The Pope’s First Day in Britain
2.64k
The Holy Father has touched down in Scotland to begin his historic four-day State visit. He was greeted on arrival by the Duke of Edinburgh and an honour guard from the Royal Regiment of Scotland. He then travelled through Edinburgh to Her Majesty’s official residence, Holyrood House, to be welcomed by the Queen to her realm. In his opening speech the Pope offered the “hand of friendship” to the whole of the UK. He reminded the country that it had been built on Christian values and commented that the name Holyrood refers to the Cross. The Holy Father called on the people of Britain to resist the “more aggressive forms of secularism”.
The Popemobile was called into action as the Pope, clad in the specially commissioned papal visit tartan, joined the St. Ninian’s parade where he was greeted by the thousands who had lined the streets of Edinburgh. Our own fr Dermot Morrin OP was among the well-wishers along with members of the Catholic Students Union of the University of Edinburgh who gave a very sensible response to a rather inane question from the BBC’s Kaye Adams (of Loose Women fame). The Pope had lunch at the official residence of the Archbishop of Edinburgh and was then driven to Glasgow to celebrate Mass.
