To mark the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Scottish Parliament, Their Majesties the King and Queen were invited to join the celebrations at Holyrood last weekend.

The Most Rev Mark Strange, Bishop of Moray, Ross & Caithness, represented the Scottish Episcopal Church as Primus, alongside other faith leaders.

Here, the Primus reports on a milestone occasion characterised by celebration, reflection and prayer.

“On Saturday, I had the privilege of attending the Scottish Parliament for the 25th anniversary celebrations,” said the Primus. “It was good to catch up with so many people I have met over the years. It was especially good to catch up with my dear friend Imam Sayed Razawi, the Chief Imam and Director-General of the Scottish Ahlul-Bayt Society.

“We exchanged news and views about what was happening in Scotland, and about the troubles across in the world. We spoke about Israel and Palestine, the horror of Gaza, the bombing now being experienced across Lebanon, and the fear of people living on both sides of borders.

“We didn’t speak about ideology or political aggression – we spoke about the pain and the fear in the communities we belong to, the Christian Community struggling in the Holy Land, the Muslim communities experiencing hatred for simply being a Muslim and we shared our concerns for the Jewish community in Scotland at this time of raised tension.

“We did none of this because we needed to make a point, rather because we care for each other and all the people we come into contact with. We care for those in the chamber on Saturday, the communities they serve, and for the tens of thousands suffering for simply being who they are in a place that someone else wants to call their own.

“We offered prayer for a ceasefire across the region, and then stood together as the proceedings began, sharing the joy of being part of a nation that allows us to sit together and share. This is a freedom we can never take for granted, and while it is right that we should celebrate democracy here in Scotland, we should never forget those in other parts of the world who are denied that basic freedom.

“As our politicians set a chart for the next 25 years of the Scottish Parliament, they would serve us well by maintaining the pursuit of a just peace where there is continuing conflict.”