ژورنال سایت خبری سیاسی ژورنال
English Journal is published on Fridays
PDF-English Journal-17 October 2025-No35
On Thursday, 23 October, in an unprecedented event, King Charles III of Britain – who serves as the Supreme Governor of the Church of England – joined Pope Leo in a prayer ceremony at the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican. It was the first time in roughly five centuries, since King Henry VIII’s break with Rome, that the leaders of the two churches have prayed together.
Charles III’s visit to the Vatican may appear cloaked in spirituality, yet beneath its ceremonial surface lies a deeper message of politics and power. This meeting, delayed by 500 years, was less a religious ritual than a symbol of Britain’s soft diplomacy – an effort to restore the moral and global image of a monarchy long overshadowed by internal crises and public criticism.
The Vatican, for its part, sees this encounter as an opportunity to reaffirm its unifying role within global Christianity. By embracing a “Protestant king”, the Pope presents a flexible, dialogue-driven face of the Catholic Church – one that seeks to remain a moral and spiritual authority among faiths and nations in today’s turbulent world.
Behind this ritual tableau lie clear political interests. London, after Brexit, is eager to reclaim influence within continental Europe and the sphere of cultural diplomacy. Appearing at the Vatican signifies a symbolic return to the spiritual heart of a continent it has left behind. The visit is also an attempt to revive the monarchy’s legitimacy and recast the King as a figure of peace and unity at a time when the royal family is beset by scandal and eroding popularity.
For the Vatican, too, the occasion strengthens its political clout among Western powers and underscores that the Church is not merely a “guardian of faith” but an active player in global diplomacy. Cooperation on issues such as the environment and interfaith dialogue serves as a moral veneer for interactions ultimately driven by worldly interests.
On the surface, this meeting symbolises prayer and unity; in essence, it is a subtle display of power, influence and the recalibration of mutual interests between two ancient institutions of religious and royal conservatism. Here, the prayer is heard more by the earth than by the heavens, and the gaze is fixed not upon the divine, but upon the horizon of politics.
Editor: Patty Debonitas
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