Pope Francis has confirmed to the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland that he will visit the country during the COP26 Conference in Glasgow in November.
The confirmation was given in response to a message from the Scottish bishops wishing him a speedy recovery after recent surgery.
Benedict XVI visited Scotland in 2010. This week the bishops’ conference welcomed the prospect of a meeting with Pope Francis when he is in Glasgow.
A spokesperson for the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland said: “Having written to the Holy Father to assure him of a warm welcome, should he attend the conference, they are delighted to hear that he does hope to attend and would be glad to meet with them in Glasgow.”
The spokesperson added: “The Pope will be in Scotland for a very short time, most of which will be spent participating in the COP26 Conference. While many pastoral, ecumenical and interfaith gatherings would be desirable while he is with us, time constraints sadly mean such a full programme will not be possible.”
Catholic campaigning groups will also be present. Members of the Young Christian Climate Network are walking to the summit from Cornwall as part of a 1,000-mile relay pilgrimage to demand action on the climate emergency.
The possibility of a papal visit to Scotland for COP26 was first revealed by Christopher Lamb in The Tablet.
He wrote: “Protecting the environment and urgently encouraging world leaders to take action to tackle climate change have been hallmarks of the Francis papacy.
“Pope Francis timed the publication of his landmark ecological encyclical, Laudato si’, to influence the 2015 Paris climate summit, COP21, which led to a historic deal to reduce global carbon emissions.
“From 1-12 November 2021, the UK, in partnership with Italy, will be hosting the COP26 UN climate change conference in Glasgow. It will be the most important gathering of world leaders to address global warming since Paris, and the organisers are planning for it to be an in-person event.
“Might the Pope make a visit to Glasgow? Church sources have told The Tablet the idea is under consideration.”
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