Attending funeral of Pope an ‘honour’, says Swinney

Attending the funeral of Pope Francis will be an “honour”, Scotland’s First Minister has said as he stressed the importance of the country being represented in Rome.

John Swinney will attend the service in St Peter’s Square on Saturday as part of the UK delegation, it was announced on Thursday.

The First Minister will leave for Rome on Friday, returning after the service on Saturday.

Speaking to the PA news agency, Mr Swinney said: “I’ll have the honour and the privilege of representing Scotland at the funeral of His Holiness Pope Francis.

“This will be a poignant ceremony, a moment for us all to reflect on the extraordinary service that Pope Francis has given to the Catholic community here in Scotland and also to the whole world, because the focus on his papacy has been on peace, on reconciliation, of standing in solidarity with the poor and those who seek justice.

“I will have the privilege representing Scotland at this important moment of paying tribute to the life and service of Pope Francis.”

According to the 2021 census, 13.3% of Scotland’s population identifies as Catholic.

The First Minister added that the community will be represented by a delegation of Scottish bishops, but he stressed the importance of the whole country being represented.

“I think it’s also important that the First Minister of Scotland is there to establish that very direct connection on behalf of the whole of the country, because Scotland has benefitted from the themes of the papacy and the example and leadership that Pope Francis has given with that focus on pursuing justice, on standing in solidarity with the poor, of working for peace and reconciliation in the world,” he said.

“We’ve benefitted from that in Scotland and I think it’s important as a country that we pay tribute to Pope Francis for all he has contributed to our lives as a consequence.”