Vatican Offers Blessing to Rosalía, Signaling Shift in Church’s Engagement with Pop Culture
Vatican City – In a surprising move, the Vatican has effectively endorsed the latest album by Spanish singer Rosalía, Lux, a collection deeply rooted in her Catholic faith. this gesture marks a significant departure from the Church’s historical responses to artistic expression, once quick to condemn perceived sacrilege.
Historically, the Catholic Church has frequently enough found itself at odds with popular culture. In the 1960s, John Lennon’s remark that The Beatles were “bigger than Jesus” drew considerable controversy, though the Vatican later offered a form of absolution in 2010 through its newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano. Over the decades, works like The Da Vinci Code, the Twilight series, Sinead O’Connor’s protest on Saturday Night Live – where she ripped up a picture of Pope John Paul II – and Martin Scorsese’s The Last Temptation of Christ have all faced criticism. Notably, with the exception of O’Connor, who knowingly risked her career, these artists often saw increased attention and sales following the backlash.
Rosalía, though, appears to be benefiting from a changed approach within the Holy See. The singer has openly discussed her faith, stating earlier this month, “I pray every night before I fall asleep. Its a very personal relationship with God.”
This shift in attitude was further demonstrated earlier this month when Pope Francis hosted a gathering of Hollywood stars, including Greta Gerwig, Spike Lee, and Cate blanchett, at the Vatican. In his address, the Pope praised film’s ability to help audiences “contemplate and understand life, to recount its greatness and fragility.”
The Vatican’s evolving stance reflects a broader recognition that appearing censorious or disconnected from contemporary culture yields no positive results. While conservative religious groups in some countries, like the United States, continue to express concern over perceived attacks on faith, a more secular global landscape has largely rendered such outrage less potent.
Rosalía’s exploration of her spirituality through her art, presented without didacticism, embodies this new dynamic.Lux offers a personal account of her faith journey, rather than a prescriptive message, aligning with the church’s apparent desire to engage with culture rather than condemn it.
