On Thursday King Charles III and Pope Leo XIV stood together in prayer at the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican.

It's a first for the formal leaders of the Church of England and the Catholic Church since the Reformation.

The prayer service featured choirs from Anglican and Catholic traditions joining together and Latin and English interwoven in the service.

Archbishop Cushley was there to represent the Catholic Church in Scotland.

He said: “It was a great privilege to witness history being made after all these centuries.

"It shows how much we treasure in common, demonstrated by something so simple as standing shoulder to shoulder and saying the Lord’s prayer.”

Also present was Cardinal Vincent Nichols, representing Catholics in England and Wales.

The event also carried significant ceremonial aspects: King Charles received the title of “Royal Confrater” at the Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls, and Pope Leo in turn was honored with a title at Windsor, further symbolising the growing ties between the two Christian communities.

Pope Leo and Archbishop Leo met later that same day at an event for Members of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem (top right).

King Charles also visited the Pontifical Beda College in Rome.

Archdiocesan seminarians, incuding Gerard Holden (third from right in row, wearing cassock) witnessed the event.