The Pope in Scotland: Here are 26 amazing pictures of Pope John Paul II's visit to Edinburgh, Rosewell and Glasgow in 1982
Pope John Paul II waves from the Popemobile as he makes his way through a welcoming crowd at Bellahouston Park.
He started his visit in England and flew north of the border from RAF Leeming, in Yorkshire, from where he travelled by jet to RAF Turnhouse – now Edinburgh Airport – on May 31.
Murrayfield Stadium was his first port of call, where he met with around 45,000 young people and Protestant church leaders, before visiting the Capital's Catholic cathedral.
The next day, June 1, saw John Paul II visit patients at St Joseph's Hospital in Rosewell, address teachers at St Andrew's College, and celebrate Mass with a huge crowd of around 300,000 people at Glasgow's Bellahouston Park.
During the service, the Pope was presented with a number of gifts including a pipe banner with the Pope's coat of arms, a piece of Caithness glass, whisky and a Scotland football top.
Here are 26 pictures to take you back to those two memorable days.
1 . Stepping down
Pope John Paul II steps down from the 'Popemobile' at Murrayfield rugby stadium Edinburgh during the Papal visit. Photo: Unknown Photo Sales
2 . Just landed
Security is tight but well-wishers manage to touch Pope John Paul II on his arrival at Turnhouse airport. Photo: Denis Straughan Photo Sales
3 . Fond farewell
Pope John Paul II just before he boarded his helicopter at Turnhouse following his visit to Scotland. Photo: Denis Straughan Photo Sales
4 . Blooming happy
A local woman gives Pope John Paul II a flower at St Joseph's hospital, in Rosewell. Photo: Unknown Photo Sales
Related topics: PopeEdinburghScotlandGlasgowMurrayfield
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
5 days ago
- The Independent
Nagasaki cathedral blesses a bell that replaces one destroyed by the US atomic bomb
A Nagasaki cathedral has blessed the final piece to complete its restoration nearly 80 years after being destroyed by the second U.S. atomic bomb dropped on Japan: a reproduction of its lost bell restored by a group of Americans. The new bell was blessed and named 'St. Kateri Bell of Hope,' by Peter Michiaki Nakamura, archbishop of Nagasaki, at the Urakami Cathedral in a ceremony Thursday attended by more than 100 followers and other participants. The bell is scheduled to be hung inside the cathedral, filling the empty bell tower for the first time, on Aug. 9, the anniversary of the bombing. The U.S. bomb that was dropped Aug. 9, 1945, fell near the cathedral, killing two priests and 24 followers inside among the more than 70,000 dead in the city. Japan surrendered, ending World War II days later. The bombing of Nagasaki destroyed the cathedral building and the smaller of its two bells. The building was restored earlier, but without the smaller bell. The restoration project was led by James Nolan Jr., who was inspired after hearing about the lost bell when he met a local Catholic follower during his 2023 visit to Nagasaki. Nolan lectured about the atomic bombing in the southern city and its history about Catholic converts who went deep underground during centuries of violent persecution in Japan's feudal era, to raise funds for the bell restoration. 'I think it's beautiful and the bell itself is more beautiful than I ever imagined,' Nolan, who was at the blessing ceremony, said after he test-rang the bell. He said he hoped the bell "will be a symbol of unity and that will bear the fruits of fostering hope and peace in a world where there is division and war and hurt." A sociology professor at Williams College in Massachusetts, Nolan is the grandson of a doctor who was in the Manhattan Project — the secret effort to build the bombs — and who was on a survey team that visited Hiroshima and Nagasaki shortly after the bombings. Nolan, based on materials his grandfather left behind, wrote a book 'Atomic Doctors,' about the moral dilemma of medical doctors who took part in the Manhattan Project.
