The “Jubilee of Bands and Popular Entertainment”, which, on May 10 and 11, 2025, turned Rome into an open air stage for music, dance, and popular shows from all over the world., ended with enthusiasm beyond all expectations.
The joyful jubilee event saw the participation of over 150 folk groups and bands, for a total of about 13,000 people, mostly from Italy, but also from 90 other countries, including Malta, Poland, Spain, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Mexico, Australia, Argentina and the United States. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation provided its contribution to the event by mobilizing its network of Embassies, Consulates and Cultural Institutes to reach potential participants all over the world.
On the afternoon of Saturday, 10 May, 31 squares in the centre of Rome lit up with music and colours for believers, tourists and residents, who could to celebrate the election of Pope Leo XIV to the rhythm of songs and performances from the five continents, testifying to the international and inclusive nature of the event, and confirming music as a language capable of uniting people and crossing geographical and cultural borders.
On Sunday, 11 May, the sounds of the most diverse latitudes, from Mexican guitarrón to Kenyan melodies, served as the backdrop in St. Peter’s Square for the first “Regina Coeli” of Pope Leo XIV, who thanked the artists who came from countries near and far, “who, with their music, enliven the feast of Christ, the Good Shepherd”.
Behind this success, the effort of an impressive organizational machine, which provided constant assistance to the participating groups. The event was organized by the Holy See, particularly by the Pro-Prefect for Evangelization and Commissioner for the Jubilee 2025, H.E. Mons. Fisichella, in close collaboration with the Italian authorities, including the Provincial Committee for Public Order and Security, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Italian Embassy to the Holy See. A key role was played by all the members of the “National and International Table for the Promotion of Popular and Amateur Music”, established at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, in collaboration with the FITP (Italian Federation of Popular Traditions), the FISP (Italian Federation of Popular Entertainment), the Permanent Table of the Italian Band Federations and Nuovassomusica.
