THE next Catholic Archbishop of Glasgow is to be announced today as one of Scotland's leading churchmen steps down from the role.
Mario Conti will officially be replaced as the Archbishop of Glasgow at a ceremony this morning, in what is expected to set in motion a change of hierarchy in the Scottish Catholic Church.
The Catholic Church will not divulge the name until 11am, when a simultaneous announcement will be made by the Vatican, but it is expected to be the Bishop of Paisley, Philip Tartaglia, 61.
One senior source said: "I don't think anyone will be surprised."
The Herald understands the Archbishop's successor had been agreed weeks ago and the timing of today's announcement has largely been determined by the Archdiocese of Glasgow.
It had been expected the new Archbishop would be appointed on a significant June feast day in the Catholic calendar.
A reason for the delay is believed to be the pilgrimage to Lourdes by many in Glasgow's Catholic community in July, which has now concluded.
Archbishop Conti is stepping aside after 10 years leading Scotland's most populous Catholic community.
A former Bishop of Aberdeen, he took over the Archdiocese of Glasgow in February 2002 after the death
of predecessor Thomas Winning. The orthodox Bishop Tartaglia is described frequently as "one of Benedict's men". His expected departure will leave a vacancy in one of the biggest towns in Scotland. Other contenders to succeed Archbishop Conti include Monsignor Peter Magee, Fr John Keenan and Fr Patrick Burke.
Born in Glasgow and raised in Dennistoun, Bishop Tartaglia is the eldest son of Guido and Annita Tartaglia and one of nine children. He was educated at St Mungo's Academy before moving to the national junior seminary at St Vincent's College, Langbank, and St Mary's College, Blairs, Aberdeen.
If appointed, he would be favourite to be the next Scottish Cardinal and could become the most dominant voice in Scottish Catholicism for the best part of the next two decades.
Bishop Vincent Logan of Dunkeld, whose diocese includes Dundee, is expected to be replaced next, five years early due to poor health.
Joe Devine, the Bishop of Motherwell, is 75 in August, and Cardinal Keith O'Brien, leader of Scotland's Catholics, reaches this age in March. This is when bishops officially retire.
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