Ecumenical Prayer Service with Pope Leo XIV, King Charles, Queen Camilla in the beautiful Sistine Chapel

 

Pope Leo XIV joined King Charles III and Queen Camilla of England in Midday prayer in the Sistine Chapel.  (@Vatican Media)

Pope

• Pope Leo XIV
• ecumenism
• environment
• Great Britain

King Charles attends ecumenical prayer service in Sistine Chapel

King Charles III and Queen Camilla join Pope Leo XIV in the Sistine Chapel for Midday Prayer as part of their official state visit to the Vatican – marking a historic moment in Anglican-Catholic relations.

By Kielce Gussie

After a meeting in the Apostolic Palace earlier in the morning, Pope Leo XIV, King Charles III and Queen Camilla of Great Britain gathered together for an ecumenical prayer service in the Sistine Chapel. They were joined by the Most Reverend Stephen Cottrell, the 98th Archbishop of York and the Primate of England – the second-most senior bishop in the Church of England.

The Pope and Archbishop led a midday prayer comprising psalms and a Gospel reading. Michaelangelo's frescoed chapel was filled with a number of ecumenical guests, including the Archbishop of Westminster and President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, and the Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh, Leo Cushley, representing the Scottish episcopate.

A historic visit

This visit marked a historic moment in Anglican-Catholic relations—one that has not occurred in 500 years. Two themes marked the journey: Christian unity and care for the environment.

Originally scheduled for April, the visit was cancelled due to Pope Francis’ ill health. One of its goals was to highlight the shared commitment of King Charles and the Argentine Pope to the care of Creation — ten years after the publication of the encyclical Laudato si’. 

Two themes marked the visit: Christian unity and care for the environment.   (@Vatican Media)

Moreover, the ecumenical prayer service, held in Latin and English, built upon the good relations between the Vatican and the United Kingdom. It also fulfilled a wish of King Charles, who, as Supreme Governor of the Church of England, has long been committed to interfaith engagement.

A bridge between two faiths

From the opening hymn of the prayer service, the theme of Christian unity and ecumenism was evident. The original text was written by St. Ambrose of Milan, Doctor of the Church. It was translated by St. John Henry Newman, who was an Anglican for half of his life before converting to Catholicism.

King Charles had attended the canonization ceremony of the English theologian in 2019. St. John Henry Newman is set to be declared a Doctor of the Church on 1 November by Pope Leo.

The Sistine Chapel hosted the ecumenical prayer service presided over by Pope Leo (@Vatican Media)

Continuing this atmosphere of communion, the chapel was filled with 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 – both invited by King Charles and Queen Camilla – together with the Sistine Chapel Choir. The three groups chanted and sung the hymn and psalms of midday prayer.

As the organ signaled the end of the prayer service, Pope Leo exited the Sistine Chapel side-by-side with King Charles.

What a significant moment this will be: The Pope and the King of England, together at the Vatican for an official State visit

 

King Charles III and Queen Camilla  (AFP or licensors)

Pope

• Pope Leo XIV

Pope to Receive King Charles and Queen Camilla at the Vatican

King Charles III and Queen Camilla will make a State visit to the Vatican on 23 October 2025.

By Benedetta Capelli 

King Charles III and Queen Camilla will make an official State visit to the Vatican on Thursday, October 23, where they will be received by Pope Leo XIV. The visit, confirmed by both the Holy See and Buckingham Palace, marks a historic moment in Anglican-Catholic relations and will focus on two key themes: Christian unity and care for the environment.

As part of the day’s events, King Charles will also be honored with the title of Royal Confrater of Saint Paul at the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, recognizing the long-standing ties between the British Crown and the Benedictine abbey attached to the basilica.

At 12 pm local time, Pope Leo XIV will lead an ecumenical prayer service for the care of creation in the Sistine Chapel. Afterwards, a meeting will take place in the Sala Regia with individuals and organizations dedicated to environmental protection. Later in the afternoon, at 2:45 pm, the King and Queen will visit the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, where King Charles will be formally granted the title Royal Confrater of Saint Paul.

Buckingham Palace has described the visit as “historic,” aligning with the Jubilee Year theme Pilgrims of Hope, and recognizing the shared ecumenical efforts between the Catholic Church and the Church of England.

