King and pope pray together - a historic moment?
Pope Leo XIV and King Charles III of England prayed together for the care of creation in the Sistine Chapel in Rome on Thursday. The service, which was held in Latin and English, is the first joint service between the heads of the Catholic and Anglican churches since the English Reformation 500 years ago when England broke with Rome under King Henry VIII.
Unthinkable just a generation ago
Yesterday's footage from Rome was spectacular and uplifting, says The Times:
“The Vatican, with a little help from Michelangelo, is one of the few institutions that can compete with the British monarchy in staging a masterfully vivid display of pageantry. At a time of strife and separation across the planet, the sight of the supreme governor of the Church of England sharing a prayer with the head of the Catholic Church lifts the spirits - not only of the Christian faithful but of all those who prefer human unity to division. Such ecumenical harmony, let alone joint worship, would have been unthinkable a generation ago.”
Overshadowed by other revelations
This historic moment could be darkened by other news from the Royal family, observes The Spectator:
“That is the continued disgrace of Prince Andrew. Amidst revelations that the government are taking an increasing interest in the question of whether the banned old Duke of York should be allowed to remain a tenant of Royal Lodge - and as the Firm braces itself for further embarrassing revelations over the coming days about his links with Jeffrey Epstein, the reality is that the international media are far more interested in the King's younger brother than they are in the monarch's activities, however important and worthy they might be.”