Pope Leo XIV has accepted a rare honorary title from King Charles III, Buckingham Palace has announced, days after the Pope underwent surgery for lung cancer. The title reflects a "shared desire for Christian unity" between the two leaders.
Almost a year ago to the day, the King's visit to Rome marked the first time a British monarch, as Supreme Governor of the Church of England, had prayed at a public service with the Pope, head of the Catholic Church, since the Reformation.
Papal Confrater of the College of St George
The Dean and Canons of Windsor have announced that Pope Leo XIV has become Papal Confrater of the College of St George at St George's Chapel, Windsor. During the Rome trip, which Queen Camilla also attended, the King was welcomed as Royal Confrater of the Papal Basilica and Abbey of St Paul's Outside the Walls.
On Friday, Buckingham Palace said: "This act of confraternity represents a visible sign of spiritual fellowship, ecumenical friendship and Christian fraternity."
The palace added: "It recognises both the centuries-old relationship between the College and Chapel of St George, Windsor and the Holy See, and the progress in relations between the Roman Catholic Church, the Church of England and the Anglican Communion."
Chairs Commemorate the Bond
To mark these signs of confraternity, specially commissioned chairs have been created for the two religious sites. The chair presented to the King sits next to the monastic stalls in St Paul's Outside the Walls, and a corresponding chair for the Pope will be unveiled at St George's Chapel in Windsor in due course.
Pope's Recovery Continues
Meanwhile, the Pope will miss a planned trip to Assisi next week as he continues recovering from thoracic surgery. He was due to attend an event on October 27 to mark the 40th anniversary of St John Paul II's World Day of Prayer for Peace.
The Pope's health condition was confirmed earlier this month after the Vatican said he had undergone a "successful" planned surgery to remove the lower lobe of his right lung. Lung adenocarcinoma is a common type of lung cancer.
