King Charles meets Pope Leo for first time
King Charles III and Queen Camilla met Pope Leo XIV for the first time during a private audience at the Vatican, marking a new chapter in royal and papal relations, News.Az reports, citing BBC.
The royal couple will participate in a historic ecumenical service at the Sistine Chapel, joining the Pope in public prayer for the first time since the Reformation.
As Supreme Governor of the Church of England, King Charles will take part in the ceremony during the Papal Jubilee festivities, which occur once every quarter-century. This unprecedented religious gathering is the centerpiece of the King and Queen’s two-day official visit, which began yesterday evening when they arrived in Rome and were received by the Pope at his Apostolic Palace residence.
The Vatican has arranged several ceremonial honours for the visiting monarch. A permanent throne will be installed at the Basilica of St Paul’s Outside the Walls specifically for King Charles and preserved for future British sovereigns visiting the site.
Additionally, the King will receive the title of “Royal Confrater” from the Benedictine Abbey associated with the basilica, recognizing the British Crown’s centuries-long financial support for the upkeep of St Paul’s tomb.
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