A Visit Focused on Unity and the Environment

The two central themes of the Royal visit are Christian unity and care for the planet. At a Vatican press briefing on 17 October, Archbishop Flavio Pace, Secretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, outlined the ecumenical aspects, while Sister Alessandra Smerilli, Secretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, spoke about the ecological dimension.

Originally scheduled for April, the visit also coincides with the 10th anniversary of Pope Francis’s environmental encyclical Laudato Si’. King Charles - who, as Supreme Governor of the Church of England, has long been committed to interfaith engagement - specifically requested to take part in a liturgy focused on creation care. That service will be led jointly by Pope Leo XIV and the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, in the Sistine Chapel.

A Hymn Bridging Traditions

The ecumenical tone of the visit will be reflected in the liturgy, which will include a hymn by Saint Ambrose of Milan - sung in an English translation by Saint John Henry Newman. Newman, a key figure in Anglican-Catholic relations, was Anglican for much of his life before becoming Catholic. He was canonized in 2019, an event King Charles attended personally. On 1 November, Pope Leo will declare Newman a Doctor of the Church during a major ceremony attended by a high-ranking Anglican delegation.

Music will be provided by the Sistine Chapel Choir, alongside choristers from the Chapel Royal at St James’s Palace and the Choir of St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle.

A Special Honour for the King

In the afternoon, the Royals will travel to the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, which maintains historical ties with the British Crown and its adjacent Benedictine Abbey. Notably, the Abbey’s coat of arms includes the insignia of the Order of the Garter - one of Britain’s most prestigious honors.

To mark the occasion, King Charles will be formally named Royal Confrater of Saint Paul by Cardinal James Michael Harvey and Abbot Donato Ogliari, with the approval of Pope Leo XIV. “It is a sign of honor and spiritual communion,” said Archbishop Pace.

A specially designed chair bearing King Charles’s coat of arms and the Latin inscription Ut unum sint ("That they may be one" – John 17:21) will be used during the ceremony. The chair will remain in the Basilica’s apse and will be available for use by the King and his successors on future visits.

Shared Stewardship of the Planet

Following the ecumenical prayer service, Pope Leo and King Charles will participate in a private meeting in the Sala Regia with Church leaders, business figures, environmental advocates, and UN experts. Representatives from the Laudato Si’ Movement will also attend.

“This meeting underscores the strong relationship between the Catholic and Anglican Churches on environmental issues,” said Sister Smerilli. “Pope Francis often reminds us that everything is connected, and that environmental and social crises must be addressed together. Pope Leo has continued this approach with further action.”

She highlighted recent initiatives such as the July 9 celebration of the new Missa pro custodia creationis (Mass for the Protection of Creation) and the upcoming inauguration of the Borgo Laudato Si’ on September 5, 2025. Sister Smerilli also praised the King’s efforts to bring the private sector on board in the fight against climate change and biodiversity loss.

Looking Ahead

Both Archbishop Pace and Sister Smerilli emphasized the long-term significance of this visit. "It marks a historic moment in the journey of reconciliation between our Churches,” said Archbishop Pace. “It celebrates how far we’ve come-and offers hope for the future.”

Sister Smerilli agreed, calling it a powerful symbol of unity and shared responsibility for the environment: “These are themes that matter more than ever-for the generations to come.”

The King & Queen of England have private visit with Pope Francis

 

Britain's King Charles and Queen Camilla make a private visit to Pope Francis (Vatican Media) 

Pope

• Pope Francis
• Great Britain
• anniversary

King Charles and Queen Camilla visit Pope Francis on their anniversary

Pope Francis holds a private audience at the Casa Santa Marta with Britain’s King Charles III and Queen Camilla, expressing his best wishes for their wedding anniversary.

By Salvatore Cernuzio

On a particularly significant day for their family which marks their 20th wedding anniversary and the four-year anniversary of the death of the King’s father, Philip of Edinburgh, King Charles and Queen Camilla met privately with Pope Francis on Wednesday afternoon.

The meeting took place at Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta, where the Pope has been convalescing for over two weeks after being released from Gemelli Hospital, and where he has recently resumed various meetings.

In a statement released on Wednesday evening, the Holy See Press Office stated: “Pope Francis met privately with Their Majesties, King Charles and Queen Camilla, this afternoon. In the course of the meeting, the Pope expressed his best wishes to Their Majesties on the occasion of their wedding anniversary and reciprocated His Majesty’s wishes for a speedy recovery of his health.”

