Pope Leo XIV and King Charles III are meeting for a prayer service in the Sistine Chapel in what is being described as a historic milestone in Anglican–Catholic relations. It is the first public prayer between a reigning British monarch and a Pope since the Reformation.

The encounter reflects shared commitments to care for creation, reconciliation, and dialogue across faith traditions, taking place during the Vatican’s Jubilee Year 2025, themed “Pilgrims of Hope.” Following the service, the King and Queen will visit St Paul’s-outside-the-Walls, where King Charles will be installed as a Confrater of the Basilica — a symbolic gesture recalling a pre-Reformation tradition once shared by English monarchs.

Among those attending is Fr Dominic Robinson SJ, Parish Priest of Farm Street Church, the Jesuit parish in Central London, who is currently in Rome on a short sabbatical. Farm Street has been closely involved in fostering ecumenical relations in recent years, welcoming King Charles III in December for a special Advent service celebrating the courage of Christian communities. Earlier this year, the parish also participated in the ecumenical service marking the 400th anniversary of the Queen’s Chapel and has collaborated with the Anglican Church on initiatives such as a joint choir pilgrimage to Rome, bringing together singers from both denominations.

As part of the visit, a special chair bearing the King’s coat of arms and inscribed with the Latin motto ‘Ut unum sint’ (“That they may be one”) has been installed at Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome for use by the King and his successors.

Speaking about the Vatican encounter, Fr Dominic said:

“This is such an exciting and potentially pivotal moment on the journey towards the full unity for which we are striving. Christ's command is that all be one in Him, and we are painfully aware of the historic divisions which have been such an obstacle to this. An unprecedented State Visit of The King to the Holy See as Head of the Church of England is far from a mere gesture but a statement of an ardent desire for that unity which Christ commands. Praying alongside the Holy Father in the Sistine Chapel and being installed as a Confrater of the great basilica of unity St Paul’s-outside-the-Walls as were the English monarchs of the pre-Reformation Church, is a major step on our ecumenical journey together.”

You can also listen to an interview Fr Dominic did with LBC News in Rome while the royal visit was taking place.

A historic visit to a Jesuit Church

In a recent interview for our magazine, Jesuits & Friends, Fr Dominic spoke with Maria Fernandez Lopez, Head of Communications for Jesuits in Britain, about the significance of King Charles’s visit to Farm Street Church on 17 December 2024: “I was thinking of the last time that a monarch could have visited a Jesuit church and I’m not sure that has ever happened in England… it says to us that we’ve come a long way and that we have very similar visions of what the Christian Church can be about.”

The Advent service at Farm Street brought together Christians from many denominations and people of other faiths, highlighting the parish’s ongoing commitment to unity, hope, and service. As Fr Dominic reflected: “the focus [is] on going to the margins, to bring in and really help those most in need… and doing it in collaboration with others, as part of the Church and part of the Christian community, at the heart of the secular city.”

Banner photo by Chris Czermak on Unsplash

You can read the full interview from Jesuits & Friends by downloading the article below.