More than 250 young pilgrims arrived in Perth on Saturday for the annual Scottish National Catholic Youth Pilgrimage.

The event was led by Archbishop Leo Cushley and Bishop Andrew McKenzie (Dunkeld Diocese) and marked the 1,700th anniversary of the declaration of the Nicene Creed, with young people invited to renew their Baptismal promises.

At Mass in St John the Baptist’s, Archbishop Cushley said: “Pope Leo canonised a couple of new saints just a couple of Sundays ago, and one of them, Carlo Acutis, was a young man of the 20th century. His life and death have resonated a great deal with me, and I know with many young people too.

"We had the great pleasure of welcoming his relics over the last couple of weeks. I was deeply impressed by it, by the faith and devotion among young people.”

“Perhaps it’s because he is one of us: he’s a millennial, the first millennial saint. That is something to think about — that he only lived 15 years, and yet in those years he lived so very, very well.

His closeness to the Lord completed him, perfected him, and made him one of the very first saints of the 21st century.”

“Saint John Paul II once said that there will be saints of the 21st century, and here we are — we are living among them.

"And that relates to today’s Gospel, when Jesus says: ‘You cannot serve both God and money’. You just can’t — money is powerful, and riches can distract us from serving God alone.”

Earlier in the day pilgrims visited St John the Baptist Catholic Church, Perth’s oldest Catholic parish founded in 1832. From there, the pilgrims processed through the city to the ancient St John’s Kirk, a landmark with over 900 years of history.

Pilgrims were welcomed at the Kirk Reverend Sandy Gunn, above, along with members of the congregation. Mr Gunn joined Archbishop Cushley in leading prayers and reflections, symbolising a shared Christian witness.

Photos courtesy of Andrew Mitchell unless otherwise stated. Title image Archdiocese of St Andrews & Edinburgh. Article abridged from Dunkeld Diocese.