THE applause for the Pope lasted for seven minutes when he tried to address the audience at Bellahouston Park.

Such was the reaction from his 300,000strong Catholic congregation during his visit in 1982 that he had a joke with them: "It was a moment, not only one moment, but several moments when a Pope became silent and you became preaching."

The June 1 weather was so uncharacteristically hot that scores were treated for dehydration, heatstroke and sunstroke.

Many more were treated for what came to be called pilgrim's foot - but nothing would have deterred the faithful from being at the first visit of a Pope to Scotland.

The Pope landed at Bellahouston in a helicopter, and was guarded to the hilt by bodyguards and personal aides.

Some 7000 stewards and 6000 police were on duty for the visit - but despite rumours that the event would be disrupted, and a scattering of arrests, the service became a moment to remember for the hundreds of thousands of worshippers.

The Pope used the address to put forward his message of one church under his own, Christian God.

He said: "There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God who is father of us all, all over, through all and within all.

"I have reserved until now and should like to read to you the remaining words from that passage of St Paul's letter to the Ephesians:

'There is one body, one Spirit, just as you were all called into one and the same hope when you were called.'

"We are only pilgrims on this earth making our way towards that heavenly kingdom promised to us as God's children."

During the mass the Pope was offered several symbolic gifts including a pipe banner with the Pope's coat of arms, a piece of Caithness glass, a firkin of whisky and a Scotland football shirt. A football was the final offering.

At the end of the mass, the congregation, one of the biggest ever assembled in Scotland, sang Will Ye No Come Back Again?

More than 1000 priests then offered communion at each corral throughout the park, while a choir of 1200 people - many of whom were sunburned and thirsty - sang hymns and celebrated.

The previous day, the Pope had kissed the ground when he arrived at RAF Turnhouse in Edinburgh.

He was welcomed to the capital by the late Cardinal Gordon Gray, the first Scottish clergyman to be presented with the red biretta since the Reformation.

The Pope then travelled to Murrayfield Stadium where he was greeted by around 40,000 young people as part of the Scottish National Youth Pilgrimage.

In an atmosphere which resembled a football match, the crowd repeatedly chanted his name and sang You'll Never Walk Alone.

After leaving Bellahouston he held separate meetings with the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland and Scottish church leaders, then travelled on to a late dinner at the residence of Cardinal Gray.

On the way a crowd of about 2000 people threatened to break through the barrier alongside the route and he shouted to them through a loudspeaker: "Thank you . . . I wish you one more thing and that is a good sleep."

Yesterday, memories of the Bellahouston address were poured onto websites.

One woman, who was only seven years old at the time of the visit, wrote: "His visit to Scotland was one of the most significant days in my life. I was only seven when I went to Bellahouston Park to share in this wonderful experience. I remember my mother carrying me on her shoulders as we sang our hearts out.

"The hymn Our God Reigns will always remind me of this profound day. I also remember the glorious weather and the sunburned noses it brought.

"Pope John Paul II has been an inspiration in my life. His humanity and devotion to his faith will always be remembered. He will remain in our hearts forever."

Ian Menzies was just 10 years old at the time - he told the Scotland Today programme about his memories of the night before the Pope arrived in Glasgow.

He said: "I just live a street away from Bellahouston Park and I just remember there being hundreds of bodies in the street and having to step over people to go to the shop and get a pint of milk.

"There was a tremendous sense of excitement and just pride that the Pope had actually made an effort to come all the way over to Scotland to see us. I think traditionally he had been quite a remote figure but people were really chuffed and I always remember people at the end of the mass singing Will Ye No Come Back Again.

"It was a really special moment."

Jean McConnell, 60, told the BBC: "Even the weather, so fickle in this pocket of the world, chose to celebrate with us.

"It's a day that even now, almost 23 years ago, still remains as vivid and clear that it feels like only yesterday we sat in the sunshine and celebrated an extraordinary mass in the park.

"In truth, we could only hear some of the service and could see even less, but it was enough. The atmosphere was one of peace, serenity and unity, and not only among the Catholic community."