The leader of Scotland's Catholics has spoken to the First Minister by phone about the controversial issue of same-sex marriage, it was disclosed.The Scottish Government said Alex Salmond and Cardinal Keith O'Brien had an "entirely amicable" conversation on Saturday on first-name terms.
The Catholic Church in Scotland opposes same-sex marriage, which the Scottish Government last month announced plans to legalise.
Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said they would bring forward a Bill which could see the first same-sex marriages take place at the start of 2015.
The Holyrood administration insists that protections will be included in the new law to ensure churches, and individuals within them, do not have to conduct same-sex marriages if they do not agree with them. The Catholic Church has described the move as a "dangerous social experiment on a massive scale".
During their phone conversation on Saturday Cardinal O'Brien and the First Minister discussed a variety of issues including same-sex marriage.
A spokesman for Mr Salmond said: "The First Minister spoke at some length with the Cardinal yesterday morning, and had an entirely amicable conversation on first name terms. It is also the right and proper way forward that officials from the Church and government are going to meet in order to discuss the very important matters of protecting religious freedom and freedom of expression, which we are absolutely committed to doing. It is inevitable that government ministers will not always agree with church leaders - this is an honest disagreement about an important policy issue, and we have the utmost respect for the different views expressed in the debate."
He added: "While this is an honest disagreement over policy, on a personal level relations between the First Minister and the Cardinal are extremely good, as they are with Scotland's other faith leaders - Mr Salmond holds the Cardinal in the highest regard and will always do so. As Saturday morning's conversation demonstrates, it is simply not the case that the First Minister and the Cardinal do not continue to communicate directly and speak on first name terms."