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Cardinal Thomas Winning was 76 |
2001: Catholic leader Cardinal Winning dies |
England have
The leader of the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland has died suddenly at his Glasgow home.
Cardinal Thomas Winning collapsed in his bedroom at 0900 after suffering his second heart attack in 10 days.
The 76-year-old-cleric was found unconscious by his housekeeper and pronounced dead at Victoria Infirmary an hour later.
The hospital had released him only three days ago, and the Archbishop of Glasgow had walked back to his home in Newlands in apparently good health.
"Scotland has lost one of her greatest sons."Scottish First Minister Henry McLeish said.
Despite his often conservative views on abortion and homosexuality, Cardinal Winning was viewed as a champion of social justice and was once dubbed by the Pope as a "man of the people".
The chancellor of the Glasgow archdiocese, Monsignor Peter Smith, said he would be much missed by Scotland's 750,000 Catholics.
"The Cardinal arrived home on Friday and was in great form - he was his usual witty and humorous self. This has been a great shock to the entire community," he said.
And other tributes have poured in from around the UK.
The Queen said he had made distinguished contribution to Scottish public life and UK Prime Minister Tony Blair praised his "strong moral leadership".
The search for a successor will begin in the next few days, but Scottish First Minister Henry McLeish said he would be a difficult man to replace.
"The nation will miss Tom Winning - I will miss him. Scotland has lost one of her greatest sons," he said.
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