Pope Leo XIV Bestowed Title and Chair to King Charles III and Received a Special Gift from the Royals!
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7 Things to Know about the Royal Visit to the Vatican
1. The Vatican official highlighted that, since King Charles III also holds the title of “Supreme Governor of the Church of England,” it wanted to have a “spiritual dimension” to his trip, despite it being a state visit to the Holy See.
2. Title and Chair: The British monarch is accorded the title "Royal Confrater" at the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, taking a seat on a stall bearing the Gospel inscription, “That they may be one”. This wish is echoed by Cardinal Harvey, who, together with Abbot Ogliari, accompanies the Royals through the Holy Door before the ecumenical celebration - Ut unum sint – “That they may they one.”
1. The Vatican official highlighted that, since King Charles III also holds the title of “Supreme Governor of the Church of England,” it wanted to have a “spiritual dimension” to his trip, despite it being a state visit to the Holy See.
2. Title and Chair: The British monarch is accorded the title "Royal Confrater" at the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, taking a seat on a stall bearing the Gospel inscription, “That they may be one”. This wish is echoed by Cardinal Harvey, who, together with Abbot Ogliari, accompanies the Royals through the Holy Door before the ecumenical celebration - Ut unum sint – “That they may they one.”
In the Papal Basilica and Abbey of St. Paul’s Outside the Walls, The King and Queen have attended an ecumenical service, to mark His Majesty becoming ‘Royal Confrater’ of the Abbey of St. Paul.
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) October 23, 2025
The King sat in a specially created seat – given in honour of His Majesty becoming… pic.twitter.com/0w1BximB5x
3. A horizon of “hope” for the future characterized the atmosphere in the Papal Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, was noted during the ceremony conferring the title of Royal Confrater on King Charles III of England took place at the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, during his state visit to the Vatican alongside Queen Camilla. The ecumenical celebration was presided over by Abbot Donato Ogliari, in the presence of Cardinal Archpriest of the Papal Basilica James Michael Harvey; the Archbishop of York and Primate of England, Stephen Cottrell; and the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, Rosie Frew.
4. The hymn at the beginning of the former liturgy was written by St. Ambrose of Milan, but the English version sung was translated by St. John Henry Newman. In the latter service, the hymn “Praise to the Holiest in the Height” was featured from his poem The Dream of Gerontius.
“St. John Henry Newman spent half of his life as a member, and later a priest, of the Church of England, and half of his life as a member and later a cardinal of the Catholic Church,” the Vatican official said. He is “a very significant figure in the joint history of faith and witness of our two traditions.”
5. “The Church of England very strongly and warmly supported both his canonization and the recent decision of the Holy Father to declare him a Doctor of the Church,” Father Browne underlined. In fact, the then Prince Charles attended Newman’s canonization in 2019 and recently visited his rooms in the Oratorian community in Birmingham.
4. The hymn at the beginning of the former liturgy was written by St. Ambrose of Milan, but the English version sung was translated by St. John Henry Newman. In the latter service, the hymn “Praise to the Holiest in the Height” was featured from his poem The Dream of Gerontius.
“St. John Henry Newman spent half of his life as a member, and later a priest, of the Church of England, and half of his life as a member and later a cardinal of the Catholic Church,” the Vatican official said. He is “a very significant figure in the joint history of faith and witness of our two traditions.”
5. “The Church of England very strongly and warmly supported both his canonization and the recent decision of the Holy Father to declare him a Doctor of the Church,” Father Browne underlined. In fact, the then Prince Charles attended Newman’s canonization in 2019 and recently visited his rooms in the Oratorian community in Birmingham.
6. Pope Leo XIV also received a special gift from King Charles III
After 45 minutes of conversation and the traditional photo, it was time for the exchange of gifts.
Including other things, the royal couple presented the Pope with an icon and relics of Saint Edward the Confessor, who was King of England in the 11th century.
Including other things, the royal couple presented the Pope with an icon and relics of Saint Edward the Confessor, who was King of England in the 11th century.
7. Pope Leo XIV gave the royal family a large-scale icon of the mosaic of Christ Almighty.
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