King Charles of Britain and Pope Leo prayed together on Thursday in the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican, marking the first joint worship between an English monarch and a Catholic pope since King Henry VIII split from the Roman Church in 1534, reports The Guardian.
Latin hymns and English prayers echoed through the chapel, where Pope Leo was elected as the first American pope six months ago.
King Charles, as Supreme Governor of the Church of England, sat to the left of the pope near the altar, while Pope Leo and Anglican Archbishop Stephen Cottrell led the service, attended by the Sistine Chapel Choir and two royal choirs.
Although Charles has met the last three popes, previous meetings did not include joint prayers, highlighting the historic nature of this event.
King Charles and Queen Camilla also held a private meeting with Pope Leo. Later in the day, Charles will visit the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome, where Pope Leo will confer upon him the title “Royal Confrater”, linked to the monastery there.
The Buckingham Palace announced that Charles also approved two British honors for the pope: declaring him “Papal Confrater” of St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle and awarding him the Order of the Grand Knight.
