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For the first time in history, King Charles will pray with Pope Leo after their meeting at the Vatican.
The King is to participate in a solemn ecumenical service with the Pope in the Sistine Chapel during the spiritual culmination of his visit to the Vatican on Thursday, October 23.
The service, held under the magnificent Michelangelo ceiling, will be the first time a British monarch has publicly prayed with the pope since the Reformation in the 16th century.
Charles and his wife Queen Camilla’s day began with a joint audience with the Pope. The couple passed through the famous St. Peter’s Square and arrived at the San Damaso Courtyard, the ceremonial entrance to the Apostolic Palace, where they were welcomed to the Papal Apostolic Palace by the Rev. Monsignor Leonardo Sapienza.
They were then taken inside for their first audience with Pope Leo. Later, in the papal library, they exchanged gifts.
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The couple’s visit will take place during the 2025 Jubilee Year, which occurs every 25 years, and Buckingham Palace said it was a “pivotal moment” in the relationship between the Catholic Church and the Church of England, of which Prince Charles is supreme governor.
The visit emphasized Christian unity and care for the environment, and also recognized “the ecumenical work they have undertaken and their reflection on the Jubilee theme of walking together as ‘pilgrims of hope’.” ”
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After meeting with key cardinals at the Vatican, Charles and Camilla headed to the Sistine Chapel for a service to emphasize the harmony between the two churches.
The ecumenical featured the children’s choir of Windsor Castle Royal Chapel and the children’s choir of St George’s Chapel, accompanied by the Sistine Chapel Choir.
The 76-year-old king and his wife Camilla, 78, are fulfilling an engagement originally scheduled during Prince Charles’ visit to Rome in May. However, by the time they were in Italy, Pope Francis was ill and they were unable to fulfill their promise. They met briefly with Francisco on April 9th, but Francisco died on April 21st. Pope Leo, the first American-born leader of the global Catholic Church, was elected at a conference of cardinals in May.
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After the ecumenical service, Camilla remained in the chapel to meet the choir, while King Charles and the Pope attended a conference on sustainability at the Sala Regia (state headquarters of the Apostolic Palace).
The couple will then leave the Pope and the Holy See to visit the Papal Cathedral and St Paul’s Extramural Abbey, where Charles has been appointed a Royal Fellow.
It is a recognition of his spiritual communion from the Pope, and to celebrate that bond, the Pope will bestow upon him the gift of a special chair. The statue will remain in the apse of the cathedral for future use by the king and his successors.
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Later that day, the king will attend a reception at the Pontifical University of Beda, a seminary that trains clergy from across the Commonwealth. Meanwhile, Camilla will meet with six Catholic sisters from the International Union of High Officials. The Sisters work around the world to support women’s empowerment through girls’ education programs and improving access to health care, a concern of Queen Camilla.
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The Pope, who was born and raised in the United States, sent a heartfelt message to the British royal family gathered for the Catholic funeral of the Duchess of Kent in September, expressing his desire to forge a close relationship with Prince Charles.