<\/p>\n
Father Martin Browne, an official of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, speaks to Vatican News about some of the main elements of Pope Leo XIV and King Charles III\u2019s historic day, marked with meetings and ecumenical prayers.<\/p>\n
By Isabella H. de Carvalho and Xavier Sartre<\/b><\/p>\n
On Thursday, October 23, Pope Leo XIV participated in various events with King Charles III and Queen Camilla, including an ecumenical prayer in the Sistine Chapel, marking a historic moment in Anglican-Catholic relations.<\/p>\n
The day included a private meeting between the two leaders in the Apostolic Palace and an ecumenical service in the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, where King Charles was conferred the title of Royal Confrater of Saint Paul.<\/p>\n
Father Martin Browne, an Irish Benedictine monk and official of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, whose work focuses on the Church\u2019s relationship with the Anglican Communion, spoke to Vatican News’ Xavier Sartre about some of the main elements of this historic day, especially the ecumenical aspects and the unifying theme of the care for creation.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of the most significant things is that an English King has not prayed in the same place as a Pope since before the Reformation, since long before the separation of the Church of England from the Church of Rome,\u201d said Father Browne.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Despite many English sovereigns having visited the Vatican, the last time they prayed with a Pope was 500 years ago. This historical event thus marks a \u201cfurther development in the warmth of the relationship\u201d between the two Churches, Father Browne continued.<\/p>\n
The afternoon service in the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls also represents the inauguration of \u201ca new kind of relationship between the Basilica and the English crown\u201d.<\/p>\n
With the King becoming a Royal Confrater, he was “welcomed formally to the Basilica and seated in a very special chair that has been created for the occasion,\u201d which bears his coat of arms and the verse in Latin from the Gospel of John, Ut unum sint<\/i>\u00a0(\u201cThat they may be one\u201d).<\/p>\n
\u201cTraditionally, before the Reformation, the English sovereigns were known as the protectors of St. Paul’s Outside the Walls. The Benedictine Abbey to this day still has a symbol of the British Order of the Garter, which is the highest order in the United Kingdom, as part of its coat of arms,\u201d Father Browne said.<\/p>\n
The Vatican official underlined that, since King Charles III also holds the title of \u201cSupreme Governor of the Church of England,\u201d he wanted to have a \u201cspiritual dimension\u201d to his trip, despite it being a state visit to the Holy See.<\/p>\n
For Father Browne, the King \u201cclearly wished to express a closeness that he believes already exists and to make that concrete and visible\u201d through the various events.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Additionally, both Pope Francis\u2014with whom the ecumenical prayer had initially been scheduled in April but had to be postponed due to his ill health\u2014and then later Pope Leo XIV welcomed this initiative.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think on both sides it’s about recognizing that, even though there are remaining divisions between our churches\u2014very serious ones on all kinds of issues that we work on in our various theological dialogues\u2014there is a huge amount of common ground, of shared faith, of shared spiritual tradition,\u201d Father Browne explained.<\/p>\n
Both services of the day, he emphasized, were \u201cprepared very carefully in conjunction with the Royal Family and the Royal Household by us here in Rome, and every detail very carefully explored and discussed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Father Browne underscored how in both the morning prayer in the Sistine Chapel and the afternoon service in the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, St. John Henry Newman was featured.<\/p>\n
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 \u201cPraise to the Holiest in the Height\u201d was featured from his poem The Dream of Gerontius<\/i>.<\/p>\n
\u201cSt. 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,\u201d the Vatican official said. He is \u201ca very significant figure in the joint history of faith and witness of our two traditions.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe 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,\u201d Father Browne underlined. In fact, the then Prince Charles attended Newman\u2019s canonization in 2019 and recently visited his rooms in the Oratorian community in Birmingham.<\/p>\n
Another important theme that was especially emphasized in the readings and psalms featured in the morning ecumenical prayer was the care for creation.<\/p>\n