Country star Jelly Roll shared a milestone moment after performing at a landmark concert in Vatican City and shaking hands with Pope Leo XIV.
The singer, 40, took the stage at Grace for the World: The Live Event in Rome, held at St. Peter’s Square—the first concert at the site in 2,000 years.
The star-studded lineup also featured Williams, Bocelli, Jennifer Hudson, John Legend, Karol G, BamBam, Teddy Swims, Angélique Kidjo, Clipse, the Voices of Fire Gospel Choir, and the Choir of the Diocese of Rome.
Jelly performed his Brandon Lake collaboration Hard Fought Hallelujah, later posting a photo on Instagram of himself smiling and shaking hands with Pope Leo XIV, 70.
“From rock bottom to holy ground,” he captioned the shot, quoting the Bible: “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
The concert marks a huge milestone for Jelly Roll, who had faced several challenges in touring internationally because of multiple felony convictions.
In a 2023 interview with Interview magazine, he admitted some countries initially refused entry despite his U.S. passport approval.
Before heading to Rome, he performed in Europe as part of his Big A** Stadium Tour with Post Malone.