Radio Vatikan and Vatican News are accompanying the journey of Pope Leo XIV to France with a digital playlist hosted on Spotify. Designed by the editorial team, the 16 works collection maps French classical and sacred music from the medieval period to the 20th century directly to the itinerary, speeches, and stops of the papal visit, according to Vatican News reports filed by Mario Galgano.
Parisian Stops Highlighted by Charpentier and Ravel
The first day of the journey centers on Paris, where a specific historical composition is paired with each engagement. Vatican News reports that the welcoming ceremony at the Élysée Palace is paired with the “Te Deum” by Marc-Antoine Charpentier. For the visit to UNESCO, the editorial selection features Maurice Ravel’s 1915 work “Trois beaux oiseaux du paradis,” composed during the First World War. The stop at the Cathedral of Notre-Dame draws on Pérotin’s “Viderunt omnes,” a piece originally written for the cathedral space in 1198. The night prayer vigil at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis is framed by the “Fêtes” movement from Claude Debussy’s “Nocturnes.”
Capital Departures and Massabielle Grotto Prayer
Before leaving the French capital on the second day, the itinerary includes a visit to the Maison Bakhita social center, accompanied by César Franck’s “Panis Angelicus,” as detailed by Vatican News. The subsequent Mass at the Place de la Concorde features “In Paradisum” from Gabriel Fauré’s Requiem, a piece originally written for the nearby Église de la Madeleine. Moving south to Lourdes, the pope’s silent prayer at the Grotte de Massabielle is paired with Guillaume Dufay’s “Ave Regina Caelorum.”
Bishops Meetings and Torchlight Processions in Lourdes
In Lourdes, the meeting with French bishops at the Emicycle Sainte-Bernadette is matched with Francis Poulenc’s “Litanies à la Vierge Noire,” a work the composer wrote in 1936 following the death of a friend. Vatican News notes that the visit to sick individuals at the Accueil Notre-Dame is framed by Lili Boulanger’s 1918 composition “Pie Jesu.” The evening torchlight procession is paired with Charles Gounod’s “Ave Maria.”
Interreligious Dialogue and Conclusion in Metz
The final leg of the journey takes place in Metz, located in the Lorraine region. During the interreligious gathering at the Robert-Schuman-Congress-Centrum, Maurice Duruflé’s “Ubi caritas” plays in the background. The session dedicated to peace is linked with Hector Berlioz’s “Apothéose.” The trip concludes at the Cathedral of Saint-Étienne with Guillaume de Machaut’s “Messe de Nostre Dame,” followed by Olivier Messiaen’s “L’Ascension” for the return flight to Rome.
