The Queen will officially mark the 500th anniversary this week of the gift to Scotland of the Sword of State, which forms part of the Honours of Scotland - the Scottish Crown Jewels.
The anniversary will be celebrated at a reception to be held at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh where the Queen will be joined by both of Scotland's Catholic Archbishops and other Catholic representatives.
Mgr Charles Burns OBE, a retired Scottish priest who is Ecclesiastical Advisor at the British Embassy to the Holy See and an authority on the Sword, will also travel from Rome to attend the event.
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