Lionel Richie from the United States, Bonnie Tyler from Wales, and Susan Boyle from Scotland will be among the international musical stars appearing in the 27th edition of the Christmas Concert in the Vatican, organized by the Congregation for Catholic Education and in aid of the Don Bosco Valdocco Onlus Missions and the Pontifical Scholas Occurrentes Foundation, will be held on Saturday, December 14, in the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall.
From Italy will be Elisa, Simone Cristicchi, Fabio Rovazzi, Noemi, Davide Merlini, guitarist Giorgio Albiani and the tenor Fabio Armiliato.
This year, the event reflects Pope Francis’ commitment to the Amazon, to which the current Synod is dedicated. Indeed, the organizations that promote the Concert are engaged in safeguarding the Amazon and indigenous peoples. Within the framework of a common charity project – “Let’s Network for the Amazon” – there will be two specific initiatives, to which everyone can contribute via donations by calling the Italian charity telephone number 45530, active from 2 November to 31 December.
The aim of Scholas Occurrentes is to raise awareness among students in 450,000 schools around the world belonging to the social platform Scholas.social, so as to promote reforestation activities in schools and to contribute, following the example of the original populations of the Amazon, to the reconstruction of harmonious relations with nature and between men, through student exchanges and sharing activities among schools.
The aim of Salesian Action, on the other hand, is to preserve the presence, tradition, and culture of the indigenous population in the district of Lauaretê, in the north-west of the Brazilian Amazon, on the border with Colombia, a remote place often forgotten by political and social institutions. In this area, where social and health conditions are already precarious, the illegal trade in alcohol spreads, with the consequent increase in violence, theft, and murder, especially among minors. The Salesians, who help minors at risk on a daily basis, wish to provide them with a protected place to live.
The Orchestra will be the Italian Cinema Orchestra, conducted by Maestro Renato Serio and Maestro Adriano Pennino. There will also be a Gospel choir from the United States, the Vatican Gendarmerie Corps Band, the Le Dolci Note Children’s Choir and the Art Voice Academy vocalist group.
Tickets can be purchased online at www.concertodinatale.it or at all TicketOne outlets. For information and reservations, call +39 06 68136738. All proceeds from ticket sales and SMS solidarity donations will go to the Scholas Occurrentes Foundations and the Don Bosco Valdocco Missions.
