Tributes have been paid following the death of a dedicated Edinburgh priest.

Stephen Canon Judge died peacefully on Friday morning at St Anne’s Care Home in Musselburgh after a period of illness. He was 84.

He served at various parishes across the Archdiocese for over 50 years before retiring in 2010.

St Ninian’s was his first appointment, from 1958 to 1962, before becoming parish priest at St Columba’s for seven years. In 1969 he began at Holy Cross and then St Gregory’s (1972-1985), St Peter’s (1985-1989), St Mary of the Angels in Camelon (1989-1996) before taking over at both St Andrew’s and St Margaret’s from 1996 to 2001.

He retired as parish priest at St Mark’s in 2010, having enjoyed nine years there.

Canon Judge attended St Cuthbert’s Primary School and junior seminary at Blairs College, near Aberdeen. He was accepted as a seminarian for the Archdiocese of St Andrews & Edinburgh and studied for the priesthood at the Royal Scots College in Valladolid, Spain, where he was ordained in 1958.

He received a Bachelor of Divinity from the University of London in 1997 and a Theology qualification from Edinburgh University in 1991. In 1995 he enjoyed a stay in Jerusalem on a three-month sabbatical. Canon Judge was an ordained priest for a total of 61 years.

Archbishop Leo Cushley said: “Canon Stephen was a good and shrewd pastor of souls. He touched many people’s lives positively in his many years of priesthood. I am very grateful for his goodness, his humour and his constant example of service. May he rest in peace.”

Funeral arrangements will be issued shortly.

The Very Rev Stephen Canon Judge BD MTh 1935-2019.