I had the privilege of documenting an unprecedented event in the history of the Vatican fro National Geographic: the first-ever concert in St. Peter’s Square, illuminated by Europe’s largest drone performance.

The evening, Grace for the World, was directed by Pharrell Williams and Andrea Bocelli and featured performances by John Legend, Jennifer Hudson, and choirs from around the world. Above the basilica, thousands of drones lit up the night sky with images inspired by Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel—the Creation of Adam, the Pietà, doves of peace, and more.

Being in St. Peter’s Square with tens of thousands of people, at the intersection of sacred tradition and contemporary creativity, was a rare privilege. The scale of the venue was matched only by the complexity of the production—coordinating logistics, creativity, and bureaucracy in one of the most iconic and carefully protected spaces on Earth.

This was not an individual achievement but a collective effort. I am deeply grateful to Manuel Montesano, Samantha Azzani, and Lorenzo Poli for their invaluable collaboration on the ground, to Sony for supporting us with cameras, lenses, and technical materials, and to Anne Farrar and Alex Pollok at National Geographic for their unwavering trust and support throughout this journey.