Wendy Alexander Lays Parliament Motion Celebrating Scotland’s Cluniac Heritage

Wendy Alexander has laid a motion in the Scottish Parliament to celebrate Scotland’s Cluniac heritage.

The Scottish programme of celebration events centring in Paisley will mark the 1,100th anniversary of the founding of the Abbey of Cluny in Burgundy, France and will reflect on Paisley Abbey’s role as a Cluniac Abbey.

Wendy’s motion to her MSP colleagues points out that Scotland’s Cluny celebrations are ranked in the top six in Europe, out of nearly 300 Cluny-associated events going on through the course of 12 months. The events will take place between 14 and 16 May 2010 centred on Paisley Abbey and does include an associated conference and medieval fair on 15 May at Paisley Town Hall, and an exhibition entitled, Charters and Chamber Pots: Aspects of Mediaeval Paisley, in  Paisley Museum from Friday 14 May. The motion also details a civic reception is to be held  by the Provost of Renfrewshire, and a commemorative service at Paisley Abbey on 16 May where the guest preacher will be the Right Reverend Philip Tartaglia, Roman Catholic Bishop of Paisley.

Wendy said “The work of the Cluny 2010 Scotland Joint Organising Committee, which has put the programme together, must be commended. It’s wonderful that the Scottish celebrations have been awarded such high European ranking. Many of these visitors will be leading historians and archaeologists, including 30-40 from France and Switzerland. Local people are very proud of the Abbey and will be pleased to welcome these visitors to Paisley.”

The motion praising these May celebrations is currently attracting cross party support from fellow MSPs.