ENTHRONEMENT OF THE MOST REV. ANGUS MACDONALD AS ARCHBISHOP OF ST. ANDREWS AND EDINBURGH.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 2, 28 October 1892, Page 7

ENTHRONEMENT OF THE MOST REV. ANGUS MACDONALD AS ARCHBISHOP OF ST. ANDREWS AND EDINBURGH.

(Catholic Herald, August 26), On Thursday forenoon, within St Mary's Metropolitan Cathedral. B rough ton street, Edinburgh, the Mosc Bey Angus Macdonald was solemnly invested with the Pallium and enthroned as the third Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinbnrgh. On the 27 th day of August, in the year H72, the Pope raised the Cathedral of St Andrews to the dignity of Metropolitan Church of Scotland, and yesterday, the 25th of August, we gathered together to enthrone, by the authority of the successor of the Pope, another Archbishop of St Andrews. He who sent the Pallium in 1472, again in the person of his successor, sends it to the successor of Archbishop Graham, the first Archbishop of St Andrews. Frequently during the course of Scottish history the Archbishops of York claimed jurisdiction over the See of St Andrews, but the Popes, np to 1472, reserved to themselves the dignity of the Metropolitan of Scotland. In this year, however, Patrick Graham, Bishop of Brechin, succeeded his half-brother, Bishop Kennedy, founder of the Salvator's College at St Andrews, and Bishop of that See. At this period, Neville, Archbishop of York, renewed the ancient claims to jurisdiction over the Church of Scotland. Bishop Graham successfully maintained the independence of the national Church and Pope Siztns IV. erected the See of St Andrews into an Archbishopric and the cathedral of that city to be the Metropolitan Church of the whole of Scotland, and this terminated the dispute on this subject. In the Bull dated August 27th, 1472, the Pope points out the many inconveniences that have arisen in the famous Kingdom of Scotland, with its many ooble cathedral churches, from the absence of a Metro, politan Bee and consequent difficulties in regard to appeals from ordinaries and other matters, and confers upon the See of St Andrews, as the most noted and venerable in the realm, the Archiepiscopal and Metropolital dignity. The twelve Sees of Glasgow, Dankeld, Aberdeen, Moray, Brechin, Dunblane, Bobs, Caithness, Galloway, Argyle, the Isles, and Orkney are assigned to St Andrews as its suffragans. The Bull further concedes the Pallium and Cross to the Archbishop of St Andrewß and to its cathedral chapter of canons all the rights and privileges enjoyed by metropolitan chapters. To all these the new Archbishop and Canon of St Andrews and Edinburgh have their lawful heirs. Farther, Pope Sixtus sent a letter to James 111. informing him of this important event, and also enjoined on the Bishop of Scotland obedience to the new Metropolitan. In order to strengthen his authority the Pope conferred upon the Archbishop the dignity of Apostolic nuncio for three years. It is interesting to note that the abbeys of Kelso and Holyrood, and the Collegiate Churches of St Salvator at St Andrews, and St Giles at Edinburgh, which had hitherto enjoyed exemption from Episcopal jurisdiction were deprived of their privilege and placed under the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan. Further, it may be noted that three dioceses, which hitherto had been under the jurisdiction of foreign Metropolitans, were now subjected to the authority of St Andrews. The See of Galloway had np to the date of this Bull been under the jurisdiction of York. Those of Orkney and the lelea had been subj ect to the province of Drontheim in Norway. The Archbißbopa of York did not allow the matter to rest here. George Neville, Archbishop of York, protested. Benry VIII., after the battle of Flodden, asked Pope Leo X. to restore the supremacy of York, and Archbishop Lee also demanded redress at a general council, but all in vain. The Council of Trent put an end to all claims of England. Strange to say the first Archbishop of St Andrews was deposed by the same fope, and imprisoned for life in the monastery of Inchcolm. He died in Dunfermline, and was buried in the ancient priory of St Serf. It cannot but interest our readers to learn than an Archbishopelect of 8t Andrews, and also the Bishops of Caithness and of the Isles, and the Abbots of Incbaffray and Kilwinning, and the Dean of Glasgow died with their king on the battlefield of Flodden. Such was the patriotism of the Catholic Bishops of Scotland, and such also was the patriotism of Catholic Bruce and Wallace. To these Archbishops of 8t Andrews we have to add the hallowed names of the murdered Archbishop Beaton, than whom no more patriotic Scotsman ever breathed, and that of Archbishop Hamilton, who was hanged by the Reformers over the battlements of Stirling Castle. We hear no more of Archbishops of St Andrews until the present Pope Leo XIII. connected the present with the past by re-establishing the hierarchy in Scotland. Already three Archbishops have been added to the chain, Archbishop Strain, Archbishop Smith, and now Archbishep Angus Macdonald. So fitting an advent as the installation of a successor of such illustrious churchmen of Scotland naturally demands attention, and so we find that spiritual and patriotic enthusiasm has clothed the 25th of August with all the splendour of the Church's ceremonial. The venerable Metropolitan Church, rebuilt in great part and thoroughly redecorated, renewed her yonth to welcome the new Archbishop, and the nobility of Scotland, assembled within her sacred walls, to perpetuate the succession of the country's

first religion. The Marquess of Bute, the Kern of the Lothiam, the Bootts of Abbotaford, the Maxwell-Stnarti of Traquair, etc, are again on the side of the Metropolitan o! St Andrews. Snch an event as the solemn reception of the Pallium has not takes place in the country since the days of Cardinal Beaton. Arch* biabop Strain received the Pallium in Borne and Archbishop Smith was invested by proxy in the same city, and no public ceremony took place here. The ceremony at St Mary's Cathedral embraced two functions, the solemn enthronement of the Archbishop and the acceptance of the Sacred Pallium. The Pallium has ever been tba distinctive veatment of an Archbishop. It is mentioned as early as 886, when Pope Marcus gave it to the Bishop of Oshs, whose privilege it is to consecrate tbe Pope. In the many pictures, tablets, etc, representative of Archbishop*, we invariably find the Pallium. It is curious to find that even in Edinburgh over the principal doorway of the old church of St Giles there has recently been placed the statue of Bishop Forbes, the first Provost of Edinbnrgh, and the architects represent him vested in mitre, crozier, and chasuble and Pallium. So essentially has this vestment been connected with the jnrisdiction of Bishops that it is represented almost always with the great Bishops of history. The Pallium, like many of the vestments used in the service of the Church, owes its origin to a practical nse. Just as the scapular was the " pad " used by the labourer to carry his burden on his shoulder, so the Pallium was a mat thrown round the shoulder on which tbe shepherd carried the lamb, and so it became the emblem of the duty of the Christian shepherd and as the mantle of the prophet falling on the disciple gave to him the powers and duties of the Master, and proved his mission to the world. So tbe Pallium, made ont of the wool of the lambs into a cloak to cover the body of the great Shepherd, Peter, to whom Christ confided the sheep and lambs, falls on the shoulders of those whom the Church desires should tend tbe flock. The Pallium is blessed by the Pope [on the festival of St Peter, and lies on tbe tomb of the B&int until required. The ceremony was witnessed by an immense congregation which crowded every part of the Cathedral. Large numbers were unable to gain admittance. Seldom if ever has so distinguished an audience and one so representative of every class and creed in the northern metropolis filled this historic pile which has been fittingly termed the Mother Church of Scotland.