Pope makes surprise festival appearance with peace plea

CNA Newsroom, Feb 11, 2025 / 21:20 pm (CNA).

Pope Francis made a surprise appearance via video message at Italy’s premier musical event on Tuesday, telling participants at the 75th Sanremo Music Festival that music represents a message of peace capable of uniting diverse peoples.

Speaking from his residence at Casa Santa Marta in an unscheduled appearance, the pontiff praised music’s unique ability to transcend barriers.

“Music is beauty, music is an instrument of peace. It is a language that all peoples speak in different ways, reaching everyone’s heart,” the pope said in his message broadcast at the Teatro Ariston.

The Holy Father specifically addressed the plight of children affected by global conflicts.

“Many children cannot sing life — they weep and suffer because of the many injustices in the world, because of many wars, because of conflict situations,” Francis said. “Wars destroy children. Let us never forget that war is always a defeat.”

Francis concluded his message by meditating on music’s power to promote harmony among peoples.

“Music can help people live together, opening hearts to harmony and the joy of being together, with a common language of understanding that commits us to building a more just and fraternal world,” the pope said.

The Sanremo Music Festival, Italy’s most prominent song competition, has been held annually in the Ligurian coastal city since 1951. This year’s edition marks its 75th anniversary.

The festival traditionally serves as Italy’s selection platform for the Eurovision Song Contest and has launched the careers of numerous Italian music stars.