King Charles held an audience with Pope Leo XIV on the Vatican on Thursday where additionally they each took part in a historic ecumenical prayer service within the Sistine Chapel.
It was a major moment for Anglican-Catholic relations as the primary publicly recorded joint act of worship between a British monarch and a Catholic pontiff in over 500 years.
The British monarch mechanically holds the title of the Supreme Governor of the Church of England upon accession to the throne, and can be generally known as Defender of the Faith, meaning the Protestant faith.
King Charles was joined by his wife, Queen Camilla, who was wearing the normal black.
The visit was originally scheduled for April, but needed to be cancelled resulting from the ill-health of the late Pope Francis.
It reflects the shared ecumenical efforts between the Catholic Church and the Church of England 500 years on from the Reformation.
The historic midday prayer service comprised of psalms and a Gospel reading. Ecumenical guests included the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, in his capability as interim head of the Church of England, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, and the Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh, Leo Cushley.
The Sistine Chapel Choir was joined by the voices of the Lay Clerks of St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle and the Children of the Chapel Royal of St James’ Palace, who were each invited by King Charles and Queen Camilla.
Key themes for the visit were Christian unity and take care of the environment, issues which are near each the King and the Pope’s hearts.
Commenting on the aim of the visit, a spokesman for the King said that stronger ties with the Vatican will act as a “bulwark against those promoting conflict, division and tyranny”.
A spokesperson for the Foreign Office said, “The Catholic Church is the most important denomination of the world’s largest religion,” adding that the King and Queen’s official state visit will “strengthen the UK’s relationship with this important and influential partner”.
To mark the occasion, King Charles was formally named Royal Confrater of Saint Paul Outside the Walls and its adjoining Benedictine Abbey. The basilica maintains historical ties with the British Crown.
During the ceremony the King was seated upon a specially designed chair bearing his coat of arms and the Latin inscription “Ut unum sint”, meaning “That they could be one”, from John 17:21.
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