Pope Benedict: Archbishop leads tribute to 'Bavarian gentleman'

A leading figure in the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland has led tributes to former Pope Benedict XVI, who has died aged 95.

Archbishop Leo Cushley worked closely with the late Pope in a role which involved accompanying him on overseas trips.

He told BBC Scotland that the 2010 papal visit to the UK was a personal highlight.

He recalled the "wonderful reception" the Pope got from the Queen at the Palace of Holyroodhouse and the memorable St Ninian's procession through the city centre.

• Former Pope Benedict XVI dies at 95

• The day Pope Benedict came to Scotland

"I had never seen anything like it," he said. "I don't think the Pope had seen anything like it either as he was welcomed there.

"It was a wonderful day."

At the time Archbishop Cushley was part of the diplomatic service of the Holy See - the government of the Roman Catholic Church.

He replaced Cardinal Keith O'Brien as Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh in September 2013.

Archbishop Leo Cushley worked with the late Pope Benedict

He said that during Pope Benedict's trip to Scotland he had lunch at the official residence of the Archdiocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh, which is now Archbishop Cushley's home.

From there the delegation travelled to Glasgow for the open air Mass at Bellahouston Park, which was the focal point of the last papal Visit to Scotland by Pope John Paul II in June 1982.

"It was a beautiful autumn afternoon in the September sunshine, even though the Swiss guards had the collars of their jackets turned up and they thought it was perishing cold," he said.

"It was a lovely, happy occasion where not only the Catholics of Scotland welcomed their Pope, the Bishop of Rome, many other people did that too.

"I could not have imagined it any better and, the way it worked out, I was very proud of the way my country welcomed Pope Benedict in their midst."

Assessing his legacy, he compared Pope Benedict to a teacher.

Archbishop Cushley added: "If he started talking about something in an Italian word, for example, he would say 'Of course, that hides this Latin word which in turn hides this Greek word.'

"He was a considerable and formidable theologian but he did it effortlessly, he did it kindly.

"On a personal level I found him to be shy and to be a true gentleman.

"And it's the way I have often thought of him, as a Bavarian gentleman with everyone he met."

Pope's legacy

This included schoolchildren he personally greeted during his trip to Edinburgh.

Archbishop Cushley added: "He had a real kindness about him and came out to the gate to say hello to them."

In 2013 Pope Benedict became the first pontiff to resign in nearly 600 years.

Archbishop Cushley said: "I remember when he made the announcement and it really did come as a surprise to us all.

"But he will be remembered for sort of making it OK, if necessary, for his successors to go because the sky didn't fall down and we were able to function as a church and to function well, even with an emeritus Pope living in the Vatican gardens."

He said it was hard to assess his legacy at the moment and suggested that may not be clear for about a century.

But he added: "Personally I think the thing that will survive, as survives so many important figures, is the writing that they leave behind and he has left behind many books that he wrote when he was simply Joseph Ratzinger and they are standing the test of time quite well, in my view."

Archbishop Cushley said one work, Jesus of Nazareth, has been appreciated by people beyond the Catholic Church, including ministers of the Church of Scotland.

'Often misunderstood'

The Rt Rev Dr Iain Greenshields, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, said: "On behalf of the Church of Scotland, can I express my condolences to the Catholic Church in Scotland following the news of the passing of His Holiness Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI.

"We recall his visit to Scotland in September 2010 and the welcome that he received at Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh from Her Late Majesty the Queen and at the celebration of the Sacred Liturgy at Bellahouston Park in Glasgow."

The President of the Bishops' Conference of Scotland, Bishop Hugh Gilbert, said of the former Pope's trip to Scotland: "The gentle and prayerful intelligence revealed during that visit disarmed his critics. He was often misunderstood, even caricatured.

"Contrary to a widespread perception, however, he was a resolutely contemporary "confessor of the faith", deeply and critically engaged with modern thought, a lucid and unacademic preacher and pastorally sensitive."

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon also paid tribute to the former pope.

She wrote on Twitter: "Sad to hear of the death of Pope Benedict. His visit to Glasgow in 2010 was a very special moment in the life of our nation. My condolences to all those in the Catholic faith in Scotland and beyond - and to everyone across the world mourning him today."