King Charles joins Pope Leo XIV for historic prayer in Sistine Chapel

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

GENEVA (AA) - King Charles III and Queen Camilla on Thursday joined Pope Leo XIV for an ecumenical prayer service in the Sistine Chapel, marking a historic moment in relations between the Anglican and Catholic churches.

After meeting the new pontiff in the Apostolic Palace, the royal couple took part in midday prayer led jointly by Pope Leo and the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, the second-most senior cleric in the Church of England.

The service, the first of its kind in five centuries, brought together senior clergy from both communions, including Cardinal Vincent Nichols of Westminster and Archbishop Leo Cushley of St. Andrews and Edinburgh.

Held in Latin and English beneath Michelangelo's frescoes, the ceremony emphasized two shared themes: Christian unity and care for the environment.

The visit was initially scheduled for April but was cancelled due to the previous pontiff, Francis’s, ill health.

Choirs from St George's Chapel, the Chapel Royal, and the Sistine Chapel sang together in a rare display of ecumenical harmony. As the organ concluded the service, Pope Leo and King Charles exited the chapel side by side.