PLANS are under way for a millennium exhibition in Edinburgh gathering some of the world's greatest art treasures to depict the life of Christ.

The proposal, which could see works loaned by the Vatican and the Hermitage collections, is sure to be welcomed by church leaders as an antidote to the increasingly secular nature of the celebrations.

The inspiration for Christ in the Eyes of the Artist came from the Scottish Catholic Heritage Commission, which has collaborated with Edinburgh's City Arts Centre on previous exhibitions.

Mr Herbert Coutts, the city's acting director of recreation, said: ''What we would have to do is sit down with the Heritage Commission and identify the various episodes of Christ's life and see what works are available. It would also be a slow process because there are potential collections all over the world.''

He said the exhibition might give Edinburgh access for the first time to the Vatican's museums and art galleries, considered the world's finest.

''Many of the Western world's greatest works of art illustrate aspects of Christ's life, and so an exhibition of the type proposed could be of wide interest,'' he added. Such interest would also be likely to attract sponsors.

Mario Conti, Bishop of Aberdeen and president of the SCHC, said it was up to the churches to come up with their own ideas rather than criticise spiritual gaps in celebrations run by the state. He said: ''We are aiming to be proactive rather than reactive. We thought that the millennium is an opportunity for something that properly reflects what it is all about.''

He was sure the exhibition could be successful as an ecumenical venture.

Bishop Conti is a member of the Pontifical Commission for the Heritage of the Church, the most influential body within the Curia on cultural matters.

Until recently, the Vatican has been reluctant to release any of its art treasures to be exhibited outside Italy. Caravaggio's Deposition of Christ was loaned to three galleries in the US over a decade ago.

The Hermitage in St Petersburg also has a celebrated collection with religious themes, including contrasting works by Leonardo da Vinci of the Madonna and Child.

Bishop Conti said he was confident Edinburgh's reputation for staging such international exhibitions would stand it in good stead.

''I am very glad that the commission's idea has been well received but obviously there is a long way to go,'' he added.

Edinburgh councillors will be asked to give the project the go-ahead on Monday.

qThe #71,000 post of director of cultural and leisure services at Glasgow City Council has one confirmed candidate: the current director of museums and galleries Mr Julian Spalding.

He made it clear yesterday that his hat is in the ring for the new post, despite having been interviewed for the job last Wednesday and failing to secure it.

The merging of four departments into the new body has coincided with the departure of three of the four directors.

Mr Spalding, as the sole holder of a senior post, was interviewed for the new directorship prior to its being advertised. ''The interview process has been continued,'' he said yesterday.