Pope Leo XIV Visits the Pontifical Paul VI School Christmas Concert

This year's annual Pontifical Paul VI School Christmas concert (InCanto) included a very special visitor - Pope Leo XIV. After his regular Tuesday visit to Villa Barberini, the Pope went to the school, and afterwards joined the students and family members in the gymnasium to watch the concert.

The concert provided the children with an opportunity to offer best wishes for a Merry Christmas to everyone and to emphasize that true wealth is determined not by what someone receives but rather through the peace that one can create internally and with others.

Christmas awakens joy and peace

On the stage, the students—wearing jeans and white shirts—stood in the arranged location. The children sang Christmas carols; they sang "Adeste fideles", "Joy to the World", "Noël Nonce", "Astro del ciel" and many others. All of these songs were played in the decorated gymnasium that was full of parents, teachers and members of the school staff. In the front row of the audience were the other clergy—Mons. Vincenzo Viva (the bishop of Albano), Mons. Giordano Picconetti (the president of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See) and the pope.

During the most recent concert, Pope Leo told us, "It was quite lovely to listen to the sounds of Christmas in four different languages; Italian, English, Latin, and Spanish." The Holy Father stated" to hear the voices of little children singing in each language helps people everywhere recognize that the celebration of Christmas brings people together with hope and joy." Finally, adding a smile, "I was so pleased to receive this invitation and really did not expect it to come to me as it did!"

An invitation to do more for peace

After performances of one song about "angels that bring love" Pope Francis expressed how these children brought that same love to him with their music. He quoted Saint Augustine, who says that "he who loves sings," and that through love we see beauty and everything else that is truly beautiful.

Pope Leo stated that Christmas is God giving His gift of love to all of us. He went on to state that God continuously approaches all men, and especially those most small and vulnerable, and that we need to continue to live Christmas spirit throughout the year, not just during the celebrations of Christmas. He also quoted a line from a different song which stated, "This is our greatest invitation to do more to spread peace, love and unity in our World."

Seeing God in the least among us

At the event's end, Pope Leo blessed the children and families, urging them to pray together and to open their hearts to see God's presence, particularly in the smallest of people. The Pope was warmly welcomed by a round of applause and joyous cheers; he was presented with a tennis racket and school uniform, and had his picture taken with the pupils for a keepsake, prior to his departure.

Pontifical Paul VI School

Constructed by Pope Paul VI as a gift to the local community, the Pontifical Paul VI School (now closed) in Castel Gandolfo was officially given to the area's residents by the Pope himself on September 12, 1968. During his presentation of the school, he stressed the significance of Catholic education for youth (ages 0–17).

The school's current enrollment is approximately 300 students, who all benefit from a curriculum based on Catholic values and enhanced through co-curricular activities like athletics, music, foreign language studies, civic responsibility and food services.