Pope Leo XIV and Andrea Bocelli unite for peace concert

Pope Leo XIV led a prayer for peace, joined by renowned Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli and a choir of 164 young singers. The event, titled "Cantico di pace" (Song of Peace), took place in the gardens of the pontifical summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, near Rome. It was held as part of the celebrations marking the 800th anniversary of the death of Saint Francis of Assisi.

The concert aimed to "implore the gift of peace in the world, inspired by the universal message of the Canticle of Creatures," according to a statement from the Borgo Laudato Si' center for Vatican ecology and the Andrea Bocelli Foundation. Bocelli, accompanied by the ABF Voices choir, performed pieces including "Panis Angelicus," "Dolce sentire," and "Amazing Grace."

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My dear young friends, as you sang, did you notice how music carried us all into the experience of something new, something greater than what each of us could have created alone? This is the experience of beauty.

Pope Leo XIV addressed the young choristers, emphasizing how music can create an experience of beauty and unity, something greater than individuals could achieve alone. The ABF Voices choir comprised 164 young people from diverse and often challenging backgrounds, including Israel, the West Bank, Uganda, Haiti, and Italy. Several of these choristers, whose personal stories have been marked by war, poverty, or suffering, recited prayers in various languages for the Pope.

Andrea Bocelli noted that "In singing, they discover a common language capable of creating closeness and hope." Saint Francis of Assisi, the founder of the Franciscans and a precursor to interreligious dialogue, is also recognized as a father of modern ecology. His "Canticle of Creatures" remains a famous prayer praising all of creation, including "brother Sun" and "sister Water."

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In singing, they discover a common language capable of creating closeness and hope.