Duke of Edinburgh attends traditional Kirking of Scottish Parliament

The Duke of Edinburgh has attended an interfaith ceremony for the Kirking of the Scottish Parliament.

Prince Edward was joined by new MSPs, religious leaders and members of Scotland’s civic society at the ceremony in St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh on Wednesday evening.

The service traditionally takes place the evening before the first sitting of a new parliamentary term, which begins on Thursday.

The ceremony included hymns, prayers, choral performances, and a sermon by outgoing Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, the Right Reverend Rosie Frew.

It also featured a number of interfaith blessings on the Parliament – including the first ever pagan blessing at a Kirking ceremony.

In her sermon the Moderator – whose term will finish this week at the General Assembly – spoke of the words emblazoned on the ceremonial mace which sits in the Holyrood Parliament: wisdom, justice, compassion and integrity.

The mace was gifted to Holyrood by the late Queen Elizabeth II, with the words it carries intended to guide MSPs.

Ms Frew said: “These four words are not the possession of any one party. They are words for all of you, for all of us. Words of aspiration.

“For all our MSPs, new and returning, it is a new beginning – a new Parliament, new people to get to know, new roles, new commitments to get up to speed on.

“We’ve had an election, and by their very nature elections are combative, heated battles at the hustings, the fight for votes, and yet as politicians regardless of party, there is so much that you have in common.

“Public service is not about personal gain or recognition but about serving the welfare of others.

“It calls for wisdom, integrity, justice, and compassion, whether in formal leadership or everyday acts of service.

“By following these principles, public servants and individuals alike can honour God and contribute meaningfully to the welfare of our people and our land.”

She added: “The words on the mace – wisdom, justice, compassion and integrity – remind you, our MSPs, and all of us, that democracy is more than the counting of votes.

“It is a moral enterprise, a shared commitment to seek the common good. And a common commitment to service.”

Following the ceremony Prince Edward moved on to the neighbouring Signet Library, where he met party leaders and members of Scottish parliamentary staff.