The spiritual leader of the Catholic Church in England and Wales has expressed his joy at the news of the forthcoming state visit of King Charles III to Pope Francis.
Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster and President of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, said he was pleased that King Charles and Queen Camilla will visit the Holy See and Italy in early April.
“I am delighted King Charles and Queen Camilla will visit the Holy See and meet with Pope Francis during this special Jubilee Year, when so many will gather in Rome as pilgrims of hope,” <a href="https://rcdow.org.uk/cardinal/news/king-and-queen-state-visit-to-the-holy-see/">said</a> Cardinal Nichols after the news was announced by Buckingham Palace.
“It presents a wonderful opportunity for us to celebrate the close relationship between the UK and the Holy See.”
Chris Trott, the British Ambassador to the Holy See, has also welcomed the news.
<a href="https://x.com/christrott?lang=en">Posting</a> on X, he said he was “absolutely delighted” that The King and Queen will be visiting the Holy See.
The King’s visit during the Jubilee Year mirrors the late Queen’s visit during the Great Jubilee in 2000.
Charles met multiple Pontiffs as the Prince of Wales, including Pope Francis in 2017 and 2019, as well as Pope St John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI.
He also represented the late Queen at the funeral of St John Paul II, notably delaying his own wedding by a day to do so.
Charles's relationship with Christianity has been less evangelical than his mother’s, who had a long-standing admiration for American evangelist Billy Graham and <a href="https://www.royal.uk/christmas-broadcast-2014?">described </a>Jesus as “an anchor in my life”.
However, he is known for his deep interest in Orthodoxy, having visited Mount Athos, a centre of Orthodox monasticism, several times, and has shown an appreciation in the church’s spirituality, art, and traditions.
He has demonstrated both respect for and interest in Catholicism, notably inviting Cardinal Nichols to deliver a blessing during his coronation ceremony.
On the eve of St John Henry Newman’s canonisation in October 2019, the then Prince of Wales authored an article in <em>L'Osservatore Romano</em>, the Vatican’s official newspaper, <a href="https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2019-10/newman-canonization-prince-charles-editorial-britain.html">praising</a> England’s newest saint as a “thinker ahead of his time”.
The following day, he attended the canonisation ceremony in Rome.
He has also shown particular concern for persecuted Christians, and in December 2024, he <a href="https://thecatholicherald.com/king-charles-attends-advent-service-at-farm-street-for-persecuted-christians-in-iraq-and-syria/?">attended</a> an Advent service at the Jesuit-run Church of the Immaculate Conception in London, organised in collaboration with Aid to the Church in Need (ACN).
During the event, he met with members of the Iraqi Christian diaspora and offered prayers for the people of Syria.
The King´s visit to Rome this April will coincide with his 20th wedding anniversary to Queen Camilla.
Buckingham Palace has <a href="https://www.royal.uk/news-and-activity/2025-02-07/the-king-and-queen-will-visit-the-holy-see-and-italy">stated</a> that “further details of Their Majesties’ programmes in the Holy See and the Republic of Italy will be announced in due course”.
<em>(Photo by Arthur Edwards - Pool/Getty Images)</em>
