Pope Francis gives King Charles III a coronation gift

Pope Francis gives him sacred fragments incorporated into a crucifix that King Charles III will wear in Westminster Abbey at the Coronation.

The Pope has given King Charles III two fragments of the cross on which Jesus is said to have been crucified to be incorporated into the crucifix that will be used at the Coronation. Two wood fragments, one of 1 cm and the other of 5 mm, were formally submitted to the Royal House by representatives of the Vatican acting on behalf of Pope Francis. It was described as a personal gift’ to Her Majesty.

The pieces have been modeled and placed behind a pink crystal gemstone set in a large, freshly made silver crucifix. The crucifix, which is known as the Cross of Wales, will be used at the head of the coronation procession at Westminster Abbey on May 6. After the coronation, the Welsh Cross will be shared between the Anglican and Catholic churches in Wales.

The contraption measures almost 50 cm high and 25 cm wide, is made of silver ingots, along with a Welsh beaten wooden shaft and a Welsh slate stand. On the reverse side are the words of St. David‘s last sermon in Welsh: “Be of good cheer. Keep the faith. Do the little things. It was designed by master silversmith Michael Lloyd. In November 2022, the king applied the head of a leopard by hand on the cross. This is known as the king’s mark.

The cross was blessed by the Archbishop of Wales at Holy Trinity Church. In addition, the Archbishop of Cardiff, and Bishop of Menevia, said the cross was “a sign of our nation’s deep Christian roots.” He added: “With a sense of profound joy we embrace this cross, kindly given by King Charles, and containing a relic of the True Cross, generously donated by the Holy See”.

King Charles III will be crowned at Westminster Abbey on May 6, 2023. The queen consort will be crowned together with her husband. The place is full of real history. The present Abbey has witnessed the coronation of every monarch since Edward I in 1274, with the exception of Edward V and Edward VIII, who were never crowned.