GLASGOW, Scotland – On Monday, January 13, the Glasgow 850 Interfaith Event began. The event is part of the city’s year-long celebration in 2025, marking 850 years since Glasgow gained Burgh status. The festivities commenced with an interfaith service at Glasgow Cathedral, bringing together diverse faith communities to honor the city’s rich history and cultural diversity. However, Pagans were excluded from official participation.
The interfaith service at Glasgow Cathedral, hosted by the Lord Provost, Councillor Jacqueline McLaren, commemorated the granting of the city’s Burgh Charter, which provided trading rights and royal protection to its citizens. The event took place on January 13, aligning with the Feast Day of St. Mungo, Glasgow’s patron saint, in the cathedral he is believed to have founded.
The celebration marked the issuance of Glasgow’s first Burgh Charter by King William I, known as William the Lion, around 1175. A highlight of the event was the proclamation of the original Burgh Charter by the Lord Lyon King of Arms, the Scottish official responsible for overseeing heraldry.
Glasgow Cathedral [Photo Credit: Jacsouza CCA-SA 4.0
The Lord Lyon also read a message from the King and Queen, offering their congratulations. The message acknowledged Glasgow’s diversity and heritage, stating, “It goes without saying that people really do make Glasgow. As one of the most diverse cities in Scotland and beyond, it is entirely fitting that the celebrations to mark this milestone are equally vibrant, demonstrating the rich culture, heritage, and captivating history of your ever-evolving city.”
The Druid Network (TDN) first reported the exclusionary practices, noting that Pagan and Humanist groups would not have full access to the events. The claim by officials was that the event was set to take place at Glasgow Cathedral. While the Cathedral is technically owned by the Crown and managed by Historic Environment Scotland, any religious events held there fall under the jurisdiction of the Glasgow Presbytery, which has the authority to determine what religious rites can be performed within the space. It appears that Presbytery leaders did not approve of Pagan and Humanist speakers due to the Cathedral being considered “consecrated ground.” As a result, they reportedly threatened to withdraw from the event if either group was permitted to speak, a move that could have led to the event’s cancellation.
Both the Scottish Pagan Federation and The Druid Network are full members of Interfaith Scotland, and as a result of this exclusion, both Interfaith Scotland and Interfaith Glasgow officially withdrew from the event.
Representatives from TDN attended but invited Pagans to join them in a silent protest. Members of TDN decided to wear ritual clothing, including robes, to ensure a highly visible presence. They gathered outside Glasgow Cathedral and attended the event in robes, with between 15 and 20 Pagans participating.
“I am a trustee of The Druid Network and a Glasgow resident. I spent over 10 years as TDN’s representative at The Interfaith Network, the UK’s main interfaith organization, which was shut down last year due to the previous government removing funding—an act, in my opinion, of political malice,” said Druid Neil Pitchford of TDN to The Wild Hunt. “I served in the senior role of Vice Moderator for five years, the first Druid to hold a senior position within the mainstream UK interfaith community.”
Pitchford had originally been invited to speak at the event. However, prior to the event, he was informed by the organizer that a senior figure from Glasgow Presbytery, along with another senior representative from the Roman Catholic Church, had objected to the inclusion of Pagan and Humanist speakers. This development underscored tensions surrounding religious representation at an event intended to promote inclusivity and dialogue among Glasgow’s diverse faith communities.
Determined to ensure Pagan representation, Pitchford decided that, despite not being permitted to speak, attendance was still an option. With just 72 hours’ notice, a call was put out on several Scottish Pagan community Facebook pages, explaining the situation. It was announced that Pitchford, along with his spouse and a TDN member, would attend in full ceremonial robes to make their presence known. After confirming with the event organizer that any Pagans attending would be allowed entry, an invitation was extended for others to join in a “Silent Protest.”
“The community didn’t let us down,” Pitchford said. “Over 20 Pagans turned up, fully robed, with some traveling from as far as 90 miles away to specifically attend. So we attended.”
The event itself proceeded smoothly, was well-organized, and was deemed a success. Several attendees inquired about the presence of Pagans and Druids, with many expressing both surprise and disappointment over the objections raised by the two individuals. However, all attending Pagans reported a positive experience without encountering any negativity.
Glasgow is known for being a welcoming and inclusive city, a reputation that aligns with past experiences. Given this, the attempt to exclude certain faith groups from participation was both unexpected and disheartening. Allowing the event to proceed without any Pagan representation was not an option, even if that presence was more limited than desired. Ultimately, the message was conveyed in a respectful, visible, and impactful manner.
“As always, SPF will continue to engage with other groups and organizations regarding this event. We are very grateful to our friends in The Druid Network who kept us informed as events unfolded,” the Scottish Pagan Federation told The Wild Hunt. “We have raised this issue with the Scottish Government’s Faith and Belief Representative Group. SPF sincerely hopes there will be reflection and reconsideration over the way this interfaith event was handled. SPF believes in a Scotland that accepts and embraces diversity, where an interfaith event would be inclusive of all faith and belief communities, including representatives from Scotland’s Pagan community.”
“I believe we have made our point in a successful and colorful way,” Pitchford remarked.
The Wild Hunt is not responsible for links to external content.
To join a conversation on this post:
Visit our The Wild Hunt subreddit! Point your favorite browser to https://www.reddit.com/r/The_Wild_Hunt_News/, then click “JOIN”. Make sure to click the bell, too, to be notified of new articles posted to our subreddit.