VATICAN CITY: King Charles III on Thursday became the first head of the Church of England to pray publicly with a pope since the schism with Rome 500 years ago, in a service led by Leo XIV. The 76-year old monarch and his wife, Queen Camilla, joined the US-born pope in the Sistine Chapel for a 30-minute service mixing Catholic and Anglican traditions.
The highlight of the royals' state visit to the Holy See, the ceremony under Michelangelo's spectacular ceiling frescoes marked a significant rapprochement between the two churches. It was the first time a reigning English or British monarch has prayed publicly with a pope since king Henry VIII broke with the Roman Catholic Church in 1534.
The pope led the Sistine Chapel service with the archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, currently the senior cleric of the Church of England, while Charles and Camilla sat next to them. Attended by Catholic and Anglican clerics, politicians and diplomats, the service centred on conservation and protecting the environment, a cause long championed by Charles. — AFP
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