By 
King Charles and Pope Leo made history in the Sistine Chapel by praying side by side — a first for the leaders of the Church of England and the Catholic Church.
Under the gaze of Michelangelo’s Last Judgment, when Pope Leo said, “Let us pray,” it included everyone — even the King — closing a religious divide that has persisted since the Reformation in the 16th Century.
According to the BBC, the service featured music and prayers focused on nature, bridging theological differences and offering the King and Queen a moment of calm amid renewed scrutiny over Prince Andrew during their Vatican visit.
Despite the significance of the occasion, questions about the Duke of York’s links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein continued to shadow the royal trip.
Even within the Vatican, as cameras followed every move, the King remarked that the media were a “constant hazard.”
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“You get used to it,” the Pope replied, in his relaxed American-accented tones — a reminder that he too has faced the unrelenting attention of public life.
The state visit offered no public access, but the carefully choreographed imagery spoke volumes — the choirs of both churches literally singing from the same hymn sheet in the Sistine Chapel, symbolising renewed harmony between once-hostile faiths.
Later, a more private and reflective moment unfolded when the King and Queen visited the Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls.
There, they descended to the tomb of St Paul, one of Christ’s apostles, pausing for prayer before emerging to greet another waiting congregation — a symbolic act linking faith, history, and reconciliation.
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