Grace for the World Concert Lights Up the Vatican
For the first time in history, St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City hosted a public concert, uniting global superstars in a celebration of fraternity, peace, and the upcoming 2025 Jubilee year.
On September 13, 2025, the Vatican opened its gates to an unprecedented cultural moment: Grace for the World. St. Peter’s Square, a place of faith and tradition, transformed into a stage where music became a universal language of unity. The event marked the finale of the third World Meeting on Human Fraternity and the beginning of Jubilee celebrations.
The concert brought together an extraordinary roster of performers, including Pharrell Williams, Andrea Bocelli, John Legend, Karol G, Jennifer Hudson, Voices of Fire, BamBam, Clipse, Teddy Swims, Jelly Roll, Angélique Kidjo, and the Choir of the Diocese of Rome. Their presence underscored the event’s global message of fraternity and cultural dialogue.
Behind the scenes, the show carried the weight of world-class production. Pharrell Williams and Andrea Bocelli served as executive producers alongside Nova Sky Stories and Something in the Water, with additional support from Solina Chau, Mark & Roma Burnett, and Kimbal Musk. The event was directed by Sam Wrench, best known for Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour film.
One of the evening’s most striking moments came courtesy of Nova Sky Stories, which deployed more than 3,000 drones in a spectacular light show. The aerial display recreated imagery inspired by Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel, blending Renaissance artistry with modern technology. It was a visual statement about bridging eras and cultures through shared creativity.
Presented by Fever and produced by Jesse Collins Entertainment, the concert was free to attend, with capacity for up to 300,000 people in the square. This made it one of the largest gatherings ever held at the Vatican, offering both locals and pilgrims a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Accessibility was central to Grace for the World. In addition to the live audience in Rome, the event streamed globally at no cost via Disney+, Hulu, and ABC News Live. This broad availability helped spread its message of unity far beyond the borders of Vatican City, turning the square into a digital stage for the world.
The teaser video for Grace for the World highlights not just a concert, but a cultural milestone where music, faith, and technology met in the heart of Rome. It is an unforgettable prelude to the spiritual journey of the 2025 Jubilee year.
