The re-establishment of thehierarchy of theCatholic Church inScotland took effect on 15 March 1878.[1] This followed therestoration of the English hierarchy in 1850.
The restoration was carried out on the instructions ofPope Leo XIII and was one of the first acts of his papacy.[2]
The "old" hierarchy had ended in 1603 whenArchbishop Beaton of theArchdiocese of Glasgow died inParis.[3] In the intervening period from theScottish Reformation until the restoration of the hierarchy, Scottish Catholics were ministered to by an underground network ofpriests (such asSaint John Ogilvie,Martyr) who were governed byPrefects Apostolic and thenVicars Apostolic as the oppression of Catholics became less severe.[3]
The bishops of the restored hierarchy were drawn from the then existing Vicars Apostolic and the territories of the new dioceses and archdioceses were based on the ancient (pre-reformation) ones.
There were twoarchbishops and fourbishops in the new hierarchy:
TheArchdiocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh was to be theMetropolitan See for Scotland with theArchdiocese of Glasgow to be under control of theHoly See.[3]
It was nearly another 100 years before Scotland had its first post-Reformationcardinal appointed. In 1969Archbishop Gray ofSt Andrews and Edinburgh was elevated to the rank of Cardinal,[4] as were in the years followingCardinal Winning ofGlasgow, andCardinal O'Brien of St Andrews and Edinburgh.[5][6]