VATICAN CITY – The Holy See Press Office confirmed in a statement on Thursday that Pope Francis has donated relics of the True Cross to King Charles as a gift for his coronation. 

 “I can confirm that the fragments of the Relic of the True Cross were donated by the Holy See in early April, through the Apostolic Nunciature, to His Majesty King Charles III, Supreme Govenor of the Church of England, as an ecumenical gesture on the occasion of the centenary of the Anglican Church in Wales,” wrote Matteo Bruni, the Director of the Holy See Press Office, in a press release. 

 The relic has been inlaid into the “Cross of Wales” which will lead the coronation procession on May 6. 

 Chris Trott, the UK’s ambassador to the Holy See expressed his appreciation and gratitude to the pope on Twitter, saying, “We are deeply moved and grateful to Pope Francis for this extraordinary gift. Reflecting the strength of the Vatican-UK relationship that developed over the course of the reign of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth, who met 5 Popes!”

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