Independent Scotland would need its own papal ambassador

AN INDEPENDENT Scotland would require its own nuncio, it emerged this week, writes Christopher Lamb.

While the Scottish Church currently has its own hierarchy and bishops’ conference, the Pope appoints nuncios – who act as ambassadors – to the United Kingdom (excluding Northern?Ireland) as a whole, who are based in London. Nuncios are the Holy See’s official representatives to the countries in which they serve and are responsible for compiling shortlists of candidates for ­bishops to fill vacant dioceses.

A spokesman for the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Scotland said that “if Scotland becomes independent, England and Wales, and Scotland, would [each] need a nuncio”, but he added the matter was for the Holy See.

The Scottish historian Sir Tom Devine, a Catholic, said that, as a sovereign state, Scotland would need its own nuncio in the same way as Ireland does.

The referendum on Scottish independence is set for Thursday, with polls indicating the outcome is too close to call.