Pope Leo to meet Hollywood stars at Vatican

[kit_hung]

Pope Leo, the first American-born pope, is planning to host Hollywood stars and famous directors at the Vatican this weekend for a special audience to mark the Holy Year of the Catholic Church.

According to the Vatican, the meeting will take place on November 15 morning at the Apostolic Palace and will be attended by celebrities such as Cate Blanchett, Viggo Mortensen, Chris Pine, Alison Brie, Dave Franco and Monica Bellucci. Oscar-winning directors Spike Lee, George Miller, Giuseppe Tornatore and Gus Van Sant are also expected to attend the event, which is organized by the Vatican's cultural office.

Pope Leo has said he wants to strengthen dialogue with the world of cinema and explore how artistic creativity can support the mission of the Church and promote human values. Before the event, he shared a video showing his favorite movies such as It's a Wonderful Life, The Sound of Music, Ordinary People and Life Is Beautiful.

This is not very common for the Vatican to meet with Hollywood, but remember that Pope Francis once held a similar event in June 2024 for comedians, welcoming people such as Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Fallon.

The announcement also comes after Pope Leo met with Robert De Niro and his children Julian and Drena at the Vatican. De Niro was in Rome to receive the city's highest honor, the Lupa Capitolina, and also to attend the opening of his Nobu Hotel Roma on Via Veneto.


Source: hurriyetdailynews

 

[gwolf666]

The news that Pope Leo, the first American-born pope, plans to meet with Hollywood stars and renowned directors at the Vatican is quite interesting and, in some ways, groundbreaking. Personally, I think these kinds of meetings demonstrate a genuine effort by the Church to connect with popular culture and the values of the film world. The idea of strengthening dialogue and exploring how art can support the Church's mission seems positive to me, as it can help convey important messages in a more accessible and relatable way. While some may see it as a public relations strategy, it can also be an opportunity to promote humanitarian and spiritual values in a space that doesn't typically involve entertainment figures. Ultimately, I believe these initiatives reflect an interesting and necessary openness for the Church to remain relevant in the modern world.

 

[Kross]

I just like the inclusive posture of the pope so far. But hope this won't be only for Hollywood celebrities alone.