Last month, music history was made in the most unlikely of places: St. Peter’s Square, in Vatican City, which hosted its first-ever live music concert on September 13th. The show was destined to be one to remember. But when famed Italian Catholic Andrea Bocelli stepped on stage with US blues singer Teddy Swims for a duet of “Amazing Grace,” the mystical moment went absolutely viral.

This star duet has already amassed over 800,000 views across its various YouTube uploads. Music Man readers can watch the magic unfold in the video below.

Andrea leads this magnificent set with his classic voice, bold tones lining the exquisite sound of a live orchestra while, above, a myriad of drones glisten in the night sky, spelling out the image of the late Pope Francis, who passed away in April 2023.

But when Teddy Swims takes on the second verse in his deep, velvet voice, he introduces a brand new dimension to the hymn, inviting gospel-blues energy into this traditional Christian setting, yet performing with every ounce of respect you’d expect from a gig like this.

As the drone show crafts impressions of flying doves above, Andrea and Teddy blend voices, yet there’s simply no stopping Andrea from stealing the show: his bold vibratos drowning out Teddy, who takes a step back to softly harmonize the lyrics.

Bocelli didn’t merely perform at this gig, titled Grace For The World; he co-directed the event with outspoken Christian and “Happy” hitmaker, Pharrell Williams. Grace For The World also featured star performances from US superstars John Legend, Jennifer Hudson and Jelly Roll, Colombian artist Karol G, Thai rapper BamBam, and Beninese-French singer Angélique Kidjo.

This gig marked the final event of the Fratelli Tutti Foundation’s 2025 World Meeting on Human Fraternity; its vision: “to communicate to the whole world, with a symbolic embrace, the joy of fraternal love,” according to the Foundation’s president, Cardinal Mauro Gambetti.

Bocelli said it was “a great honour” to perform on the St. Peter’s Square stage, with the devout Catholic adding, “I sincerely hope that it will truly succeed in spreading, in everyone’s hearts, a sense of brotherhood and great humanity, which is so badly needed.”

In a world where faith dims beneath the light of science, Andrea poignantly revealed the reasoning behind his own Catholicism in an interview with EWTN, commenting, “I do not believe in the clock without the clockmaker. I do not believe that one can make something without someone who designed it being made. Therefore, I have faith, I have a lot of faith in the one who made the world.”

Andrea Bocelli and Teddy Swims have truly created a mesmerizing spectacle that will resonate in the annals of music history. Their unforgettable duet has captured the hearts of millions worldwide. To experience this breathtaking performance and explore more about the artists and the event, follow the links provided below.