Jennifer Hudson to Headline Vatican's 'Concert With the Poor' on Dec. 5

Jennifer Hudson will headline the Vatican's seventh "Concert With the Poor" on Dec. 5 in Paul VI Hall, with Pope Leo scheduled to attend.

The EGOT-winning singer and actress joins a short and select list of American pop headliners to take the Holy See stage, following Michael Bublé, who led last year's edition. That 2024 concert, also attended by Pope Leo, marked the first time a pope attended the Vatican event.

Roughly 8,000 participants are expected in the Holy See's main auditorium. More than 3,000 of them will be people living in poverty or vulnerability, each receiving a hot takeaway dinner after the performance.

What do the promoters promise?

The Nova Opera ETS Foundation, the event's promoter, framed Hudson's participation in unusually lofty terms. Her presence "represents a special encounter between the great American musical tradition, spirituality, and the universal value of solidarity, in an evening where music becomes a message of hope, brotherhood and sharing," the foundation said in a statement.

The setlist remains undisclosed. Viewers hoping for advance word will have to wait.

Hudson will perform alongside the Rome-based Nova Opera Orchestra and the choir of the Diocese of Rome. Mons. Marco Frisina holds the artistic direction. Italian singer and actress Serena Autieri joins as special guest.

How can audiences watch?

Italian TV will broadcast the concert live. Major Catholic broadcasters will stream it worldwide.

The event is, by Vatican standards, a young tradition — seven editions in, it has already drawn two papal appearances and a run of mainstream headliners that now stretches from Bublé to Hudson.

Is this Hudson's first Vatican turn?

No. Hudson performed at the Vatican on Sept. 13, 2025, as part of the "Grace for the World" concert in St. Peter's Square, closing the Jubilee year. She sang alongside Andrea Bocelli and Jelly Roll.

Her return in December, this time inside Paul VI Hall and before a pope in the audience, marks a step up in scale for the collaboration between the Vatican and American popular music — and a test of whether a concert built around a hot dinner for 3,000 guests can carry a live global broadcast.