The Archdiocese of Saint Andrews & Edinburgh ( la, Archidioecesis Sancti Andreae et Edimburgensis) is an

archdiocese In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associat ...

of the

Latin Church , native_name_lang = la , image = San Giovanni in Laterano - Rome.jpg , imagewidth = 250px , alt = Façade of the Archbasilica of St. John in Lateran , caption = Archbasilica of Saint Jo ...

of the

Catholic Church in Scotland The Catholic Church in Scotland overseen by the Scottish Bishops' Conference, is part of the worldwide Catholic Church headed by the Pope. After being firmly established in Scotland for nearly a millennium, the Catholic Church was outlawed f ...

. It is the

metropolitan see Metropolitan may refer to: * Metropolitan area, a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories * Metropolitan borough, a form of local government district in England * Metropolitan county, a t ...

of the

province A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions out ...

of Saint Andrews and Edinburgh, consisting of the additional suffragan sees of

Aberdeen Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), a ...

, Argyll and the Isles,

Dunkeld Dunkeld (, sco, Dunkell, from gd, Dùn Chailleann, "fort of the Caledonians") is a town in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. The location of a historic cathedral, it lies on the north bank of the River Tay, opposite Birnam. Dunkeld lies close to t ...

, and

Galloway Galloway ( ; sco, Gallowa; la, Gallovidia) is a region in southwestern Scotland comprising the historic counties of Wigtownshire and Kirkcudbrightshire. It is administered as part of the council area of Dumfries and Galloway. A native or ...

. The archdiocese is led by Archbishop

Leo Cushley Leo William Cushley (born 18 June 1961) is the Roman Catholic Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh in Scotland. He previously served as head of the English language section of the Vatican Secretariat of State. Early life Leo Cushley was bo ...

, and its cathedral is St Mary's Cathedral, Edinburgh.

History

After the

Scottish Reformation The Scottish Reformation was the process by which Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland broke with the Pope, Papacy and developed a predominantly Calvinist national Church of Scotland, Kirk (church), which was strongly Presbyterianism, Presbyterian in ...

, the Roman Catholic Church abandoned the ancient dioceses and hierarchy. In 1653, the whole of Scotland became under the authority the Prefecture Apostolic of Scotland, which in 1694 was elevated to the Vicariate Apostolic of Scotland. On 23 July 1727, Scotland was divided into two Vicariates Apostolic, the Lowland District and Highland District. The Lowland District comprised roughly the

Scottish Lowlands The Lowlands ( sco, Lallans or ; gd, a' Ghalldachd, , place of the foreigners, ) is a cultural and historical region of Scotland. Culturally, the Lowlands and the Highlands diverged from the Late Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lo ...

. On 13 February 1827, Scotland was divided again into three Vicariate Apostolics, the Eastern District (formerly the Lowland District), the Northern District (formerly the Highland District), and the Western District (created from territory of the other two districts). The Eastern District comprised the sixteen eastern historic

counties A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

Perthshire Perthshire ( locally: ; gd, Siorrachd Pheairt), officially the County of Perth, is a historic county and registration county in central Scotland. Geographically it extends from Strathmore in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the nort ...

, Angus,

Kincardineshire Kincardineshire, also known as the Mearns (from the Scottish Gaelic meaning "the Stewartry"), is a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area on the coast of northeast Scotland. It is bounded by Aberdeenshire on the north and ...

Stirlingshire Stirlingshire or the County of Stirling, gd, Siorrachd Sruighlea) is a historic county and registration countyRegisters of Scotland. Publications, leaflets, Land Register Counties. of Scotland. Its county town is Stirling. It borders Perth ...

Clackmannanshire Clackmannanshire (; sco, Clackmannanshire; gd, Siorrachd Chlach Mhannainn) is a historic county, council area, registration county and Lieutenancy area in Scotland, bordering the council areas of Stirling, Fife, and Perth & Kinross and the ...

Kinross Kinross (, gd, Ceann Rois) is a burgh in Perth and Kinross, Scotland, around south of Perth and around northwest of Edinburgh. It is the traditional county town of the historic county of Kinross-shire. History Kinross's origins are c ...

Fife Fife (, ; gd, Fìobha, ; sco, Fife) is a council area, historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries with Perth and Kinross ...

West Lothian West Lothian ( sco, Wast Lowden; gd, Lodainn an Iar) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and was one of its historic counties. The county was called Linlithgowshire until 1925. The historic county was bounded geographically by the A ...

, Mid Lothian,

East Lothian East Lothian (; sco, East Lowden; gd, Lodainn an Ear) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, as well as a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area. The county was called Haddingtonshire until 1921. In 1975, the his ...

Peebleshire Peeblesshire ( gd, Siorrachd nam Pùballan), the County of Peebles or Tweeddale is a historic county of Scotland. Its county town is Peebles, and it borders Midlothian to the north, Selkirkshire to the east, Dumfriesshire to the south, and Lana ...

