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Pope: Like a stream leading to its source, music leads us to God
Pope Leo joins the prayer gathering ‘Canticle of Peace’ at Borgo Laudato si’, in the Pontifical Gardens of Castel Gandolfo, together with Andrea Bocelli and the ABF Voices choir, made up of children’s voices from Uganda, the Holy Land and Italy.
By Edoardo Giribaldi
Music can lead us beyond the threshold of mystery. Just as someone following a stream eventually reaches its source, the beauty of song can guide us towards God, satisfying the thirst for meaning and happiness that the world itself cannot quench.
This was the image Pope Leo XIV offered in his reflection during the Canticle of Peace gathering, held this evening, 29 July, at Borgo Laudato si’ in the Pontifical Gardens of Castel Gandolfo, beneath the shade of the ancient holm oak known as “Methuselah.”
Recalling the “choirs of angels and saints” described in Scripture, the Pope observed that they do not “literally sing all the time.” Rather, their perfect harmony springs from their shared contemplation of God—a harmony that earthly music, too, can help us approach.
“Canticle of Peace” beneath the shade of the ancient holm oak “Methuselah” (@Vatican Media)
From the Holy Land, Uganda and Italy, together
Organized by the Laudato si’ Higher Education Center in partnership with the Andrea Bocelli Foundation, represented by the renowned tenor himself, the event forms part of the celebrations marking the 800th anniversary of the death of St Francis of Assisi.
The readings included passages from St Francis’s writings, such as the Canticle of the Creatures, alongside biblical texts and words from several Popes—from St Paul VI and St John Paul II to Pope Francis.
The Pope described the gathering as an occasion of “joy,” accompanied by Andrea Bocelli and the ABF Voices choir, made up of 164 children and young people from the Holy Land, Uganda and Italy. United by their love of music, many of them also share lives marked by war, poverty and suffering.
Pope Leo noted that their “beautiful singing,” together with the multilingual prayer offered at the end of the gathering, showed how music can unite different voices into a single harmony, where each person makes a unique contribution to the whole.
In this way, the choir becomes a symbol of harmony and cooperation.
Something greater than the individual
Reflecting on the heavenly “choirs” described in Scripture, the Pope said that their unity comes from finding in God “the fullness of happiness.”
He continued, “As you sang, did you notice how music drew all of us into a new experience—something greater than anything any one of us could have created alone? That is the experience of beauty. It opens up a new horizon and awakens within us the desire to move towards it.”
Like a stream to its source
Moving towards that horizon means discovering not merely “something,” but “Someone.”
“Just as we can follow a stream back to its source, so the beauty of music invites us to encounter the One who is Beauty itself. Continue to cultivate the gifts God has given you, and let them lead you to Him,” the Pope continued.
Members of the ABF Voices choir (@Vatican Media)
The world cannot satisfy our thirst for meaning
The Pope acknowledged the “restless hearts” of the young, saying that only the Lord—”everything we seek in life”—can truly give them rest.
“Remember that you were made for great things, and that the whole world is not enough to satisfy your thirst for meaning and happiness.”
“The Holy Father loves you and prays for you”
Pope Leo then offered the young people present a personal reassurance: “The Holy Father loves you and prays for you, for your families and for your countries.”
His words became a prayer for peace, asking that it may reign “in all those parts of the world that continue to suffer because of violence.”
For the young participants, praying together with the Pope marked the culmination of a ten-day journey during which choristers and educators shared an experience of formation, friendship and fraternity through the art of singing.
Pope Leo shares his reflection (@Vatican Media)
The commitment of the Andrea Bocelli Foundation
The Pope concluded by thanking the Andrea Bocelli Foundation for its work in supporting young people facing educational and social disadvantage.
“Through the power of music, you are contributing to the Church’s mission of promoting the integral development of every person in service of the common good. May God bless your efforts.”
Andrea Bocelli performs for Pope Leo XIV (@Vatican Media)
Beneath the shade of “Methuselah”
The prayer gathering was introduced by Cardinal Fabio Baggio, recently appointed Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development—starting 1 September 2026—and Director General of the Laudato si’ Higher Education Centre.
Before the music began, the Cardinal reflected on the silent yet powerful witness of the ancient holm oak known as “Methuselah.” Rooted in the history of the Pontifical Gardens, the tree, he said, symbolizes the responsibility entrusted to every man and woman: “to care for what we have received as a gift so that it may continue to generate life and hope for future generations.”
Cardinal Baggio recalled St Augustine’s unforgettable words: “Late have I loved You, Beauty ever ancient, ever new; late have I loved You.”
He also thanked Pope Leo for his presence, reminding those gathered that peace remains “a mission entrusted to each one of us.”
Cardinal Baggio’s introduction (@Vatican Media)
Creation, peace, human dignity and faith
The first section of the program focused on Creation and featured performances of Panis Angelicus and Dolce sentire by Andrea Bocelli and the choir. Sister Alessandra Smerilli then read an excerpt from St Francis’s Canticle of the Creatures, followed by Cardinal Baggio’s proclamation in English of verses from the opening chapter of Genesis.
The second part, dedicated to harmony among peoples, included a musical setting by the choir of Gianni Rodari’s poem The Moon of Kyiv, followed by a prayer attributed to the Poor Man of Assisi, read by Fr Francesco Ielpo, Custos of the Holy Land.
The third section focused on human dignity. It featured the choir’s performance of Singing All Together, together with readings from Pope Francis’s encyclical Fratelli tutti, St Paul VI’s address to the United Nations on 4 October 1965, and St John Paul II’s speech to the International Court of Justice at the Peace Palace in The Hague on 13 May 1985.
The fourth and final section, devoted to faith and unity, included a performance of Gaelic Blessing and a reading from Chapter 20 of the Gospel according to John.
The children’s prayer
After the Pope’s reflection, the children recited a prayer in several languages:
The gathering concluded with the Lord’s Prayer, the exchange of the sign of peace and the Apostolic Blessing. Andrea Bocelli and the choir then performed Amazing Grace, before presenting Pope Leo XIV with gifts prepared by the children from their respective homelands.
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