The Pope’s best wishes were a reference to the King’s condition, following his hospitalisation at the end of March due to the side effects of treatment for cancer, which was diagnosed a year ago.

An official meeting with the Pope had been announced by Buckingham Palace at the beginning of March, during Pope Francis’ hospitalization due to bilateral pneumonia.

The initial announcement explained that the Royals would spend the first segment of their trip to Italy to celebrate the Jubilee with the Pontiff at the Vatican.

A later note, on 24 March, announced that King Charles III and Queen Camilla would no longer be seeing the Pope due to needs related to his convalescence: “Their Majesties send the Pope their best wishes for his convalescence and look forward to visiting him in the Holy See, once he has recovered.”

The King and Queen were able to express their best wishes in person during their audience on Wednesday afternoon. A post on The Royal Family account on X Thursday morning, noted, "the King and Queen were deeply touched by The Pope’s kind remarks about their 20th wedding anniversary and honoured to be able to share their best wishes to him in person."

During their three-day visit to Rome, the British monarchs met with the President of Italy, Sergio Mattarella, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. On Wednesday, the King also became the first British Monarch to address the assembled Houses of Parliament in Montecitorio.

As is well known, King Charles III is not only the Sovereign of the United Kingdom (and 14 other commonwealth realms) but is also Supreme Governor of the Church of England.

In 2019, on the eve of the canonisation of Cardinal John Henry Newman, the first Briton in over forty years to be proclaimed a Saint, the then-Prince of Wales published an article in L'Osservatore Romano, calling the event “a cause of celebration not merely in the United Kingdom, and not merely for Catholics, but for all who cherish the values by which he was inspired.”

The future King was later present for the canonisation ceremony at the Vatican on 13 October 2019, at the end of which he greeted Pope Francis.

No Vatican visit now for King Charles as Pope recovers at home

 

King Charles postpones Vatican visit to give Pope Francis more recovery time

Pope Francis greets His Royal Highness Prince Charles of Wales at the canonization of St. John Henry Newman at the Vatican on Oct. 13, 2019. | Credit: Vatican Media

By Kate Quiñones

CNA Staff, Mar 25, 2025 / 18:35 pm

King Charles and Queen Camilla postponed their visit to the Vatican at the advice of Pope Francis’ doctors, who say the Holy Father needs more rest time following his recent illness. 

The royal couple was set to visit the Vatican in early April to celebrate the 2025 Jubilee but announced the postponement of their visit on Tuesday due to Pope Francis’ health. Their audience with Pope Francis, now canceled, would have been on April 8. 

The postponement was mutual, according to a March 25 statement from Buckingham Palace.

“The king and queen’s state visit to the Holy See has been postponed by mutual agreement, as medical advice has now suggested that Pope Francis would benefit from an extended period of rest and recuperation,” read a post on X by the royal family.

The royal family also shared their good wishes for Pope Francis’ recovery.  

“Their majesties send the pope their best wishes for his convalescence and look forward to visiting him in the Holy See once he has recovered,” the statement continued.

Pope Francis, 88, was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on Friday, Feb. 14, to undergo testing and treatment for bronchitis. More than a month later, he was discharged from the hospital, making his first public appearance in 38 days this past Sunday. 

The initial visit, according to the palace, was designed to “mark a significant step forward in relations between the Catholic Church and Church of England.”

The visit would have included an ecumenical service in the Sistine Chapel focused on the theme “Care for Creation.”

As part of the visit, King Charles was also set to visit the Papal Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, “with which English kings had a particular link until the Reformation,” according to the palace press release.

King Charles would have also met with a reception of British seminarians, while Queen Camilla had been set to meet with Catholic religious sisters from the International Union of Superiors General, which highlights girls’ education, health care access, and prevention of human trafficking. 

The royal couple will go ahead with the other components of their April state visit to Italy.

Pope Francis plans to greet King Charles III and Queen Camilla in April

 

King Charles III plans state visit to Vatican, meeting with Pope Francis

Pope Francis greets His Royal Highness Prince Charles of Wales at the canonization of St. John Henry Newman at the Vatican on Oct. 13, 2019. | Credit: Vatican Media

By Hannah Brockhaus

Vatican City, Mar 18, 2025 / 13:35 pm

King Charles III and Queen Camilla of the United Kingdom will make a state visit to the Holy See next month, with plans to hold an audience with Pope Francis on April 8.