Selkirkshire Selkirkshire or the County of Selkirk ( gd, Siorrachd Shalcraig) is a historic county and registration county of Scotland. It borders Peeblesshire to the west, Midlothian to the north, Roxburghshire to the east, and Dumfriesshire to the south. ...

Kirkcudbrightshire Kirkcudbrightshire ( ), or the County of Kirkcudbright or the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright is one of the historic counties of Scotland, covering an area in the south-west of the country. Until 1975, Kirkcudbrightshire was an administrative count ...

Dumfrieshire Dumfriesshire or the County of Dumfries or Shire of Dumfries (''Siorrachd Dhùn Phris'' in Gaelic) is a historic county and registration county in southern Scotland. The Dumfries lieutenancy area covers a similar area to the historic county. ...

Roxburghshire Roxburghshire or the County of Roxburgh ( gd, Siorrachd Rosbroig) is a historic county and registration county in the Southern Uplands of Scotland. It borders Dumfriesshire to the west, Selkirkshire and Midlothian to the north-west, and Be ...

, and

Berwickshire Berwickshire ( gd, Siorrachd Bhearaig) is a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area in south-eastern Scotland, on the English border. Berwickshire County Council existed from 1890 until 1975, when the area became part of th ...

. Following the

restoration of the Scottish hierarchy The re-establishment of the hierarchy of the Catholic Church in Scotland took effect on 15 March 1878. This followed the restoration of the English hierarchy in 1850. The restoration was carried out on the instructions of Pope Leo XIII and w ...

Pope Leo XIII Pope Leo XIII ( it, Leone XIII; born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci; 2 March 1810 – 20 July 1903) was the head of the Catholic Church from 20 February 1878 to his death in July 1903. Living until the age of 93, he was the second-ol ...

on 15 March 1878, part of the Eastern District was elevated to the status of an archdiocese with the title St Andrews & Edinburgh. In Lent 2015, Archbishop Cushley outlined his vision for the future of the archdiocese in a pastoral letter entitled "We Have Found the Messiah". The document stated aim was to "respond to the mission entrusted to him rchbishop Cushleyby Pope Francis: to bring the joy of the Gospel to contemporary society." Following the publication of the letter, Archbishop Cushley embarked upon 32 public meetings across the Archdiocese to discuss his vision which includes the possibility of creating larger parish units through either mergers or closures. The archdiocese controls the Mount Vernon Cemetery. In 2017 the former superintendent of the cemetery was convicted of mis-selling burial plots for 9 years, for example by re-selling used plots, defrauding the archdiocese and families.

Office holders

;Prefecture Apostolic of Scotland. *

William Ballantine Serjeant William Ballantine SL (3 January 1812 – 9 January 1887) was an English Serjeant-at-law, a legal position defunct since the legal reforms of the 1870s. Early career Born in Howland Street, Tottenham Court Road in Camden, London, the ...

(appointed on 13 October 1653 – died on 2 September 1661) *

Alexander Dunbar Winchester Alexander Dunbar Winchester (also known as Alexander Winster) (1625–1708) was a Roman Catholic clergyman who served as the Prefect of Scotland. Born in Garmouth, Moray, in 1625, he took the oath in the Scots College in Rome on 21 May 1651, ...

(appointed on 12 June 1662, resigned 1668, reappointed 1672, resigned again in July 1693) ;Vicariate Apostolic of Scotland. *

Thomas Joseph Nicolson Thomas Joseph Nicolson (1645–1718) was a Roman Catholic bishop who served as the Vicar Apostolic of Scotland. Life He was born the son of Thomas Nicolsone, merchant, and his wife, Elizabeth Abercrombie of Birkenbog. His older brother was S ...

(appointed on 7 September 1694 – died on 12 October 1718) * James Gordon (succeeded on 12 October 1718 – appointed Vicar Apostolic of the Lowland District on 23 July 1727) ;Vicariate Apostolic of the Lowland District. * James Gordon (appointed on 23 July 1727 – died on 18 February 1746) * Alexander Smith (succeeded on 18 February 1746 – died on 21 August 1767) *

James Grant James Grant may refer to: Politics and law * Sir James Grant, 1st Baronet (died 1695), Scottish lawyer *Sir James Grant, 6th Baronet (1679–1747), Scottish Whig politician *Sir James Grant, 8th Baronet (1738–1811), Scottish member of parliament ...

