King Charles and Pope Leo made history in the Sistine Chapel by praying side by side - a first for the leaders of the Church of England and Catholic Church.
Under the scrutinising eyes of Michelangelo's Last Judgment, when Pope Leo said "let us pray", it meant everyone, including the King, closing a gap that stretched back to the Reformation in the 16th Century.
With music and prayers about nature that would bridge any theological divide, the service offered the King and Queen some calm amid scrutiny over Prince Andrew during their Vatican visit.
But despite the significance of the state visit, there was no escaping the media - with questions about Andrew's links to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein that show no sign of abating.
Even here, as he met the Pope inside the Vatican, the King commented that the cameras were a "constant hazard".
Rather laconically the Pope said: "You get used to it", as he too has faced a rapid lesson in the unrelenting attention that comes with such a high-profile role, although it still seems a surprise to hear a Pope speaking in such relaxed American tones.
There might be irritation at the media during such moments, but without the press such state visits wouldn't really exist.
It's all about big images for the media to capture, because no members of the public are allowed past the security barriers to watch.
It's the intruding lenses of the cameras and the words rushed out for news websites that give such moments shape and impact. Otherwise they could do a state visit on Zoom.
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