Britain’s King Charles and Pope Leo XIV convened for a historic joint prayer session at the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel on Thursday, marking the first time an English monarch and a Catholic pope have engaged in such worship since King Henry VIII’s separation from Rome in 1534. Amidst the resplendent frescoes by Michelangelo portraying Christ’s Last Judgment, Latin chants and English prayers resonated through the sacred space.
Seated beside the Pope near the chapel’s altar, Charles, the supreme governor of the Church of England, participated in the service led by Archbishop Stephen Cottrell, combining the voices of the Sistine Chapel Choir and two royal choirs. Despite previous meetings between Charles and the last three popes, joint prayers had not been part of their interactions. Additionally, Charles and Queen Camilla held a private audience with Pope Leo earlier in the day.
Originally planned for an earlier date, the royal visit was rescheduled due to Pope Francis’ illness and subsequent passing. Charles had expressed a strong desire to visit the Vatican during the 2025 Holy Year, symbolizing a significant step towards strengthening the bond between the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion, following their tumultuous split five centuries ago.
Anglican Rev. James Hawkey remarked on the symbolic significance of the event, describing it as a pivotal moment that signifies a reconciliation of historical divisions. The service at the Sistine Chapel, which featured Archbishop Cottrell standing in for Sarah Mullally, the recently appointed first female Archbishop of Canterbury, reflects the progress made in inter-church dialogue over the past six decades.
Later in the day, King Charles will visit the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, one of Catholicism’s revered sites, where Pope Leo will confer upon him the title of “Royal Confrater” and present him with a specially designated seat adorned with the king’s coat of arms and the motto “Ut unum sint” (That they may be one).
Bishop Anthony Ball, the Anglican representative to the Vatican, emphasized the shared commitment of both Churches towards a harmonious future. Buckingham Palace announced that Charles had reciprocated the gesture by bestowing two British honors upon Pope Leo, underscoring the mutual respect and cooperation between the two religious institutions.
The Church of England, part of the global Anglican Communion comprising 46 independent churches across 165 countries, has been fostering closer ties with the Catholic Church, which boasts a membership of 1.4 billion, in the spirit of ecumenical collaboration since the 1960s. The formal split between the Catholic Church and the Church of England in 1534 stemmed from King Henry VIII’s marital disputes and other political and theological factors, leading to a historical rift that saw England oscillate between Catholicism and Protestantism with grave consequences for religious dissenters.