The English royalty will be in Italy from April 7–10, with the first part of the visit being focused on the Vatican and participation in the Catholic Church’s 2025 Jubilee Year, according to a program released by Buckingham Palace on Tuesday.

The Vatican has not commented on a potential meeting between King Charles and Pope Francis, whose schedule has been suspended while he is recovering from double pneumonia in Gemelli Hospital. Medical staff have declined to give any estimates on a date for the pontiff’s potential discharge, with his stay now having extended over one month.

In addition to their expected meeting with Pope Francis, the king and queen will attend an ecumenical service on the theme of “Care for Creation” in the Sistine Chapel, Buckingham Palace said March 18.

For the first time, the king will also visit the Papal Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, which, the palace said, had a particular link to English kings before the Reformation.

Members of the Choir of His Majesty’s Chapel Royal and the Choir of St. George’s Chapel, Windsor, will perform at the basilica and during the service in the Sistine Chapel.

King Charles III will also attend a reception with seminarians from Britain and across the commonwealth, while Queen Camilla will meet with Catholic religious women from the International Union of Superiors General (IUSG) who work to prevent human trafficking and sexual violence against women.

On April 9, the monarchs will make a state visit to Italy, with the program including several ceremonial engagements in addition to meetings with Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

King Charles III will be the first British monarch to address a joint session of the Italian Parliament. He and the queen will also attend a state banquet and lay a wreath at the “Tomb of the Unknown Soldier,” a war memorial located at the Altar of the Fatherland.

The Italian Air Force’s aerobatic team, “Frecce Tricolori,” and the Royal Air Force aerobatic team, the “Red Arrows,” will also do a joint flyover over the city of Rome to mark the two countries’ common defense interests as NATO allies.

The last day of the trip will be devoted to a visit to Ravenna, a city in the northeastern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna, where a festival on April 10 will celebrate the area’s traditional produce and cuisine.

While in Ravenna, the king and queen will attend a reception to mark the 80th anniversary of the province’s liberation from Nazi occupation by Allied Forces on April 10, 1945.

King Charles III Coronation and Queen Camilla at Westminster Abbey

 

King Charles III and Queen Camilla 

WORLD

• UNITED KINGDOM

King Charles III formally crowned in London's Westminster Abbey

Britain’s new monarch King Charles III and his wife Queen Camilla are crowned on Saturday at Westminster Abbey in a religious ceremony rich with ancient traditions and pageantry. Aged 74, Charles is the oldest British monarch ever to be crowned having ascended to the throne upon the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II in September last year.

By Susy Hodges

The coronation of King Charles and his wife Queen Camilla was a day of lavish celebrations filled with pomp and pageantry but at its heart was a religious ceremony that traces its origins back over 1,000 years.

Thousands of dignitaries from Britain and across the world attended the coronation service in London’s Westminster Abbey.  The service was led by the head of the Anglican Communion, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby but other church and faith leaders also attended including the head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster, who read a prayer.

There was a powerful ecumenical moment right at the start of the coronation service when a silver processional cross containing two fragments of the True Cross gifted to King Charles by Pope Francis was carried up the aisle.  The Pope sent the precious relics to the king last month as an ecumenical gesture marking the centenary of the Anglican Church in Wales.

After being presented with symbolic regalia, the culmination of the ceremony came when Charles was crowned while seated upon the ancient wooden coronation chair made in 1300.  The Archbishop of Canterbury placed on the King’s head the traditional coronation crown made of solid gold and studded with gems.

The crowning was preceded by most sacred part of the coronation ritual where the King was anointed by Archbishop Welby. The oil for the coronation came from olives produced from two groves on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem and was consecrated at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre there.

The day’s formal celebrations began with a lavish procession across central London from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey with the King and Queen travelling in a modern horse-drawn carriage. Tens of thousands of people ignored the rain here and lined the processional route to catch a glimpse of the royal couple. At the end of the coronation service in Westminster Abbey, the newly crowned royal couple retraced the route back to the Palace, this time travelling in the Gold State Coach that was built in the 18th century. 

The public festivities ended with King Charles and Queen Camilla greeting the crowds from the balcony of Buckingham Palace and watching a military fly past.