Roman Catholic represents King Charles at the General Assembly

The first practicing Roman Catholic to represent His Majesty King Charles at the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland said she believed that prejudice and sectarianism can be overcome by the recognition that we are "all Jock Tamson's bairns."

Lady Elish Angiolini LT DBE PC KC FRSE said people are the creation of God and all require "love, forgiveness and support" in all their imperfection.

She told the General Assembly that she is "profoundly honoured" to have been chosen as the first practicing Roman Catholic to be Lord High Commissioner at the annual gathering which opened in Edinburgh today.

Lady Elish's appointment was only made possible after both Houses of Parliament in London changed a law dating back to 1689 that barred Roman Catholics from holding the role.

Addressing the General Assembly, she said: "I am so pleased to be here with you all and particularly pleased I actually made it here.

"I would like to express my sincere thanks to everyone who helped secure my presence here today."

Profound significance

Lady Elish grew up in Govan in Glasgow and studied law at the University of Strathclyde.

She was appointed Solicitor General for Scotland in 2001, the first woman, the first procurator fiscal and the first solicitor to hold the post

Lady Elish served as Lord Advocate of Scotland from 2006 until 2011, the most senior law officer in Scotland, from 2006-2011, serving two different Scottish governments.

Since 2023, she has served as Lord Clerk Register, the first woman to hold the role since its creation in the 13th century.

Lady Elish said: "While I have had the privilege and the terror of being the first woman in a number of historic roles, being the Lord High Commissioner with my very own Act of Parliament had never occurred to me.

"I hope I can do justice to all of that wonderful support and I am acutely aware of what an enormous honour has been bestowed on me."

Lady Elish said people born and brought up in Scotland will be well aware of the "profound significance of the appointment of a Catholic to this role".

"Sadly, for many years, as I grew up, an almost tribal enmity in some parts of Scotland persisted among individuals who were allegedly members of both the Protestant and Catholic communities, largely but not exclusively, manifested by football supporters in what sometimes amounted to criminal behaviour," she added.

"I dealt with many such cases over many years in my role as a Procurator Fiscal and as Lord Advocate.

"The epithet of Catholic or Protestant was often used, not in a neutral or religious sense, but in a tone of derision or disapproval.

"On a number of occasions in court I would recall to myself the irony of the abusive exchanges I had to narrate to the court while reflecting privately on the words of another lawyer, Tertullian, who was also a theologian and who lived between 160 and 220 AD.

"He once observed, ‘see these Christians, how they love one and other'.

"While I hope those sectarian sentiments have diminished with the passage of time, I am told they still feature in the courts.

"Each and every one of us here have an obligation or, at least, a wonderful opportunity in life, to do justice to Tertullian's observation and I know just how much those of you here put into practice that essential love of humanity, irrespective of creed, race or disposition.

"I firmly believe that sectarianism is diminishing and that even in the 60's and 70's those of that superficial disposition would instinctively respond to those of any creed in real need with a reflex - like response of compassion and love.

"I still believe that prejudice and sectarianism can be overcome by that fundamental recognition in us that we are all Jock Tamson's bairns and by the recognition of each other as the creation of God, requiring the love, forgiveness and support we would all seek for ourselves in all of our imperfection."

Lady Elish said she was 11 when she remembered how that "essential love of humanity" manifested in January 1971 when there was a crush among the crowd at an Old Firm football game at Ibrox, which caused 66 deaths and more than 200 injuries.

Her father and neighbours went to the aid of people caught up in the tragedy.

Lady Elish said: "I, in turn, was on the receiving end of such compassion when I was a victim in the front carriage of the train when the Polmont rail disaster occurred in 1984

"Again, it was the kindness of complete strangers, other passengers, that I recollect to this day, as I lay trapped in the wreckage, comforted by their love and compassion as they teased me about how hopeless Celtic was to distract me from the horror of the situation we were in."

Friendship

Lady Elish highlighted the historic St Margaret's declaration of friendship between the Church of Scotland and the Catholic Church in Scotland that was signed at the Abbey Church of Dunfermline on 16 November 2022.

"As so many of you know well, the declaration was the culmination of years of ecumenical relationship building between the two churches and recognises each other as brothers and sisters in Christ," she added.

"The Declaration also recognised the friendships which had developed while reflecting the pain experienced because of the divisions of the past.

"Reconciliation and forgiveness can heal wounds over many years and it is incumbent on us all to continue to help our communities abandon any residual bigotry and enmity that may persist and to walk forward together in God's unflinching love for us all."

Rt Rev Rosie Frew, the newly installed Moderator of the General Assembly, welcomed Lady Elish to her place.

"It is so good to have you with us, we are honoured to have you here," she said.

"Your appointment was an inspired one, a real living out of the 2022 St Margaret Declaration of friendship and respect between the Church of Scotland and the Catholic Church in Scotland, brothers and sisters in Christ, citizens and partners in announcing the kingdom of God in our land.

"We pray for every blessing on you and your household for the week ahead."

First Minister John Swinney said: "The Church of Scotland play a significant role in Scotland and abroad, supporting many of our most vulnerable and disadvantaged communities including through the provision of food banks and other support to the homeless and others.

"The appointment of Her Grace Lady Elish Angiolini to the position of Lord High Commissioner is a wider reflection of how the Church is looking to the future.

"I am grateful to the Church of Scotland for their commitment to building and strengthening community cohesion across Scotland."