King Charles III makes history as first UK monarch to pray with Pope at Vatican
London (PTI): King Charles III on Thursday joined Pope Leo XIV for prayers at the Sistine Chapel during a visit to Vatican City, making history as the first UK monarch to participate in a Catholic Church service since King Henry VIII broke away from papal authority in the sixteenth century.
The 76-year-old monarch is on a two-day state visit to the Holy See, as the central governing body of the Vatican-based Roman Catholic Church in Italy is known, with wife Queen Camilla. The special service commemorates the Catholic Church’s jubilee year and is designed to boost ties between the Vatican and the Anglican Church, of which the British monarch is the Supreme Governor.
“Their Majesties will visit the Holy See to celebrate the 2025 Papal Jubilee and the warm ecumenical relationship between the Church of England, of which His Majesty is Supreme Governor, and the Roman Catholic Church," Buckingham Palace said in a statement.
The ecumenical service, representing different Christian Churches, at the Sistine Chapel was themed around "care for creation" and followed by a private meeting centred around sustainability.
“The King and Queen, accompanied by Pope Leo, have attended a special service in the Sistine Chapel, marking the joining of hands between the Catholic Church and Church of England, in a celebration of ecumenism,” the palace said in a social media post soon after.
In a departure from tradition, the palace had allowed the King to be filmed in prayer seated in a chair decorated with the Charles' coat of arms and the ecumenical motto "ut unum sint" - Latin for "that they may be one".
The chair was crafted specifically for the occasion and will remain at the Church for use by the King as the new "Royal Confrater" of the basilica and his successors. King Charles also received a Papal knighthood from Pope Leo.
In return, the Pope was made "Papal Confrater" of St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle and conferred a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath.
Earlier, the two leaders exchanged official gifts in the Pope’s library – the Pope presenting the King with a scale version of a mosaic from the Norman Cathedral of Cefalu in Sicily. The King gifted the Pope a silver photograph of himself and his wife and an icon of St. Edward the Confessor, an Anglo-Saxon king of England and one of only a handful of English royal saints.
The leaders also exchanged gifts of trees to be planted, symbolising their joint commitment to the environment.
King Charles and Queen Camilla last visited the Vatican earlier this year, when they had a private meeting with Pope Francis shortly before he died, during a state visit to the Republic of Italy.
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On Ambedkar's Mahaparinirvan Din, thousands gather at Chaityabhoomi; Guv, CM hail social icon
Mumbai (PTI): Thousands of followers of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar converged at his memorial in Mumbai's Dadar area on Saturday to pay tributes to the social reformer on his death anniversary, observed as 'Mahaparinirvan Din'.
Maharashtra Governor Acharya Devvrat, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray were among those who paid tributes to Ambedkar at 'Chaityabhoomi' in Shivaji Park.
The Governor said Ambedkar gave the country a Constitution which ensured equal rights to all people.
Speaking at a tribute event organised at 'Chaityabhoomi' on the occasion of the 69th Mahaparinirvan Din of Dr Ambedkar, Devvrat said great personalities strengthen movements of social justice and live forever through their thoughts and work.
"Despite adversities, Babasaheb believed education to be the most powerful weapon to change the future of a family, society and a country. The Constitution united people from different communities and ensured equal rights to all," he said.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said Ambedkar laid the foundation for the nation's progress and due to his far-sighted vision, India has emerged as the world's fourth largest economy and is poised to reach the third rank soon.
Fadnavis underlined Ambedkar's role in India's energy security, stating that the adoption of a national power grid concept enabled the country's path toward energy self-reliance.
"The Constitution ensured a strong democratic base and safeguarded the rights of common citizens," he said, adding the state government is committed to completing developmental works at the 'Chaityabhoomi' memorial.
Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said Ambedkar's struggle was for establishing equality, liberty, justice and fraternity.
"The guiding principle of "Educate, Organise and Agitate" continues to inspire social transformation," he said.
The Governor, Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister, along with several ministers, MPs, MLAs and dignitaries, paid floral tributes at the memorial. Dignitaries also visited a photo exhibition organised by the BMC.
A helicopter showered flower petals over 'Chaityabhoomi' and copies of the Constitution were presented to the attendees.
Every year, thousands of people from across the state converge at 'Chaityabhoomi' on December 6. Ambedkar died on this day in 1956.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has set up temporary sheds, mobile toilets, drinking water and medical stalls at the Shivaji Park, in view of the huge rush of Ambedkar's followers.
In a post on X, Prime Minister Narendra Modi recalled Ambedkar’s ‘visionary’ leadership.
“Remembering Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar on Mahaparinirvan Diwas. His visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to justice, equality and constitutionalism continue to guide our national journey. He inspired generations to uphold human dignity and strengthen democratic values.
“May his ideals keep lighting our path as we work towards building a Viksit Bharat,” Modi said in his message.
