Church leaders pay tribute: 'Personal faith of late Queen was revealed in her Christmas Day broadcasts'
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CHURCH leaders have offered prayers following the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Rt Rev Dr Iain Greenshields, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, said: "The faith, service and dedication of Her Majesty the Queen have been the hallmark of her long reign. She has been the steady constant in the life of our nation for over seven decades and most of us will have grown up knowing only her as our monarch.
"Her thoughtful and pertinent Christmas Day broadcasts gave an insight not only into her personal faith, but also reflected the changing concerns and attitudes of our country. They were always marked with quiet perception and a great deal of affection.
"Tireless in her duty, the Queen has demonstrated a life of selfless dedication. Her love for her family was mirrored in her love for our nation and the wider Commonwealth.
"Wherever the Queen went she brought encouragement and appreciation as she showed a genuine interest in the people she met.
"The Church of Scotland has valued Her late Majesty’s generous support, and seen in her private devotion someone for whom faith remained central throughout her long life.
"We send our heartfelt condolences to the King, and all members of the Royal Family, assuring them of our prayers and best wishes in the days ahead."
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Bishop Hugh Gilbert, President of the Bishops' Conference of Scotland, said: “It was with great sadness, that we learned today of the death of Her Majesty The Queen. Her life of outstanding service during a reign of 70 years stands as an example of dedicated public service in our own country, across the Commonwealth and around the world. Her determination to remain active to the end of her long life, has been an example of Christian leadership, which demonstrated her great stoicism and commitment to duty and was undoubtedly a source of stability and continuity in times of great change.
"Scotland’s Catholic bishops will remember her in our prayers and pray for all those who mourn her loss."
Bishop Gilbert added: “On behalf of Scotland’s Catholic Bishops, I offer our congratulations and the promise of our prayers to King Charles as he becomes King. We pray for the repose of the soul of his mother Queen Elizabeth and for him and his family as he begins his reign."
