“A Roma, anche i sassi parlano.”
In Rome, even the stones speak.
Happy Monday from Rome Observer. It's a crisp late-spring morning in the Eternal City, with clear skies and temperatures already climbing toward a high of 24°C. Today is a historic one for the Vatican: Pope Leo XIV personally launches his first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, on the ethics of artificial intelligence — a first for any pontiff. The Auditorium Parco della Musica hosts world-renowned pianist Lang Lang tonight, while over 5,000 students from across Italy arrive for the return of the Giochi della Gioventù youth games. The second Vatican Longevity Summit also opens today, bringing scientists and ethicists to discuss the future of aging. Settimana starts strong — make the most of it.
Pope Leo XIV will today launch Magnifica Humanitas (Magnificent Humanity), his first papal encyclical, in a ceremony at the Vatican — the first time a pontiff has personally presented an encyclical. The document centres on 'the protection of the human person in the age of artificial intelligence' and will be unveiled alongside Christopher Olah, co-founder of leading AI company Anthropic.
The encyclical draws on the Church's longstanding engagement with technology, including the 2020 Rome Call for AI Ethics and the 2024 G7 address by Pope Francis. Leo has made AI ethics a hallmark of his young pontificate, recently warning at Sapienza University that AI must not 'absolve humans of responsibility for their choices or exacerbate the tragedy of conflicts.' The encyclical was drafted with input from Monsignor Paul Tighe and Father Brendan Maguire, a former tech executive who helped write Anthropic's Claude ethics constitution. The move signals the Vatican's deepening commitment to shaping global AI governance at a moment of intense geopolitical competition over the technology.
Over 5,000 students from every region of Italy are arriving in Rome today for the Nuovi Giochi della Gioventù — the revived national youth games that begin tomorrow at Piazza del Popolo with an opening ceremony featuring the Mameli anthem, institutional addresses, and live entertainment. The four-day event, running from May 26–29, marks the return of a cherished Italian sporting tradition that had been dormant for decades.
Competitions will be held across seven venues: athletics and baskin at the Stadio Olimpico, swimming at the Foro Italico pools, handball and basketball at the Stadio della Farnesina, rugby tag and badminton at La Sapienza Sport in Tor di Quinto, futsal at the CONI Olympic Preparation Centre at Acqua Acetosa, and volleyball at the CIP Tre Fontane Paralympic Centre. The closing ceremony on Friday 29 May will award 70 prizes across categories and disciplines. The games were revived under Law 41 of March 2025, passed unanimously by Parliament and promoted by the ministries of Education and Sport.
The second edition of the Vatican Longevity Summit begins today at the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum, bringing together scientists, bioethicists, and theologians for two days of discussion on redefining aging, health, and the future of human life. The summit, held at the John Paul II Auditorium on Via degli Aldobrandeschi, runs from May 25–26 and features international experts exploring themes from cellular senescence to equitable access to longevity therapies.
Organised by the Pontifical University in collaboration with research institutes, the summit reflects the Vatican's growing interest in the ethical dimensions of life extension science. Sessions will cover geroscience, regenerative medicine, and the social implications of extended human lifespans, with a focus on ensuring that longevity research serves the common good.
World-renowned Chinese pianist Lang Lang performs tonight at the Auditorium Parco della Musica, one of Rome's premier concert venues. The 8:30 pm programme features Bach's Prelude & Fugue in C Major from The Well-Tempered Clavier, Mozart's Piano Sonata No. 16 in C Major K. 545 'Sonata facile,' and Liszt's Liebestraum No. 3 in A-flat Major, among other works.
Lang Lang, one of the most celebrated classical pianists of his generation, last performed in Rome in 2023 to a sold-out audience. Tonight's concert is part of a European tour. The Auditorium Parco della Musica, designed by Renzo Piano and opened in 2002, remains Rome's foremost venue for international classical music, hosting the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia orchestra in its three concert hall 'scarab' structures.