In a groundbreaking move toward unity, the Catholic Church and the Church of England will hold a historic ecumenical prayer service on October 23 in the Sistine Chapel. This event, centered on their shared commitment to caring for God’s creation, will feature Britain’s King Charles III and Pope Leo XIV praying together for the first time since the Reformation. The visit, originally planned for April, was postponed due to the late Pope Francis’ illness and subsequent passing. King Charles, the titular head of the Church of England, has long expressed a desire to visit the Vatican during the 2025 Holy Year, following in the footsteps of his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who visited during the 2000 Jubilee. During his visit, Charles will be honored with the title “Royal Confrater” at St. Paul’s Outside the Walls, a basilica with deep ties to the Church of England. This title symbolizes spiritual fellowship and will be accompanied by a specially designed chair bearing his coat of arms, reserved for him and his heirs. The two churches have been divided since 1534, when King Henry VIII broke away from the Catholic Church after being denied a marriage annulment. While relations have warmed in recent decades, significant differences remain, particularly regarding the ordination of female priests, which the Catholic Church prohibits. Notably, the Archbishop of Canterbury-designate, Sarah Mullally, will not attend the service as she has yet to be formally installed. Instead, the Archbishop of York will join Pope Leo in leading the service, which will feature hymns performed by both the royal choirs and the Sistine Chapel choir. Monsignor Flavio Pace, secretary of the Vatican’s office for promoting Christian unity, emphasized that theological dialogue should continue despite these differences. This historic event marks a significant step in bridging centuries of division between the two churches.
King Charles III’s visit to Vatican marks a historic step in path of unity between two churches
