Scottish Catholic Observer

Archbishop Tartaglia will lead Mass at St Andrew’s Cathedral, Glasgow, to pray for all those affected by the earthquake in Italy, on August 29 at 1pm.

The Italian Consul General will attend Sunday Mass at noon in St Mary’s Metropolitan Cathedral in Edinburgh with Archbihsop Cushley.

Hundreds of people have died in the earthquake that hit Amatrice, Accumoli and Pescara del Tronto, in mountainous central Italy. Many of those affected were Italians on holiday in the region to celebrate the Amatrice festival.

The Glasgow Mass welcomes both Scots and Italians to come together in prayer and there will also be a collection of funds to send to Italy to assist the stricken people.

The Archbishop has written to the Bishops of Ascoli Piceno and Rieti, the diocese of the stricken city, to express the support and sympathy of the people of Glasgow.

The Archbishop’s Italian roots have meant he is deeply moved by the events in Italy.

“As you will be able to discern from my surname, I too am from an Italian family, and I feel very personally the pain of those who have been afflicted,” he said. “I send you this message of solidarity and support..in prayer I participate in the mourning and the suffering which has struck so many people. I renew my promise of prayers and concrete support over the coming days which will be so painful for all the people of your diocese.”

 On the East coast the Italian Consul General to Scotland, Mr Carlo Perrotta, will be present at Holy Mass in St Mary’s Metropolitan Cathedral in Edinburgh this Sunday when Archbishop Leo Cushley of St Andrews & Edinburgh will offer prayers for all those stricken by the recent earthquakes in central Italy.

“I have been in touch with the Italian Consul in Edinburgh, Mr Perrotta, and I’ve assured Carlo of the prayers and solidarity of the Catholics of St Andrews & Edinburgh with our dear Italian friends,” Archbishop Cushley said. “I also invite all who wish to come to Mass in the Cathedral at noon this Sunday – which is also our annual Edinburgh Festival Mass – to join us in solidarity and prayer for the victims and survivors of the earthquake.”

Sunday’s Mass will also mark the conclusion of the Edinburgh International Festival 2016 which, providentially, has borne a significant Italian influence. This year’s opening concert at the Usher Hall, attended by Archbishop Cushley, featured Rome’s Orchestra dell’Accademia di Santa Cecilia conducted by Sir Anthony Pappano. They performed a range of Italian operatic works by Verdi, Rossini and Bellini.

“The Edinburgh International Festival was born in the dark days after the Second World War as a hopeful celebration of our humanity and of our common bonds in Europe, and so it’s appropriate for us to remember our Italian brothers and sisters in a special way in these very trying circumstances,” Archbishop Cushley said.