King Charles III prays Midday Prayer with Pope Leo at the Vatican
Caroline MolloyA historic occasion occurred Oct. 23 when the King and Queen of England prayed alongside the Pope in the Sistine Chapel.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla joined Pope Leo XIV to pray Midday Prayer, which included a Gospel reading, hymns, and psalms sung and chanted by the Sistine Chapel Choir, the Children of the Chapel Royal of St. James’ Place, and the Lay Clerks of St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, according to Vatican News. The opening hymn was written by St. Ambrose of Milan and translated by St. John Henry Newman, a convert to Catholicism from Anglicanism, the outlet noted.
Cardinal Vincent Nichols, archbishop of Westminster and president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, was one of the guests in attendance, along with Anglican Archbishop Stephen Cottrell of York.
The service, themed around “Christian unity and care for the environment,” was originally scheduled to take place with Pope Francis in April, but it was canceled when the pontiff became ill, according to the outlet.
The Vatican Press Office said in a press release that the king and queen met first in a private audience with Pope Leo and then with the Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin.
In the meeting with Cardinal Parolin, “appreciation was expressed for the good existing bilateral relations, and matters of common interest were discussed, such as environmental protection and the fight against poverty,” the release reads, adding that they also spoke about commitments to promoting peace and security. They also reflected on the history of the Church in the United Kingdom and the need to promote ecumenical dialogue.
The King and Queen also went to the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls Oct. 23 for a special ecumenical celebration conferring the title of Royal Confrater on King Charles, Vatican News reported. Abbot Donato Ogliari presided over the ceremony, and Cardinal James Michael Harvey, archpriest of the basilica, also attended. The cardinal and abbot led the royal couple in a moment of prayer at the tomb of St. Paul the Apostle, according to the outlet. Later in the celebration, King Charles sat on a throne designed specifically for the ceremony that showed the royal coat of arms and an inscription in Latin that translated to “That they may be one.”
