Archbishop of Glasgow dies after contracting Covid-19

The Archbishop of Glasgow, Philip Tartaglia, has died suddenly at his home in Glasgow today aged 70.

Archbishop Tartaglia, who had served as Archbishop of Glasgow since 2012, had tested positive for COVID-19 shortly after Christmas and was self-isolating at home. The cause of his death is not yet clear.

The Pope’s Ambassador to Great Britain, Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti has been informed.

The Archbishop had served as leader of Scotland’s largest Catholic community since 2012.

It will be for Pope Francis to appoint a new Archbishop to succeed Archbishop Tartaglia, but until then the Archdiocese will be overseen by an administrator.

The First Minister has paid tribute to the Archbishop on Twitter.

Councillor Susan Aitken said: “I am greatly saddened to hear of the passing of Archbishop Tartaglia and I send my condolences to his family, friends and colleagues – and to the whole of the Catholic community across the Archdiocese of Glasgow.

“Archbishop Tartaglia was a Glaswegian. He was born and grew up in the east end of our city, he knew its people and the challenges faced by ordinary citizens, regardless of their faith or beliefs.

“He brought attention to issues, from the plight of asylum seekers to nuclear weapons at Faslane, and kept the need for social justice firmly in the public consciousness. He was also unafraid to use his position to challenge deprivation, austerity and the ill-effects of welfare reform when he believed it was his duty to call them out.

“That keen social conscience, compassion and the leadership he offered to his congregation during turbulent times will be a loss both to them and to the city as a whole.”

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