PHILIP Tartaglia was born in Glasgow, the eldest son of Guido and Annita Tartaglia, and has three brothers and five sisters.

He is of Italian descent.

After his primary schooling at St Thomas', Riddrie, he began his secondary education at St. Mungo's Academy, before moving to the national junior seminary at St Vincent's College, Langbank and, later, St Mary's College, Blairs, near Aberdeen.

His ecclesiastical studies were completed at the Pontifical Scots College, and the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.

He was ordained priest by Archbishop Thomas Winning at the Church of Our Lady of Good Counsel, Dennistoun on 30 June 1975.

He then returned to Rome where he completed his ordinary course of studies in 1976 before beginning research for his doctorate in Sacred Theology.

In 1978 he was additionally appointed as dean of studies at the Scots College in Rome, and was also acting vice-rector at that time.

After obtaining his STD degree in 1980, on the Council of Trent's teaching on the Eucharist, he was appointed assistant priest at Our Lady of Lourdes, Cardonald, while at the same time becoming an extramural lecturer at St. Peter's College, Newlands, Glasgow.

A year later, he was appointed lecturer at St. Peter's College, becoming director of studies in 1983.

When Chesters College, Bearsden, opened in 1985 he was made vice-rector.

In 1987 he was appointed rector.

He served as rector until 1993 when he was sent to St. Patrick's, Dumbarton, as assistant priest before being appointed parish priest of St Mary's, Duntocher in 1995.

In 2004 the Bishops' Conference of Scotland asked him to return to seminary as rector of the Pontifical Scots College, Rome.