The performance was part of a ceremony held in Italy to confer an honorary doctorate on Stephen Devassy in recognition of his 26 years of contribution to music.
Pope Leo XIV listened to two Malayalam songs in Rome on Wednesday, sung by Vijay Yesudas and accompanied on the keyboard by Stephen Devassy.
The songs performed were “Jathi bhedam matha dwesham” (Let there be no caste or religious hatred among us) and “Daiva sneham varnichidan vaakkukal pora” (Words fall short to describe God’s love). Around 50,000 people, including religious leaders from various countries, attended the event.
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Stephen Devassy said it was a blessing to be able to perform Malayalam songs at such a venue. The opportunity came through the Give Life initiative of the International Justice Alliance, a nonprofit working for racial justice, animal rights, and the climate crisis.
The event was organised by fashion designer Sanjana Jon. Devassy captioned his posts saying, “It was bliss to be in the presence of the #popeleo” and how Vijay Yesudas made the songs “sound absolutely beautiful.”
A ceremony was also held in Italy to confer an honorary doctorate on Stephen Devassy from the Sorbonne University in France, in recognition of his 26 years of contribution to music.
Published: 30 Oct 2025, 11:25 am IST
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