Pacemaker PressKing Charles should abdicate if he goes ahead with plans to pray with Pope Leo XIV during a church service in Rome, a reverend and son of Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) founder Ian Paisley has said.
Reverend Kyle Paisley said the King would not be “true to his oath”, in which he vowed to uphold the Protestant faith, if he joined the Pope in prayer at the event in the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel.
The King would become the first reigning English monarch to pray publicly with a pope since Henry VIII.
The service, on 22 and 23 October, will bring together members from both the Roman Catholic church and the Church of England, of which the King is supreme governor.
Getty ImagesSpeaking to BBC Radio Ulster’s Talkback programme on Wednesday, Mr Paisley said the King should “uphold the protestant faith” and in praying with the Pope he is “breaking his oath” and “not upholding his promise to defend a reformed faith when he mixes in that kind of way”.
When asked if he thinks the King should abdicate if he goes ahead with the visit, he replied: “Yes, because I don’t think he is being true to his oath.”
“The Protestant faith historically and theologically is a world apart from Catholicism,” added Mr Paisley.
“I don’t for the life of me see how he can engage in that kind of corporate worship.
“It gives the impression that it’s not essentially different,” he added.
The visit will be seen as an important symbol of reconciliation, in a trip that will also see the first meeting between the King and the new US-born Pope Leo XIV.
The King and Queen will meet the Pope and senior Vatican officials and there will be a special ecumenical service, bringing together Catholic and Anglican traditions, which will see the King and Pope praying together.
The service in the Sistine Chapel will be focused on protecting nature, in recognition of the King’s enthusiastic support of environmental causes.
It also aims to show harmony between the two religious denominations, with the Sistine Chapel Choir singing alongside the Choir of St George’s Chapel and the Choir of His Majesty’s Chapel Royal.
The Paisleys and the Pope
Getty ImagesMr Paisley’s father, Ian Paisley, was a former Northern Ireland first minister who founded the DUP, now Northern Ireland’s largest unionist party, in 1971.
However, before his career in politics was his life in religion – he became a religious minister as a young man and went on to found the Free Presbyterian Church.
Along with fiery sermons, Ian Paisley became known for his opposition to Catholicism and the Pope.
To mark the death of Pope John XXIII in 1963, he said: “This Romish man of sin is now in hell.”
Mr Paisley also protested against Pope John Paul II in 1988, when the Roman Catholic leader was giving an address at the European Parliament.
He interrupted the address, saying: “I denounce you, antichrist. I refuse you as Christ’s enemy and antichrist with all your false doctrine.”
He was then forcibly removed from the chamber.
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