Pope sent King Charles shards of Jesus Christ's cross for his coronation procession
King Charles' procession will be led by a cross boasting two shards of wood said to be from Jesus Christ's crucifixion.
Pope Francis has given King Charles small cross-shaped shards of wood said to be from the cross Jesus Christ was crucified on for the monarch's coronation procession.
The relics from the True Cross, described as a "personal gift" from the pontiff to the king, have been added to The Cross of Wales, a silver crucifix, which will lead the journey to Westminster Abbey on May 6.
As a symbol of the former Prince of Wales' fondness for Wales, the two pieces were set into the larger cross behind a rose crystal gemstone.
Charles gave the cross to the Church in Wales to mark its centenary, and after being blessed by the Archbishop of Wales Andrew John, in Llandudno today (19.04.23), it will be taken to the British capital to be shared among the Anglican and Catholic Churches.
It also boasts an inscription of the last sermon of St David in Welsh reading: "Byddwch lawen. Cadwch y ffydd. Gwnewch y Pethau Bychain."
In English, it means: "Be joyful. Keep the faith. Do the little things."
His Majesty had already made some adjustments to the cross, adding a hallmark and leopard's head himself last November after becoming King upon the passing of Queen Elizabeth on September 8.
The Church of Wales' Archbishop Andrew John said: "We are honoured that His Majesty has chosen to mark our centenary with a cross that is both beautiful and symbolic.
"Its design speaks to our Christian faith, our heritage, our resources and our commitment to sustainability.
"We are delighted too, that its first use will be to guide Their Majesties into Westminster Abbey at the Coronation Service."
The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Cardiff and Bishop of Menevia, Mark O'Toole, said: "With a sense of deep joy we embrace this cross, kindly given by King Charles, and containing a relic of the True Cross, generously gifted by the Holy See.
"It is not only a sign of the deep Christian roots of our nation but will, I am sure, encourage us all to model our lives on the love given by our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
"We look forward to honouring it, not only in the various celebrations that are planned, but also in the dignified setting in which it will find a permanent home."
Designer and maker Michael Lloyd added: "The commission has allowed me to delve into the previous 1,000 years of faith and history. Now, with more than 267 thousand hammer blows, the cross has emerged from the inanimate sheets of silver, and I am delighted it will be used as part of the Coronation Service on 6 May."