(succeeded on 21 August 1767 – died on 3 December 1778) * George Hay (succeeded on 3 December 1778 – retired on 24 August 1805) * Alexander Cameron (succeeded on 24 August 1805 – retired on 20 August 1825) * Alexander Paterson (appointed on 20 August 1825 – appointed Vicar Apostolic of the Eastern District 13 February 1827) ;Vicariate Apostolic of the Eastern District. * Alexander Paterson (appointed on 13 February 1827 – died on 30 October 1831) *

Andrew Carruthers Andrew Carruthers (1770–1852) was a Catholic Church, Roman Catholic Bishop (Catholic Church), bishop who served as the Vicar Apostolic of the Vicariate Apostolic of the Eastern District (Scotland), Eastern District of Scotland. Born in Drumil ...

(appointed on 28 September 1832 – died on 24 May 1852) * James Gillis (succeeded on 24 May 1852 – died on 24 February 1864) *

John Menzies Strain John Menzies Strain (1810–1883) was a Roman Catholic clergyman who served as the first Archbishop of the Metropolitan see of St. Andrews and Edinburgh, Scotland. Early life Born in Edinburgh on 8 December 1810, he was the son of Hugh Strai ...

(appointed on 2 September 1864 – appointed Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh on 15 March 1878) ;Archdiocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh. *

(appointed on 15 March 1878 – died on 2 July 1883) * William Smith (appointed on 2 October and consecrated 28 October 1885 - died on 16 March 1892) * Angus MacDonald (translated from Argyll and The Isles on 15 July 1892 – died 29 April 1900) *

James August Smith James Augustine Smith (1841–1928) was a Roman Catholic bishop who served as the Archbishop of St. Andrews and Edinburgh in Scotland from 1900 to 1928. Life Born in Edinburgh on 18 October 1841, he was educated at Blairs College and then t ...

(translated from

on 30 August 1900 – died on 25 November 1928) * Andrew Thomas McDonald, O.S.B. (appointed on 19 July and consecrated on 24 September 1929 – died on 22 May 1950) * (Cardinal) Gordon Gray (appointed on 20 June and consecrated on 21 September 1951 – retired on 30 May 1985) Died 19 July 1993 * (Cardinal)

Keith O'Brien Keith Michael Patrick Cardinal O'Brien (17 March 1938 – 19 March 2018) was a senior-ranking Catholic prelate in Scotland. He was the Archbishop of Saint Andrews and Edinburgh from 1985 to 2013. Cardinal O'Brien was the leader of the Catholi ...

(appointed on 30 May and consecrated on 5 August 1985 – resigned on 25 February 2013). Died 19 March 2018 *

(appointed on 24 July and consecrated on 21 September 2013 – present)

Coadjutor Vicars Apostolic

* Alexander Cameron (1797-1805) * John Geddes (1779-1797), did not succeed to see * James Gillis (1837-1852) * James Gordon (1705-1718) *

(1755-1767) * George Hay (1768-1778) * Thomas Joseph Nicholson (1694-1718) * Alexander Patterson (1816-1825) * Alexander Smith (1735-1746) * John Wallace (1720-1733), died without succeeding to see

Auxiliary bishops

* Henry Grey Graham (1917-1930) *James Monaghan (1970-1989) * Kevin Lawrence Rafferty (1990-1996) *

Stephen Robson Stephen Robson (born 1 April 1951) is a prelate of the Catholic Church. , he is the Bishop Emeritus of Dunkeld. From 2012 to 2014 he was auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh. Early life Stephen Robson was born in C ...

(2012-2013), appointed Bishop of Dunkeld

Other priests of this diocese who became bishops

George Henry Bennett George Henry Bennett (18508 September 1908) was a brewer and a politician. Bennett was born in Buckie, Banffshire, Scotland. His family emigrated to Australia in 1855. He managed the Victoria Sugar Co. and later, with a partner, owned Excelsi ...

, appointed Bishop of Aberdeen in 1918 * Vincent Paul Logan, appointed Bishop of Dunkeld in 1981 * Hugh MacDonald, appointed Vicar Apostolic of Highland District in 1731 *James Maguire, appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Dunkeld in 1939 * William Henry Mellon, appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Galloway in 1935 * Ian Murray, appointed Bishop of Argyll and The Isles in 1999 *

George Rigg George Rigg (19 July 1814 – 18 January 1887) was a Scottish Roman Catholic bishop who served as the Bishop of Dunkeld from 1878 to 1887. Born in Groghmore, Scotland, he was ordained to the priesthood on 25 July 1838. He was appointed the ...

, appointed Bishop of Dunkeld in 1878 * James Augustine Smith, appointed Bishop of Dunkeld in 1890; later returned here as Archbishop * Francis Alexander Spalding Warden Thomson, appointed Bishop of Motherwell in 1964 * William Turner, appointed Bishop of Galloway in 1893

References

External links

Archdiocese of Saint Andrews and Edinburgh
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Andrews and Edinburgh Christianity in Edinburgh Roman Catholic dioceses in Scotland Roman Catholic Ecclesiastical Province of St Andrews and Edinburgh