The first images of the altar the Pope will use when he visits Glasgow have been revealed as a work in progress.

Stonemason Neil Reid described the commission as a “real privilege”.

He said he had been working non-stop to produce the marble altar from which the Pontiff will celebrate Mass at Bellahouston Park.

Details of the altar, chair and the lectern Pope Benedict XVI will use were unveiled ahead of the four-day visit between September 16 and 19 which begins in Scotland.

It will be the first State Visit by a Pope to Britain.

Mr Reid from Reid Carrara Ltd in Glasgow, said: “It was a real privilege to be asked by the Church to do this job.

“I’ve been making altars for churches for 18 years now but this is the big one.

“I’ve been working flat out to get it finished in time.

“I can picture the altar in my head already but I can’t wait to get it finished and see it being used by the Pope at Bellahouston.”

The altar, chair and lectern were designed by Glasgow artist Niamh Quail who used a computer programme to create 3D images to show to the Vatican.

Ms Quail had just six weeks from being given the brief to produce the designs for approval.

She said: “I was told to design a chair and that was about it!

“I wanted to keep it simple but also to have a Scottish and religious aspect to it as well.

“The design is Celtic, incorporating a cross, within each of the four arms are three interwoven leaves representing the Holy Trinity, with the entire design having no beginning nor end.

“Normally I would have one-dimensional sketches but with the CAD (computer aided design) we were able to make 3D models of the chair, altar and lectern together.

“It was great to see them like that and we were even able to put a model of the Pope in there, too.

“When the Vatican saw the models and all the work that had gone into it they were really confident in what we were doing.”

Father Andrew McKenzie, director of liturgy for the Papal Mass, thanked everybody who contributed to the design and production of the items.