The Pope Joked in Front of Comedians Worldwide: "I Prayed to Become a Funny Person Too"

Meeting Whoopi Goldberg, Conan O'Brien, and Others
"Prayed for 40 Years to Have a Good Sense of Humor"

Pope Francis invited 107 top comedians from around the world to the Vatican for a unique meeting.

On the 14th (local time), Vatican News, the official media of the Holy See, reported that Pope Francis met with 107 famous comedians from 15 countries, including actress Whoopi Goldberg, the star of the movie series 'Sister Act,' American TV talk show hosts Jimmy Fallon and Conan O'Brien, at the Vatican Apostolic Palace. The gathering also included American comedian Chris Rock, Stephen Merchant, who worked as a writer and actor on the British drama 'The Office,' and Julia Louis-Dreyfus, famous for the American drama 'Seinfeld.'

Pope Francis is shaking hands with actress Whoopi Goldberg at a cultural event inviting comedians from around the world, held on the 14th (local time) at the Vatican Apostolic Palace.
[Image source=Provided by Vatican Media, Reuters Yonhap News]

During the meeting, the Pope praised them, saying, "In a time when depressing news is overflowing and social and personal crises are occurring, you are among the few who can convey calmness and smiles and can engage in conversations with people from different generations and cultural backgrounds." He added, "Laughter is contagious, so it breaks down social barriers and unites people," and joked, "I have been praying for 40 years, saying, 'Lord, grant me a good sense of humor,'" bringing laughter to the audience.

Afterwards, the Pope shook hands with each of them and asked, "Please help us to smile, face the contradictions of reality, and dream of a better world." He also said, "It is okay to mock God in the same way we play and joke with our loved ones, but we must not offend the religious feelings of believers, especially the poor."

One of the attendees, Goldberg, revealed in an interview last month that she had proposed to Pope Francis to make a cameo appearance in 'Sister Act 3.' When asked if the Pope had accepted the proposal, she laughed and replied, "Today was not the right time to ask, so I think I will have to send an email," according to Italy's ANSA news agency. 'Sister Act' is a comedy film about a third-rate singer who hides in a convent to escape a gang and forms a choir there, creating a nun performance group.

Pope Meets 107 Comedians Worldwide Including Chris Rock and Jimmy Fallon
[Photo by Vatican Media, AFP Yonhap News]

The event, co-hosted by the Vatican's Department of Culture and Education and the Department of Communications, was described by the Holy See as a celebration of the beauty of human diversity. About two-thirds of the participants were from Italy. After meeting with comedians from around the world, the Pope headed to Puglia in southeastern Italy, where the G7 summit was taking place. As the first Pope in history to attend a G7 summit, he delivered a speech in the afternoon on the theme of 'AI and Peace.' The Pope said, "In light of the tragedy of armed conflict, it is urgent to reconsider the development and use of so-called 'lethal autonomous weapons' and ultimately ban their use," adding, "We must make effective and concrete efforts so that humans can control AI more powerfully and appropriately. No machine should take human life."