Spectator
16-07-2025
- Spectator
Recovering the Sacred: Why young Christians are returning to church
Something mysterious is happening in churches across Britain: a growing number of young Christians are showing up. Millennial men, in particular, appear to be turning back to Christianity: there has been a four to five-fold increase since 2018 in 18-to-24-year-old males attending church. What's going on? Three hundred Spectator subscribers gathered in the beautiful surroundings of St Bartholomew the Great, the oldest parish church in the City of London – and one which has seen for itself this surge in young Christians worshipping – to find out why. Michael Gove, Editor of The Spectator, was joined by Damian Thompson, presenter of the Holy Smoke podcast, and the Revd. Marcus Walker, Rector of St Barts. The Provost of the London Oratory, Father Julian Large; the Revd. Professor Andrew Davison, Oxford Regius Professor of Divinity; and Dr Cosima Gillhammer, Fellow in Medieval English at Oxford's Lady Margaret Hall, also shared their thoughts on what appears to be an unexpected recovery of the sacred. As well as hearing from the panel, the audience enjoyed sung Catholic and Anglican motets from the choir of St Barts. – and rounded off the event with a glass of wine and a chance to speak to the panellists. Marcus Walker said that the 'signs of resurrection go well beyond St Barts: 'The Pentecostals are doing well. Conservative and charismatic evangelicals are booming. The rural church, much ignored by national church visions and strategies are seeing green shoots rising. And we hear of a huge uptick in baptisms in once Catholic France – 10,000 at Easter – and once Lutheran Sweden.' St Barts has fostered a sense of community among its younger members with annual retreats for young adults, active WhatsApp groups and pub trips after church services. But Walker suggests that these things are 'less important than the broader pan-ecclesial elements which are drawing people to church' – not least the collapse of the humanist creed. The end of the 'heady optimism of the 1990s and noughties' – and the fading idea that humanity 'has got it all right and it's only going to get better' – means God is firmly back in the picture, he said. 'Reconnecting with eternity gives us a peace which the world cannot give,' Walker said. It's a picture that Father Julian Large recognises. He says that the uptick in young worshippers has been particularly noticeable since the pandemic: 'After the doors were reopened, we found ourselves facing a veritable tsunami of new parishioners. The average age of the congregation now is considerably younger than it was before.' Many young people, he says, have become more sceptical towards traditional voices of authority and the mainstream media after Covid and lockdown. 'They are in search of truth and authenticity,' he says. 'I think that we can agree that something's happening. Even on the train and in the street, I seem to hear young people talking about Christianity more than ever', says Davison. He told the audience of Spectator readers that, even during midweek services which traditionally were less popular, there are now few empty pews. The reason why, suggests Davidson, is that the church offers something in short supply: hope. 'There seems to be some correlation between the people for whom life seems particularly bleak and those…who are coming to church – especially the young, perhaps even especially young men,' Davison said. To join us at the next Spectator event, click here.
Edinburgh Reporter
16-07-2025
- Edinburgh Reporter
Newbridge – no clean up as promised
The Newbridge Association is still trying to get the council to clean up their village's ancient monument after a group of travellers were moved on from the site last week. Despite assurances from the council's Transport and Environment Convener there has been no action at all from the local authority to remove any of the debris left behind. After a six week period during which two lots of travellers used the site, the residents were appalled by the rubbish left behind, and asked the council for help. Last week Transport and Environment Convener, Cllr Stephen Jenkinson said: 'We've taken action against an encampment at Newbridge, with sheriff officers serving a legal notice to vacate the site earlier this week. The site will now be cleared and returned to its former condition.' The villagers report there has been no action taken in the last seven days. The Newbridge Association has now written to their local MP, Christine Jardine, asking who they need to contact in order to get the matter dealt with. In the letter the Association say that they are concerned about the number of birds feeding on the waste food dumped on the site vacated on 8 July. The historical monument site at Huly Hill is on the flightpath and their worries are that there could be a possible bird strike if nothing is done to remove the mess. The villagers have already noticed rats in the area and fear a plague will result. Their letter ends: ' If they were to illegally camp on Edinburgh Castle Esplanade. Lauriston Castle Gardens. South Queensferry ferry Harbour, all Historical areas. these people would be forced to leave immediately ,so why does Newbridge village have to wait 6 weeks and have to get sheriff officers involved to move from our Historical Monument.' The council have been asked for comment. A spokesman for Edinburgh Airport said: 'A member of our Airside Operations team visited the site and advised our compliance team of the increase in gull activity. We have raised concerns with the council and asked them to expedite cleaning of the area.' Historic Environment Scotland look after the monument but the council own the land on which it stands. 10/7/2025 Huly Hill (Neolithic and Bronze Age) at Newbridge Midlothian Edinburgh where travellers were moved on and have left a real mess behind. PHOTO Alan SImpson 10/7/2025 Huly Hill (Neolithic and Bronze Age) at Newbridge Midlothian Edinburgh where travellers were moved on and have left a real mess behind. PHOTO Alan SImpson Like this: Like Related
