Britain’s King Charles and Pope Leo XIV participated in a joint prayer session at the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel, marking the first time an English monarch and a Catholic pontiff have worshipped together since King Henry VIII’s split from Rome in 1534. The chapel reverberated with Latin chants and English prayers as Leo, elected as the first U.S. pope by Catholic cardinals six months ago, led the service alongside Anglican Archbishop Stephen Cottrell. Charles, the supreme governor of the Church of England, sat to the Pope’s left near the chapel’s altar, accompanied by the Sistine Chapel Choir and two royal choirs.
This historic event between Charles and Leo, which included a private meeting with Queen Camilla, had been initially planned earlier in the year but was rescheduled due to Pope Francis’ illness and passing. Charles had expressed a strong desire to visit the Vatican during the 2025 Holy Year to strengthen the ties between the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion, symbolizing a significant step forward five centuries after their separation.
The visit was deemed by Anglican Rev. James Hawkey as a moment of healing history, showcasing the progress made in church relations over the past 60 years. The service saw Cottrell standing in for Sarah Mullally, the recently appointed first female Archbishop of Canterbury. Additionally, Charles was honored by Leo with the title of “Royal Confrater” at Rome’s Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, where he was gifted a special seat adorned with his coat of arms and the motto “Ut unum sint” (That they may be one).
The symbolic gestures exchanged during the visit highlighted the commitment of both churches to a shared future. Buckingham Palace also announced that Charles had bestowed two British honors upon Leo, reflecting the ongoing efforts to strengthen ties between the Anglican and Catholic churches.
The split between the Church of England and the Catholic Church, formalized in 1534, stemmed from Pope Clement VII’s refusal to annul King Henry VIII’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon, driven by Henry’s quest for a male heir and other political and religious factors. Despite their historical differences, the two traditions have been working towards unity since the 1960s, aligning on many key issues despite some doctrinal disparities.