VATICAN CITY.- This Thursday, the Pope Leo XIV and the archbishop of york, Stephen Cottrellpresided over the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican ecumenical prayer dedicated to the environmental protection in which the kings of the united kingdom, Carlos III y Camilaand historical event which occurs after almost 500 years of the Anglican Reformation.
In front of the frescoes by Michelangelo and Botticelli, with the final judgment backgroundCharles III, in a blue suit, and Camilla, in a black dress and veil, sat to the left of the altar, next to Leo XIV and the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, who occupied the central part.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla met with Pope Leo XIV in the Vatican this morning as part of their official state visit. They were welcomed into the San Damaso courtyard by Swiss Guard and the hymn “God save the King.”
Their meeting with the Holy Father marks a historic… pic.twitter.com/UZrLCO7qaZ
— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) October 23, 2025
The bishop of Rome was in charge of presiding over the prayer together with Cottrell, since the head of the Anglican Church, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullallywill not start his position until January and therefore did not participate in this visit.
Before this act, the Holy Father and the British kings met privately for about 45 minutes in the Apostolic Library. Charles III gave the Pope a large silver photograph and an icon of Saint Edward, ‘the Confessor’and, for his part, the pontiff donated a scale version of the mosaic of ‘Christ Pantocrator’ dand the Catedral Normanda of Cephalus, in Sicilymade in the Vatican workshops.
Historic moment
This is the first time that a British monarch and Peter’s successor have prayed together since the Anglican Reformation, when in 1534 the then British King Henry VIII broke with Rome after the frustrated attempt to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon to marry Anne Boleynsomething to which Pope Clement VII did not agree, which led him to proclaim himself supreme head of the Church of England.
The celebration began with the singing of the hymn, a text from Saint Ambrose of Milan in Latin that Charles II and Queen Camilla received with the English translation of san John Henry NewmanAnglican who converted to Catholicism and who on November 1 will be declared Doctor of the Church.
#PopeLeoXIV and Anglican Archbishop Stephen Cottrell of York, the ranking prelate of the Church of England, lead midday prayer in the Sistine Chapel with King Charles III and Queen Camilla. pic.twitter.com/wxwvG1ekrB
— Catholic News Service Rome (@CatholicNewsSvc) October 23, 2025
And it continued with a reading of the Letter to the Romans by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yvette Cooper.
The Choirs of the Sistine Chapel, the Choir of St. George’s Chapel in Windsor and the Children’s Choir of the Royal Chapel of Saint James’s Palace were also heard.
Then the Archbishop of York and Pope Leo XIV took the floor to read together in English the short prayer dedicated to Creation.
Sustainable Markets Initiative
At the end of the celebration, the king, accompanied by the Pope, will move to the Control Rooma room adjacent to the Sistine Chapel, where they will meet with representatives of climate organizations and private sector leaders who have been working with the Sustainable Markets Initiative, which Charles III founded as prince of wales.
Honorary titles
Charles III will receive the title of ‘Royal Brother‘ (Royal brother) and a special seat decorated with his coat of arms will be placed on which he will sit during the ceremony. Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls.
And, in return, with the approval of the British monarch, the Dean and Canons of Saint George’s College, Windsor, offered Leo XIV to become papal member of St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castlesomething the Pope has accepted.
Exchange of decorations
These mutual gifts “are a recognition of spiritual communion and are a profound symbol of the path that the Church of England (of which His Majesty is Supreme Governor) and the Roman Catholic Church have taken over the last 500 years,” reported the Palacio de Buckingham.
There will also be an exchange of honors: the king will confer on the Pope the honor of Knight Grand Cross con Necklace of the Vatican Order of Pope Pius IXwhile the pontiff will confer on the queen the honor of Lady of the Grand Cross of the same Order.
You might also be interested: “The US is ready to attack drug trafficking cartels on the ground: Trump”