Archbishop Leo Cushley has welcomed the announcement that Pope Leo XIV has accepted an invitation to become Papal Confrater of St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.
He said: “By this gesture, both His Majesty and the Holy Father have shown their clear wish to promote Christian unity through emphasis on all that we treasure in common, not least our respect and friendship for each other as brothers and sisters in Christ.”
Archbishop Cushley is the Bishop President for Ecumenical Relations of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland.
St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle is a place of worship within the Church of England and is closely associated with the Royal Family. It is also the spiritual home of the Order of the Garter, Britain’s oldest order of chivalry.
The title of Papal Confrater is an honorary recognition of the Pope’s spiritual friendship with the Chapel. The announcement is a further sign of growing friendship and cooperation between the Catholic Church and the Church of England, which have been separated since the Reformation in the 16th century.
This honour follows The King’s own appointment as Royal Confrater of the Papal Basilica and Abbey of St Paul’s Outside the Walls in Rome during his State Visit to the Vatican in October 2025.
