Vatican visit is aimed at strengthening Anglican-Catholic relations.King Charles III and Queen Camilla will meet Pope Leo XIV next week for the first time, as part of a historic state visit to the Vatican, Buckingham Palace and the Holy See said on Friday.The royal visit, scheduled on 22-23 October, is designed to emphasise the friendly relations between the Catholic Church and the Church of England, of which King Charles is supreme governor. Sistine Chapel Central to the visit will be an ecumenical service in the Sistine Chapel on Thursday 23 October when Charles and Leo will become the first British monarch and pontiff to pray side by side since Henry VIII split from Rome more than 500 years ago. The service will be dedicated to the care of creation, according to Vatican News, in line with the two central themes of the royal visit: Christian unity and care for the planet. The Sistine Chapel Choir will sing alongside the Choir of St George's Chapel and the Choir of His Majesty's Chapel Royal under the ceiling painted by Michelangelo, where the first US pope was elected five months ago. The king and queen will also visit the Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls - a church with a historic connection to the English crown - where Charles will be formally granted the title 'Royal Confrater of Saint Paul'. Pope Francis The royal visit was rearranged after a previous visit, scheduled during a four-day tour in Italy earlier this year, was postponed due to the poor health of Leo's predecessor, Pope Francis. The king and queen met Francis briefly on 9 April, on their 20th wedding anniversary, less than two weeks before the pontiff's death on Easter Monday. Previous visits Charles had previously visited the Vatican on five occasions as Prince of Wales, meeting three pontiffs: John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis. In April 2017, the then Prince Charles and Camilla Duchess of Cornwall paid an official visit to Italy during which they met then prime minister Paolo Gentiloni, president Sergio Mattarella, and Pope Francis. In October 2019, the Prince of Wales travelled to Rome to attend the canonisation ceremony of Blessed Cardinal John Henry Newman at the Vatican. On 1 November, Pope Leo will declare Newman a Doctor of the Church at a major ceremony that will be attended by a high-ranking Anglican delegation. The upcoming visit by King Charles and Queen Camilla comes during the Vatican's Jubilee Year, a holy event that occurs in Rome every 25 years. Photo credit: Lorna Roberts / Shutterstock.com.

King Charles III and Queen Camilla will meet Pope Leo XIV next week for the first time, as part of a historic , Buckingham Palace and the Holy See said on Friday. The royal visit, scheduled on 22-23 October, is designed to emphasise the friendly relations between the Catholic Church and the Church of England, of which King Charles is supreme governor. Sistine Chapel Central to the visit will be an ecumenical service in the Sistine Chapel on Thursday 23 October when Charles and Leo will become the first British monarch and pontiff to pray side by side since Henry VIII split from Rome more than 500 years ago. The service will be dedicated to the care of creation, according to Vatican News, in line with the two central themes of the royal visit: Christian unity and care for the planet. The Sistine Chapel Choir will sing alongside the Choir of St George's Chapel and the Choir of His Majesty's Chapel Royal under the ceiling painted by Michelangelo, where the five months ago. The king and queen will also visit the Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls - a church with a historic connection to the English crown - where Charles will be formally granted the title 'Royal Confrater of Saint Paul'. Pope Francis The royal visit was rearranged after a previous visit, scheduled during a  earlier this year,  due to the poor health of Leo's predecessor, Pope Francis. The king and queen  on 9 April, on their 20th wedding anniversary, less than two weeks before the . Previous visits Charles had previously visited the Vatican on five occasions as Prince of Wales, meeting three pontiffs: John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis. In April 2017, the then Prince Charles and Camilla Duchess of Cornwall paid an  during which they met then prime minister Paolo Gentiloni, president Sergio Mattarella, and Pope Francis. In October 2019, the Prince of Wales  to attend the canonisation ceremony of Blessed Cardinal  at the Vatican. On 1 November, Pope Leo will declare Newman a Doctor of the Church at a major ceremony that will be attended by a high-ranking Anglican delegation. The upcoming visit by King Charles and Queen Camilla comes during the Vatican's , a holy event that occurs in Rome every 25 years. Photo credit: Lorna Roberts / Shutterstock.com.