POPE Francis has sent a special envoy to Glasgow to mark the 400th anniversary of the martyrdom of St John Ogilvie, Scotland's only post-reformation canonised Catholic martyr.

 

Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor, the former Archbishop of Westminster, was asked by the Pope to attend the ceremony at St Aloysius Church, Glasgow last night, as well as a mass at St Andrew's Cathedral today, St John Ogilvie's feast day.

John Ogilvie, a convert to the Catholic faith from Banffshire was educated on mainland Europe before being ordained a Jesuit priest. He returned to his native country to serve for a short time but was hanged at Glasgow Cross on March 10 1615 after having been arrested for saying Mass with persecuted Catholics in and around the Glasgow area.

He was canonised by Pope Paul VI in 1976 following claims of a miraculous cure of Glasgow man John Fagan from cancer.

Speakinmg ahead of the events , Cardinal Murphy O'Connor said: "I feel greatly honoured to be appointed by Pope Francis as a special envoy for the solemn celebration of the 400th centenary of the martyrdom of St John Ogilvie in Glasgow.

"I am particularly happy because I was in Rome for the saint's canonisation in 1976 and took part in the great celebration for the Church in Scotland and indeed, the universal Church."

Archbishop Philip Tartaglia of Glasgow, who is presiding at the anniversary events, said: "Cardinal Murphy O'Connor's presence and participation as the Papal envoy will add even greater significance and will bring the Successor of Peter closer to us and to the people of Scotland.

"On a more personal note I have known Cardinal Murphy O'Connor since I was a seminarian and young priest in Rome in the 1970s and it will give me great pleasure to welcome him to Glasgow."