Next week, an encounter centuries in the making will unfold inside the Vatican walls. King Charles III and Queen Camilla will travel to Rome on October 23, 2025, for what Buckingham Palace calls “a significant moment in relations between the Catholic Church and the Church of England.”
A First Since the Reformation
According to The Mirror, the King—who continues his cancer treatment—will meet Pope Leo XIV during a two-day state visit that includes prayer inside the Sistine Chapel, marking “the first time the monarch and Pope have done so publicly since the Reformation.” The moment recalls the break of 1534, when Henry VIII severed communion with Rome, making this event a visible gesture of healing almost 500 years later.
“Pilgrims of Hope”: A Jubilee Year of Unity
The Vatican confirmed the visit on October 17, emphasizing two intertwined themes: Christian unity and care for creation. As Vatican News reports, the trip aligns with the Jubilee Year motto “Pilgrims of Hope,” underscoring the shared mission of the two Churches to walk together in faith.
At noon on Thursday, Pope Leo XIV will lead an ecumenical prayer for the care of creation in the Sistine Chapel, joined by the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, and King Charles, who specifically requested a liturgy centered on stewardship of the Earth (Vatican News, 17 Oct 2025).
Music and Meaning in Sacred Harmony
The liturgy will feature a hymn by St. Ambrose of Milan, translated into English by St. John Henry Newman, whose canonization in 2019 was personally attended by then-Prince Charles. The hymn choice, according to Vatican News, reflects a “bridge of faith between Anglican and Catholic traditions,” while choirs from the Sistine Chapel, St George’s Chapel (Windsor), and the Chapel Royal at St James’s Palace will sing together in a symbolic act of unity.
Honoring the King: “Royal Confrater of Saint Paul”
In the afternoon, the King and Queen will visit the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, where Pope Leo will bestow upon Charles the title of Royal Confrater of Saint Paul—a gesture described by Vatican News as “a sign of honour and spiritual communion.”
The basilica, which holds deep historical ties to the British Crown, will unveil a new chair bearing the King’s coat of arms and the Latin inscription Ut unum sint (“That they may be one,” John 17:21). The Mirror notes that the seat will remain in the basilica for use by future monarchs, symbolizing continuity in faith and friendship.
Shared Mission for Creation
Following the liturgy, Pope Leo and the King will join Church leaders, UN experts, and environmental advocates for a private meeting in the Sala Regia. Sister Alessandra Smerilli of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development said the gathering “underscores the strong relationship between the Catholic and Anglican Churches on environmental issues,” adding that “everything is connected, and environmental and social crises must be addressed together” (Vatican News).
A Step Toward Reconciliation
Archbishop Flavio Pace, Secretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, summarized the deeper meaning of the event: “It marks a historic moment in the journey of reconciliation between our Churches. It celebrates how far we’ve come — and offers hope for the future.”
For Catholics, this visit is more than a diplomatic occasion. It is a prayerful witness to the words of Christ: “That they may all be one.” As the King and the Pope pray side by side beneath Michelangelo’s frescoes, the world will witness a rare moment of unity between two great Christian traditions—rooted in history, renewed in hope, and reaching toward a shared care for creation.
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