Pennisi y Pereyraonnec Turns Palermo and Luján into Two Folk Stages for the Pope

The arrival of a pope in Argentina always manages to turn a religious agenda into a civic spectacle. This time, the program adds two figures of the national folk tradition: Nahuel Pennisi will perform at the Monument to the Spaniards in Palermo, while Luciano Pereyra will sing at the closing Mass in Luján, his hometown. The Pope’s visit is scheduled for November 8 through 11, under the motto “Welcome everyone. Go and proclaim.”

Two dates, two intimate connections

Pennisi’s performance will take place on Monday, November 9, at 11:30 a.m. in Palermo. The place is no stranger to major historical gatherings: John Paul II was there during his 1982 visit to the country. The singer connected his appearance to his latest album, a tribute to Mercedes Sosa. “Singing before the Holy Father in my country is a blessing and immense honor for me because of what it represents in my life,” he said. For Pennisi, the repertoire dedicated to “Negra Sosa” adds a spiritual and cultural meaning to the performance. It is, in other words, an encounter between two lives linked by faith, memory and popular music.

“Cantar ante el Santo Padre en mi país es una bendición y un honor inmenso para mí por lo que representa en mi vida.”Nahuel Pennisi

Pereyra will sing on Wednesday, November 11, at the outdoor Mass closing the papal agenda at the Basilica of Our Lady of Luján. Organizers project attendance of between one and two million faithful. The singer was notified during his eighth performance at the Movistar Arena, and he could barely contain his emotion. His reaction was immediate: “In my city, in Luján, I will sing to the Pope. In my city of Luján, where I live, a Pope is coming!”

“Me acaban de confirmar que en mi ciudad, en la ciudad de Luján, le voy a cantar al Papa. ¡En mi ciudad de Luján, en donde vivo, viene un Papa!”Luciano Pereyra

The program also includes “Si no es contigo,” the first advance of Pereyra’s forthcoming discographic material, which marks a new stage rooted in folklore with a pop sound. His appearance in Luján has a personal antecedent: in 2000, at only 18 years old, he was chosen to represent Latin American youth and performed “Solo le pido a Dios” before John Paul II during the World Youth Day in Rome. Now, decades later, he returns to the papal stage in the city where he was born. The scene resembles a reunion with an old friend, only this time the audience is measured in millions.

• Monday, November 9: Nahuel Pennisi will perform at 11:30 a.m. at the Monument to the Spaniards in Palermo.
• Wednesday, November 11: Luciano Pereyra will sing at the closing Mass at the Basilica of Our Lady of Luján.
• The Mass will be held outdoors, in front of the sanctuary, with an estimated attendance of one to two million faithful.
• The papal visit is scheduled for November 8 through 11 and will be the first visit to Argentina by a pope since John Paul II’s trip in 1987.

There is something unmistakably Argentine about this combination: a tribute to Mercedes Sosa, a song by a young Pereyra before John Paul II and the presence of two of the country’s most recognized folk voices accompanying the Pope. The stage may be monumental, but the repertoire remains close to everyday life, like a familiar tune heard over the loudspeakers of a neighborhood festival in the valley. My recommendation: listen to the performances with attention, because the religious event may occupy the headlines, but the musical encounter will be the one that remains in memory.