The Pope explained with a smile that an invitation to attend had arrived “mysteriously” and that he was happy to have accepted it.
It's not every day that your primary school Christmas concert -- a joy for parents all over the world at this time of year -- has a guest like the one the kids of the Pontifical Paul VI School had this evening. Pope Leo arrived to the packed school gymnasium and took a place front and center.
The Pope explained with a smile that an invitation to attend had arrived “mysteriously” and that he was happy to have accepted it. His visible joy at watching the children sing was proof he was being sincere.
On his regular Tuesday day of rest at Castel Gandolfo, the Pope was able to drop in at the school, located just under 1/2 mile from Villa Barberini, where he stays.
The school was founded and inaugurated by Pope Paul VI in 1968, and today it has about 300 pupils.
“It was beautiful to listen to Christmas songs in Italian, Latin, English and Spanish,” the Pope said, noting that this helps to understand that Christmas awakens joy and peace in everyone's heart.
“Music is a universal language,” declared Leo XIV, congratulating the children on their “magnificent” performance.
The children, dressed in jeans and white t-shirts, sang Adeste fideles, Joy to the World, Noël Noël, and Astro del Ciel.
The concert was live-streamed on Facebook, and a number of joyous family members commented as the kids sang.
The children offered the Pope a tennis racket as a gift, and he posed for a picture with them.
Vatican News further reported:
Reflecting on one of the songs performed, with lyrics referring to “angels who bring love,” the Pope noted that the children themselves had brought love through their music. He recalled the words of St. Augustine, who said that “the one who loves sings,” because love enables the heart to grasp what truly matters.
“God wished to communicate to all of us the gift of love: this is what Christmas is,” Pope Leo said, emphasizing that God draws close to humanity, especially to the smallest and most vulnerable.
He expressed the hope that this spirit, celebrated at Christmas, might be lived out not only in these days but throughout the year. Quoting the refrain of another song, the Pope added, “For us this is a great invitation: to do more to proclaim peace, love and unity in the world.”
At the conclusion, Pope Leo offered his blessing to the children and their families, encouraging them to pray together and to open their hearts to recognize God’s presence, especially in the smallest ones.
