Pope Leo Sings L.O.V.E with Michael Bublé at Vatican Concert with the Poor

The singing pope strikes again: In a heartwarming moment at the Vatican’s Concert with the Poor, Leo XIV joined Michael Bublé in an impromptu duet that has gone viral.

Dear friends —

Happy First Saturday of Advent! Thanks to your support, Letters from Leo continues to be one of the fastest-growing publications in the world.

We couldn’t do this without you. Starting this week, all paid subscribers are receiving the Letters from Leo Advent Reflection Series — a daily companion to prepare for the coming of Christ at Christmas and reckon with what his arrival demands in a nation veering toward fascism.

To give you a sense of what you’ll experience, I’ve unlocked last Sunday’s reflection to all readers. (Note that the Sunday reflections will be longer in length.)

Michael Bublé began the night in Paul VI Hall with a soulful “Feeling Good,” drawing warm applause from Pope Leo XIV seated in the front row.

The Canadian crooner then paused, visibly moved, to soak in the atmosphere.

“This is… the greatest moment of my life and my career,” Bublé told the crowd, calling it “a beautiful night that brings hope and celebrates humanity.”

Indeed, some 8,000 people packed the venue — including 3,000 disadvantaged guests invited through charity initiatives — all there for the Vatican’s 6th annual Concert with the Poor, an event born from the heart of Pope Francis a decade ago.

Bublé next asked a “favor” of everyone present: that they not let him sing alone.

Citing Pope Leo’s own wish that people be “strong together,” he launched into the jazz classic “L-O-V-E.”

Sure enough, the entire hall — the pope included — happily sang along. In videos now making the rounds on social media, Pope Leo can be seen clapping, smiling, and singing “L is for the way you look at me” right on beat.

It’s an image of a pontiff not just for the people, but with the people in joyful song.

Pope Leo XIV claps along as Michael Bublé performs at the Concert with the Poor in the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall. The star singer invited the crowd — and the pope — to join him in singing “L-O-V-E,” an upbeat jazz tune that had everyone smiling.

True to his word, Bublé also performed a reverent “Ave Maria.” He revealed at a press conference that this was the only song Pope Leo personally requested for the concert.

The choice was not random: “Ave Maria” is a favorite of Leo’s late mother, Mildred, a gifted contralto who used to bring down the house with that very hymn.

Bublé admitted he had sung Schubert’s Ave Maria only once before and felt “very nervous” about doing it live for the pope.

But with a 200-voice choir and full orchestra supporting him, Bublé delivered a stunning rendition that earned a grateful nod from Leo XIV.

The pope’s eyes glistened — perhaps remembering his mother’s voice — as the last notes soared. “I realized that there’s no fear, there’s only joy,” Bublé said of overcoming his jitters in that moment.

This remarkable evening continues a tradition Pope Francis started in 2015 to put society’s most vulnerable at the center of a Christmas celebration.

In fact, Francis conceived the Concert with the Poor to offer those in need “something they are never given — something beautiful” during the holidays.

Pope Leo XIV has enthusiastically embraced this mission.

Leo made a point to be there in person for the first time the event’s been held during his pontificate — sitting among the crowd, chatting with guests, and even cracking jokes with the performers.

At an audience the day before, Leo encouraged Bublé and the other artists to give their all:

“Please, sing well!” he said with a smile, before urging them to “sing and play with art and, above all, with your heart” because music “can truly represent a form of love” that uplifts the soul.

By showtime, that vision had clearly taken hold. The poor and homeless were not hidden in the back; they occupied the front rows as honored guests — a living sign of the Gospel where “the last will be first.”

After Bublé’s final number, Pope Leo XIV took the microphone to offer his own brief reflection on the night.

Music, the pope observed, is a universal language that bridges earthly struggles and the divine.

“Tonight, music was like a bridge that leads us to God,” Leo shared, noting that a song can express “the deepest movements of the soul” and lift our spirits even in hard times.

He reminded everyone that Christmas itself begs to be celebrated with song: “After all, the Gospel tells us that while Jesus was being born in Bethlehem, there was a great concert of angels in heaven!”

In Jesus, the pope said, God has given the world a love song. “

Yes, Jesus is God’s song of love for humanity. Let us listen to this song! Let us learn it well, so that we too can sing it with our lives,” Leo urged.

Those words capped an extraordinary evening in the Vatican.

In one viral duet with a big-band showman, Pope Leo managed to channel the Christmas spirit, champion the poor, and preach the Gospel — all without stopping the music.

The result was pure L.O.V.E., echoing from the heart of Rome to the entire world.

Letters from Leo is open to anyone who wants to be informed and inspired by our pope — and to turn that inspiration into action that leaves America and the world more just, less cold, and more alive with hope.

If you want to support this mission this holiday season, here’s how you can help:

• Subscribe as a paid member to receive exclusive posts about the life and formation of Pope Leo, our Advent Reflection Series, and help sustain this newsletter.

• Donate with a one-time gift to fuel this project’s mission.

• Share this post (and Letters from Leo) with a friend who might enjoy it.

Whether you give $0, $1, or $1,000, your presence here matters — no matter your faith or your politics.

Thank you for reading. I’ll see you on the road.