Pharrell Williams will co-direct a historic live concert in Vatican City’s St. Peter’s Square, featuring a lineup of global artists.
Pharrell Williams will co-direct a milestone concert in Vatican City this fall, marking the first public musical performance ever staged in St. Peter’s Square.
Scheduled for September 13, 2025, the event—titled “Grace for the World“—is being organized to conclude the third World Meeting on Human Fraternity and to celebrate the 2025 Jubilee Year.
The concert will be free to attend in Rome and will stream live globally on Disney+, Hulu and ABC News Live at 3 P.M. ET.
Williams will share directorial duties with Andrea Bocelli, who will also perform. The lineup includes John Legend, Karol G, Clipse, Teddy Swims, Jelly Roll, Angélique Kidjo, and a 250-person international choir.
Williams will be joined on stage by the Voices of Fire Gospel Choir.
“This is a rare cultural moment where the world stops and collectively tunes in. It is a message of unity and grace for all of humanity,” Pharrell Williams said in a statement.
The production will also feature a large-scale aerial drone and light display by Nova Sky Stories, with visuals inspired by the Sistine Chapel. The show aims to blend music, storytelling and visual art into a single shared experience.
Bocelli added, “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.”
The event is being produced by the Fratelli Tutti Foundation and the office of St. Peter’s Basilica, with Cardinal Mauro Gambetti playing a central role.
“On the evening of 13 September, fraternity will take center stage, expressed through the universal language of music and the stories of those who have made it a life’s choice,” Gambetti said.
Musical direction will be led by Adam Blackstone, with the broadcast produced by Jesse Collins Entertainment and directed by Sam Wrench.
The event will also feature reflections from global leaders in diplomacy, sports, and culture, exploring themes such as peace, justice, food, and humanity.
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