At a Vatican charity concert this month Rome’s immigrants, poor, elderly and marginalised will be getting front-row VIP treatment, while benefactors will be seated in the back.
The charity benefit, to be held in the Vatican’s Paul VI hall on May 14, will raise money for the papal almoner’s office.
Charities and parishes will be bringing about 2,000 people to the concert – people without homes, refugees, immigrants and families and youth experiencing difficult situations, organisers said at a Vatican press conference.
Mgr Diego Giovanni Ravelli, head of the almoner’s office, said those people would be given “a place of honour” at the front of the audience hall because “in them is Jesus and for him we reserve the front row”.
The concert on the feast of the Ascension is also open to benefactors, volunteers and others.
While tickets are free, seats open to the wider public in the back will have an empty envelope placed on them, asking people to make a donation to the papal charity.
Established in 1409, the almoner’s office is the oldest existing papal charity and allocates small donations to individuals requesting assistance with expenses like medical or utility bills and rent.
Mgr Ravelli said his office received more than 8,000 requests for help last year and distributed more than 1.5 million euros. The office allocates donations and gifts the pope receives as well as monies received from the sale of papal blessings.
The concert will be an opera based on Dante Alighieri’s The Divine Comedy. This year is the 750th anniversary of the medieval Italian poet’s birth.
The opera, which features symphonic music, Gregorian chant and hard rock, was composed by Mgr Marco Frisina, director of the choir of the Diocese of Rome and a composer of religious music.
Areas of Catholic Herald business are still recovering post-pandemic.
However, we are reaching out to the Catholic community and readership, that has been so loyal to the Catholic Herald. Please join us on our 135 year mission by supporting us.
We are raising £250,000 to safeguard the Herald as a world-leading voice in Catholic journalism and teaching.
We have been a bold and influential voice in the church since 1888, standing up for traditional Catholic culture and values. Please consider donating.