November 5, 2009. The Vatican has released the official guest list for this years conference with artists.


Pope Benedict XVI has invited hundreds of artists from around the world to the Vatican.

The goal is to rekindle the relationship between art and religion.

The guests includes architect Daniel Libeskind who designed the Freedom Tower at the former World Trade Center in New York, Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava along with Grammy nominated singer Andrea Bocelli, Brazilian Pianist Alvaro Siviero and film score composer Ennio Morricone.

Among painters and sculptors Arnaldo Pomodoro and Father Marko Rupnik whose mosaics have adorned churches around the world, will also be in attendance.

The Pope also invited a list of Italian scholar Claudio Magris, novelist Susanna Tamaro, British film director Peter Greeway.

Along with actors Monica Guerritore, Terence Hill and Franco Zeffirelli

In all about 500 artists have been invited.

The summit which will take place November 21, inside the Sistine Chapel, also marks the 10th anniversary of the letter from Pope John Paul II wrote to artists.

It was then, when the late pontiff held a similar event.

MC  - JM

-- WP