King Charles and Pope Leo hold historic joint prayer at the Vatican
King Charles III became the first British monarch in five centuries to publicly pray with a pope, marking a historic step in relations between the United Kingdom and the Holy See, Kazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
During his state visit to the Vatican on Thursday, the King joined Pope Leo XIV for an ecumenical service beneath Michelangelo’s ceiling in the Sistine Chapel — the first joint act of worship between a British sovereign and a pontiff since the Reformation. The service, co-led by Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell, centered on the theme of care for creation, a cause championed by both the King and the Pope.
A combined choir from St. George’s Chapel, the Chapel Royal, and the Sistine Chapel Choir performed Thomas Tallis’ If Ye Love Me, a piece chosen for its symbolism. Tallis lived through England’s break with Rome but never renounced his Catholic faith, making the performance a gesture of reconciliation between traditions once divided.
Earlier, the King and Queen met the Pope in a private audience at the Apostolic Palace. They exchanged gifts — an icon of St. Edward the Confessor and a silver photograph from the monarch, and a replica mosaic of Christ Pantocrator from the pontiff. The Vatican described the meeting as cordial, noting discussions on shared priorities, such as climate protection, poverty reduction, and global peace.
Later in the day, the royal couple attended another service at the Basilica of St. Paul’s Outside the Walls, where the Pope named King Charles a “Royal Confrater,” symbolizing spiritual fellowship. A specially crafted chair featuring the royal coat of arms and the Latin motto Ut unum sint (“That they may be one”) will remain in the basilica as a permanent reminder of the visit.
In a reciprocal gesture, the King appointed Pope Leo as a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath and a Papal Confrater of St. George’s Chapel at Windsor. The pontiff, in turn, made the King and Queen a knight and dame of the Order of Pius IX.
The visit concluded with a reception at the Pontifical Beda College, which trains priests from across the Commonwealth. Queen Camilla also met six Catholic sisters from the International Union of Superiors General, who work to advance women’s education and empowerment.
Relations between the Vatican and the British monarchy have grown steadily warmer in recent decades. The two states restored full diplomatic ties in 1982, and King Charles has made several visits to the Vatican since his years as Prince of Wales. His late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, met five popes during her lifetime.
Church historian Diarmaid MacCulloch of the University of Oxford said the visit carried symbolic weight. “It’s a goodwill gesture on the Vatican’s part,” he noted, “and goodwill gestures are always welcome.”
Earlier it was reported that Britain’s King Charles returned to public duties in May last year, nearly three months after being diagnosed with a form of cancer.
