Almost five centuries after King Henry VIII famously split from the Catholic Church to pursue multiple marriages, a modern English monarch, King Charles III, engaged in a truly historic ecumenical prayer service with Pope Leo XIV in the iconic Sistine Chapel this Thursday.
This significant ceremony took place in the very chamber where Pope Leo XIV was recently chosen to lead the Roman Catholic Church. It represented the first instance in hundreds of years where a reigning pontiff and a British sovereign—who also serves as the titular head of the Church of England—have publicly offered prayers side-by-side.
This joint prayer symbolizes a remarkable improvement in relations between the Anglican and Catholic traditions, and underscores King Charles III’s clear desire to be recognized as a champion of interfaith dialogue. Notably, his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, met with various popes throughout her long reign but never engaged in public prayer with any of them.
Leading the prayers, conducted in both English and Latin, were the Most Reverend Stephen Cottrell, the Archbishop of York, and Pope Leo XIV. Their voices were beautifully supported by combined Anglican and Catholic choirs, while King Charles and Queen Camilla observed from elegant gold chairs.
An accompanying photograph, released by the Vatican, captures King Charles and Queen Camilla respectfully seated during this prayer session in the Sistine Chapel, led by Pope Leo and the Archbishop of York.
Their Majesties’ participation in this service was part of a broader state visit to the Vatican, strategically timed to coincide with the Jubilee, a sacred year of spiritual reflection, penance, and forgiveness celebrated by the Catholic Church every twenty-five years.
This visit occurs during a challenging period for King Charles personally, as the royal family grapples with ongoing revelations regarding his brother, Prince Andrew’s, connections to the infamous sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Following considerable pressure from the King, Prince Andrew relinquished his title as the Duke of York.
Despite these challenges, the trip prominently features one of the King’s most enduring commitments: advocating for religious tolerance. Early in his reign, within his first 100 days in 2022, he demonstrated this by visiting a Jewish community center in London and participating in a Hanukkah celebration. His 2023 coronation further highlighted this dedication, as he engaged with leaders from diverse non-Christian faiths, including Judaism, Buddhism, and Sikhism.
However, King Charles’s inclusive stance hasn’t always been without controversy. In 1994, long before his ascension to the throne, his suggestion that he viewed his future role as a ‘defender of faith’ in a broader sense—interpreted as acknowledging Britain’s increasing multiculturalism—sparked debate. He later clarified, stating that while upholding his traditional title as ‘Defender of the Faith,’ he also aimed to be a ‘protector of faiths’ in general.
During a subsequent solemn ecumenical service on Thursday, the King was formally bestowed with the honorary title of Royal Confrater. This prestigious designation acknowledges the deep historical connections between the British monarchy and Rome’s Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls. The Vatican further honored him by commissioning a special chair for King Charles and his successors, adorned with the royal coat of arms and inscribed with the Latin motto ‘Ut unum sint’ (‘That they may be one’), a powerful affirmation of shared Christian belief.
Another image shows members of the venerable Swiss Guard marching in formation, preceding the arrival of King Charles and Queen Camilla at the Vatican.
Earlier that day, the King and Queen held a private meeting with Pope Leo. King Charles also engaged in discussions with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s Secretary of State. A statement from the Vatican confirmed that their talks centered on shared concerns, including environmental protection and efforts to combat global poverty.
Reverend Martin Browne, from the Vatican department dedicated to promoting Christian unity in Rome, emphasized the purpose of these services before the visit. He stated they were intended as a gesture of ‘closeness and willingness to see one another as brothers and sisters despite differences,’ a message he called ‘an important sign for the world, not just for ecumenical progress, but for humanity in general.’
Traditionally, the Archbishop of Canterbury, who leads the Church of England, would have joined the King on such a visit to Rome. However, the Most Reverend Justin Welby stepped down last November following a report criticizing his handling of widespread clerical abuse allegations involving boys and young men. This month saw the historic appointment of the Right Reverend Sarah Mullally as the first woman to hold this position, though her official installation is anticipated early next year.
The ordination of women remains a significant point of divergence between Anglican and Catholic doctrines. The Vatican strictly ordains only men and has consistently deferred discussions regarding the ordination of women, even for the lesser role of deacons within the church.
Archbishop Flavio Pace, Secretary of the Vatican’s Christian Unity department, acknowledged at a recent press briefing that the ordination of Anglican women presents a ‘potential problem’ for relations between the churches. Yet, he stressed that ‘it is more urgent that we stay together, that we dialogue and that we continue to walk together.’
Upon her official installation, Archbishop-designate Mullally is expected to meet with Pope Leo. The Right Reverend Anthony Ball, the Archbishop of Canterbury’s representative to the Holy See, clarified that the Catholic Church ‘recognizes the development of having female clergy and female bishops in the Church of England as a matter for the Church of England.’
Theoretically, there’s no impediment to the Pope holding future prayer services with a female Archbishop of Canterbury, according to Anna Rowlands, a political theologian at Durham University in England. Professor Rowlands stated that once installed, ‘she will be the head of a fellow Christian ecclesial community’ with which the Catholic Church maintains a relationship.’
Theological experts note that Pope Leo’s shared prayer with King Charles, while significant, does not signal a consensus on other theological and social issues that continue to separate the two churches.
For instance, Anglican priests are permitted to marry, and some Anglican churches welcome openly gay clergy. In contrast, the Catholic Church mandates celibacy for its clerics and forbids openly gay individuals from serving as clergy. Furthermore, divorced Catholics whose marriages have not been annulled are unable to remarry within a church service, a restriction not faced by divorced Anglicans.
The Very Reverend Andrew McGowan, a professor of Anglican studies at the Yale Divinity School, aptly summarized the situation, stating, ‘We don’t have to change each other.’
According to experts, it’s improbable that either the Pope or the King would initiate discussions on potentially divisive topics. As Reverend Thomas J. Reese, a senior analyst at Religion News Service and veteran Vatican observer, put it, ‘There’s certain topics you don’t bring up at Thanksgiving dinner. You know where everybody stands, and so the effort is to see where we can work together.’
The King’s visit was initially planned to align with the tenth anniversary of ‘Laudato Si,’ Pope Francis’s pivotal encyclical emphasizing the imperative to safeguard our planet. Both Pope Leo, who has vigorously advocated for global efforts to ensure climate change’s disproportionate impact doesn’t burden the impoverished, and King Charles, a long-standing voice against the existential threat posed by rising carbon emissions, share a strong commitment to environmental stewardship.
Mark Landler contributed reporting from London, and Josephine de La Bruyère from Rome.