The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland has met the Pope at the Vatican, where both men condemned terrorist attacks in Libya and Denmark.
The Right Reverend John Chalmers said he had joined Pope Francis in calling for the Kirk and the Roman Catholic Church to work together for peace and tolerance, and to promote non-violence in the face of radicalisation.
The relationship between the two churches in Scotland has never been more cordial or productive, Mr Chalmers said.
The meeting followed the beheading of 21 Christian hostages by militants linked to Islamic State (IS) in Libya and two deadly shootings in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Speaking after the private audience, the moderator revealed he had invited the Pope to visit Scotland.
He said: “We shared our concerns over the terrible attacks at the weekend and spoke of our joint belief in the power of co-operation against a background of challenge and increasing radicalisation in the world.
“We agreed to work for peace through our common faith and I expressed a hope that a pastoral visit by His Holiness to Scotland would be appreciated by all faiths.”
The Kirk said Mr Chalmers had highlighted the importance of establishing “peace with justice for the people of Israel, Palestine and the Occupied Territories”.
The two men had also shared their concerns about climate change, with the moderator describing it as the “most pressing issue in human history”.
Mr Chalmers presented the Pope with a Dove of Peace made by a Palestinian Christian Group in Bethlehem during the visit.