King Charles makes history attending Vatican ecumenical prayer service

King Charles III and Queen Camilla attended an ecumenical Christian service on Thursday, hosted by Pope Leo XIV at the Sistine Chapel. The service marked the first time since the 16th-century Protestant Reformation for a sitting British monarch and the pope to publicly pray alongside each other. The king and queen arrived in Rome on Wednesday night, before meeting the Chicago-born pope Thursday morning before the service.

What was the service like? Pope Leo and the archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, led the service, which consisted of prayer and Gospel readings. The theme centered on creation and the environment, a shared cause for the pope and the king. Unity underscored the service, with hymns sung by both the Sistine Chapel Choir and visiting choirs from Britain’s Windsor Castle and St. James’ Palace. The service ended with Leo and Charles exiting the chapel side-by-side.

Following the service, Charles traveled to the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls to receive the title of “Royal Confrater,” a title formally recognizing spiritual fellowship. Charles sat in a chair at the basilica decorated with his coat of arms and the Latin phrase for Christian unity, “Ut Unum Sint,” which translated into English means, “That they may be one”. The chair will remain at the basilica for the use of Charles and his heirs. The king reciprocated by honoring Leo with the title of “Papal Confrater of St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle.”

Dig deeper: Read my initial report on Charles' visit for more background on the historic moment.