Andrea Bocelli returned to the Vatican for a memorable evening of music on July 29, joining Pope Leo XIV and a 164 member international children’s choir for a special concert celebrating faith, peace, and hope at Castel Gandolfo.
Held in the Borgo Laudato si’ gardens at the Vatican’s Pontifical Gardens, the event, titled Canticle of Peace, brought together young singers from Italy, Uganda, and the Holy Land under Bocelli’s direction. As the sun set over the gardens, the world renowned tenor led the choir through an emotional program before closing the evening with a moving performance of Amazing Grace. Bocelli also performed the beloved Latin hymn Panis Angelicus in honor of Pope Leo XIV.
Andrea Bocelli leads an international choir in a night of faith and music
The concert featured children and teenagers between the ages of 8 and 19 who are part of the Andrea Bocelli Foundation’s Voices Of program, an initiative that combines music education with workshops for children living in communities affected by poverty, conflict, or limited educational opportunities.
The singers traveled from Bethlehem, Jerusalem, the Ugandan village of Nabikabala, and the Italian cities of Naples and Camerino to take part in the foundation’s 10 day gathering in Italy. Organizers noted that children from Haiti were unable to attend because of the country’s ongoing instability.
Reflecting on the program’s mission, Bocelli previously said that every child brings a unique story.
“Every voice carries with it a story, heritage, hope,” he shared. “When so many voices come together, from afar and from such diverse life experiences, something happens that goes beyond singing. There is the possibility to recognize one another, to listen to one another, and to feel less distant from one another.”
Pope Leo XIV praises the beauty of music
Following the performance, Pope Leo XIV thanked Bocelli and the young singers while reflecting on music’s ability to bring people closer to God.
“The beauty of music invites us to encounter the one who is beauty itself,” the pope said.
He explained that Scripture and the Church often describe heaven as being filled with choirs of angels and saints, not because they are always singing, but because they are united in love while gazing upon God.
Speaking directly to the children, Pope Leo asked whether they had noticed how singing together created something greater than any individual could accomplish alone.
“That is the experience of beauty,” he said, adding that anyone who sincerely searches for beauty ultimately discovers not simply something, but “Someone”—God the Creator.
The pope also encouraged the young performers to continue using their talents for a greater purpose.
“Continue to cultivate the gifts that God has given you, and allow them to lead you towards him,” he told them. “He is everything we are looking for in life, the one who alone can quell our restless hearts.”
He added, “Remember that you have been made for great things, and that this world is not enough to quench your thirst for meaning and happiness.”
A celebration inspired by St. Francis
The evening formed part of the Catholic Church’s Jubilee Year celebrations marking the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi.
Between musical performances, Sister Alessandra Smerilli read St. Francis’ Canticle of the Sun, while members of the Roman Curia shared passages from Scripture and writings by previous popes beneath the towering pine trees of the Vatican gardens.
About 500 Vatican employees and Curia officials attended the concert, along with former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who briefly greeted Pope Leo XIV afterward.
At the conclusion of the event, children presented the pope with gifts representing their home countries before guests gathered for a reception in the gardens.
Cardinal Fabio Baggio, director general of the Laudato Si’ Center for Higher Education, said the concert reflected the mission of Borgo Laudato si’ as a place where “faith becomes an encounter and peace is built by caring for individuals, communities, and creation.”
He expressed hope that the evening’s music would carry a lasting message beyond the Vatican.
“Let us entrust this ‘Canticle of Peace’ to the Lord, so that the song that rises from this place today may reach hearts, cross borders and become a seed of hope for the world,” Cardinal Baggio said.
