Scotland.
    The pope arrives in Scotland on Thursday (September 16) with thousands of seats yet to be filled for his public masses in England and Scotland this week. It is a far cry from the warm welcome his predecessor received nearly 30 years ago.
    Salmond, speaking after the reception felt this trip was important for Scotland.
    "I think it is a validation of Scotland and his holiness the pope will be welcomed in that spirit and it is his first state visit. He is coming first to Scotland, that is the recognition of the country. It is not just the Catholic community of Scotland, the nation, the community of the relm will welcome Pope Benedict on Thursday," he said.
    The state visit comes at a time when the Church is struggling with a global sex-abuse scandal and hostility from one of Europe's most secular nations. The cost of the Pope's trip to Scotland is also under debate but Salmond expected Edinburgh would gain from his visit financially.
    " I have seen some estimates of the cost as far as Scotland is concerned and they are wildly out. We know how to run these things in Scotland and of course if has to be said the whole aspect of crowds and pilgrimage and celebration generates income. I am not saying we are justifying the papal visit of the impact but the economic impact will be considerable. I think what will be more important though is the celebration, the recognition of bringing our communities together," he said.
    The current pope has had a hard time inspiring the same enthusiasm as charismatic Pope John Paul II did during the first papal visit to Britain in 1982, when hundreds of thousands turned out to see him.
    Some 54,000 are due to attend a beatification ceremony for the 19th century convert Cardinal John Henry Newman in Birmingham on Sunday, against plans for 65,000-70,000, and between 70,000 and 80,000 are expected to attend a public mass in Glasgow on Thursday, instead of the anticipated 100,000.
    Only a prayer vigil in Hyde Park, central London, on Saturday is expected to be near its capacity of 85,000.
    Early starts, strict security, the need to travel in pre-organised groups and the cost of entry have been cited as the reasons why people might not be attending the public events.
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