Pope Francis, known for his prayer “Lord, give me a sense of humour,” will welcome comedians from around the world to a cultural event in Italy on June 14. The event, organized by the Vatican, aims to “celebrate the beauty of human diversity.”
Among the more than 100 entertainers invited are Whoopi Goldberg, Jimmy Fallon, Conan O’Brien, and Chris Rock. The Vatican acknowledged the “significant impact that the art of comedy has on contemporary culture.”
British comedian Stephen Merchant, co-writer of The Office, and Italian comedian Lino Banfi will also attend the event. The meeting will take place before Pope Francis travels to Puglia for the Group of Seven (G7) leaders’ summit.
The Vatican stated that the gathering aims to promote peace, love, and solidarity. The event is organized by the Vatican’s Dicastery for Culture and Education and Dicastery for Communication.
In a recent interview, Goldberg mentioned she had humorously offered the pope a cameo in Sister Act 3, and he replied he’d see what his schedule was like.
