Britain’s King Charles and Pope Leo XIV participated in a joint prayer session at the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel, marking a significant event as the first time an English monarch and a Catholic pontiff have prayed together since King Henry VIII’s split from Rome in 1534. The sacred ambiance was filled with Latin chants and English prayers, resonating under the gaze of Michelangelo’s Last Judgment frescoes as Leo, the U.S.-born pope elected six months earlier, and Anglican Archbishop Stephen Cottrell co-led the service. Charles, the head of the Church of England, sat beside the Pope, surrounded by the Sistine Chapel Choir and two royal choirs during the spiritual gathering.
While Charles had encountered the last three pontiffs and hosted Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI in Britain, this historic occasion marked the first time joint prayers were included in their meetings. Ahead of the joint worship, Charles and Queen Camilla had a private audience with Pope Leo earlier that day.
The royal visit to the Vatican, initially scheduled earlier in the year and delayed due to Pope Francis’s illness and passing, holds symbolic significance. Charles had expressed a strong desire to visit during the 2025 Holy Year, commemorating a once-in-a-quarter-century celebration of Christianity. This encounter signifies a strengthening of bonds between the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion, bridging the gap of five centuries since their separation.
The visit was described as a pivotal moment of healing by Anglican Rev. James Hawkey, emphasizing the progress made in church relations over the past 60 years. Cottrell, standing in for Sarah Mullally, the incoming Archbishop of Canterbury, highlighted the evolving dynamics within the Anglican Church.
Later in the day, King Charles will visit the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, a revered Catholic site, where Pope Leo will confer upon him the title of “Royal Confrater” and present him with a specially designated seat. The chair, adorned with the king’s coat of arms and the motto “Ut unum sint” (That they may be one), symbolizes the unity sought between the two faiths.
Bishop Anthony Ball, the Anglican representative to the Vatican, lauded the reciprocal honors bestowed by both Churches, underscoring their collaborative efforts towards a shared future. Buckingham Palace also announced reciprocal honors for Pope Leo from Charles, further solidifying the mutual respect between the two religious bodies.
The split between the Catholic Church and the Church of England, formalized in 1534 during Henry VIII’s reign, was a culmination of various factors, including the refusal to annul Henry’s marriage and the rise of Protestant ideas in England. Despite historical tensions, the recent joint worship signifies a positive step towards reconciliation between the two faith traditions.