On Saturday, big name artists like Andrea Bocelli, John Legend and Jennifer Hudson are uniting for a massive concert that will be streamed live from somewhat of an unexpected venue: St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City.
What is the ‘Grace for the World’ concert?
“Grace for the World,” a concert co-directed by Bocelli and Pharrell Williams, “will celebrate the Catholic Jubilee Holy Year — the 2,025th anniversary of the incarnation of Jesus Christ — and also mark the closing of the third World Meeting on Human Fraternity," per The Hollywood Reporter.
It marks the first musical event of this nature to take place at the Vatican.
“Let us shine a spotlight on humanity with music from the very heart of Christianity and the most important spiritual square, reaching the entire world with a single message of brotherhood and peace,” Bocelli said in a statement shared on the Disney+ website.
Who is performing at the ‘Grace for the World’ concert?
The concert will feature a wide variety of styles, including gospel, soul, hip-hop, pop and classical, according to the Disney+ website.
The lineup includes:
- Pharrell Williams, alongside the Voices of Fire Gospel Choir
- Andrea Bocelli
- Jennifer Hudson
- Karol G
- John Legend
- Clipse
- Teddy Swims
- Jelly Roll
- BamBam
- Angélique Kidjo
The historic event comes five years after Bocelli put on a live recital from the Duomo of Milan on Easter Sunday, just one month into the COVID-19 pandemic. That performance generated more than 28 million views on YouTube in its first 24 hours and became the most-watched classical music concert on YouTube, as the Deseret News reported.
Bocelli, who co-directs the “Grace for the World” event, has previously spoken with the Deseret News about the power of faith and music in his own life.
“Faith is the anchor of my life,” he told the Deseret News via email in 2021. “I’ve come to faith after a long journey, as late as in adulthood. I consider it a priceless gift that I try to safeguard and enhance; that upholds me day after day.
“Music has always been my strongest passion; whereas I earned the law degree to appease my parents and their worries for my professional future. Song — and music, in general — can be a conduit to faith, as can be every creation of the human genius."
How to watch the ‘Grace for the World’ concert
The “Grace for the World” concert will be streamed live on Disney+, Hulu and ABC News at 1 p.m. MDT on Saturday.
A replay of the concert will be available on Disney+ after the event.