With flags flying at half-mast at the Scottish Parliament following the Pope’s death on Monday, faith leaders from various religious communities in Scotland came to hear politicians pay their respects to him.
Their comments came as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer spoke of an “outpouring of grief” following the Pope’s death.
Leading tributes to Pope Francis at Holyrood, Mr Swinney said: “He was always on the side of the poor and those who faced injustice, and he used his position of leadership to work for a better world.”
Leaders from Scotland’s faith communities were in Holyrood to hear tributes to Pope Francis (Jane Barlow/PA)
While he said it was the Roman Catholic community in Scotland and abroad who would feel his loss “most acutely”, Mr Swinney said Francis would be “mourned by countless others who admired, respected and were inspired by the humble, kind, empathetic spiritual leadership he gave to the world”.
He said the Pope’s leadership had been a “a powerful example” both to him and to “millions across the globe”.
The First Minister added Francis had brought “simplicity and humility” to his role and as the first leader of the Roman Catholic Church to come from Latin America he had “sought to build new bridges between nations and faiths”.
Noting the late Pope “regularly called for an end to bigotry and conflict” Mr Swinney added he had been “particularly outspoken” about the recent conflicts in Ukraine an...
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