The Plaza de San Pedro lived on Saturday one of the most memorable nights in the recent Vatican history, becoming the epicenter of an unprecedented show.
The macroconciente Grace for the World, organized to close the World Meeting on Human Fraternitybegan with a starter loaded with symbolism and emotion that left the tens of thousands of people present, many of them arrived from different countries and gathered from early in the afternoon on the Great Avenue of Via della Conciliation (Via de la Coniliation).
Receive the main news of ACI Press by WhatsApp and Telegram
It is increasingly difficult to see Catholic news on social networks. Subscribe to our free channels today:
Suddenly, the sky on the basilica illuminated more than 3,000 drones, perfectly coordinated, who drew the image of Pope Francis, framing the contour of Miguel Ángel’s dome and Bernini’s colonnade. The scene, unpublished in this space, caused a reverent silence in the crowd, which stopped to contemplate the show before exploding in applause.
That moment was accompanied by an emotional interpretation of Amazing GraceSubonated duo by the tenor Andrea Bocelli – central Figure of the evening – and the American singer Teddy Swims. Their voices rose about the silence of the Vatican square and mixed with the almost imperceptible buzz of drones, generating a mystical and solemn atmosphere.
From that moment on, the Roman sky became a gigantic canvas. In perfect synchrony with music, the lights recreated the hands of The creation of Adamthe famous fresh of Miguel Ángel that crowns the vault of the Sistine Chapel, followed by the figure of a peace pigeon of monumental proportions that seemed to fly over the crowd. The climax arrived when it appeared Piety, The famous marble sculpture of the same artist that is preserved in the Basilica of San Pedro, projected in the sky with a surprising level of detail.
The images, perfectly recognizable in the dark of the Roman night, started cheers among those present. The public placed their mobile phones high to immortalize the moment. For many, it was the most shocking point of the entire evening, a combination of art, technology and spirituality that converted the Plaza de San Pedro into an outdoor stage of collective contemplation.
Another of the projected figures was the image of the Safety of the Roman people (Health of the Roman people), whose icon is venerated in the Basilica of Santa María la Mayor, in Rome, and of which the Argentine Pope was very devout.
The staging, unpublished in the history of the Vatican, marked the tone of the event: an invitation to universal fraternity, to dialogue between cultures and hope in times of global crisis.
It was the first concert in the story held in the Plaza de San Pedro that became a gigantic air stadium to host the event Grace for the World.
The show put the final touch to the third edition of the World Meeting on Human Fraternity (World Meeting on Human Fraternity) that for two days gathered in the Vatican to 500 personalities, Nobel Prizes, referents of the academic and social world, cultural managers and experts in artificial intelligence and the environment.
The 15 dialogue tables addressed issues such as peace, the care of the planet, the impact of technology and the future of humanity.
Tens of thousands of people filled the emblematic space to follow a two -hour show that combined music, lights and messages of peace, broadcast live on the Vatican Canal, Disney+, Hulu and ABC News.
“In the midst of shadows, we see the possibility of a rebirth: the ability to resist, to innovate, to create bridges,” proclaimed Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, Arciprest of the Basilica of San Pedro and president of the Fratelli Tutti Foundation.
On stage different styles and genres alternated. Bocelli was one of the protagonists of the night. Practicing Catholic and considered one of the most recognized tenors in the world, Bokelli opened the show with an overwhelming interpretation of the Ave Maria De Schubert, who transformed the Plaza de San Pedro into a temple of silence and emotion.
Another of the most anticipated moments of the night was the performance of singer Karol G, the most cheered since it was announced at the beginning of the show. The Colombian artist remained just five minutes on stage, interpreting While I was curateof his 2023 album, in a tone close to the gospel, and closed his participation with an emotional duo with Bocelli in I live for her. Dressed in a sober and elegant way, she was received with flags, t -shirts and songs of her followers, which crowded the first line of the Vatican Square.
But in addition to music, there was also space reserved to launch a message of fraternity, hope and universal dialogue.
The Nobel Peace Prize Kailash Satyarthi, tireless defender of children’s rights and the end of child labor, Graça Machel, widow of Nelson Mandela and firm voice of social justice in Africa, and Iraqi activist Nadia Murad, survivor of the Yazidi genocide and symbol of the fight against sexual violence in armed conflicts In places where there is war.
Pope Leo XIV was not present, although he thanked his support and he remembered that today Sunday celebrates his 70th birthday.
Victoria Cardiel
Victoria Cardiel is a journalist specialized in social and religious information issues. Since 2013, he has covered all the news of the Vatican for various media, such as the Spanish news agency Europa Press, or the weekly of the Archdiocese of Madrid, Alfa and Omega.