Vatican City, Dec 7, 2016 / 14:36 pm
Beauty, under the care of artists, has the ability to transform even the everyday lives of men and women, Pope Francis said in a message for the annual meeting of the Pontifical Academies on Tuesday.
Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin delivered the Pope's message during the 21st public session Dec. 6, before presenting the winning artists of this year's Pontifical Academies Award, who are chosen by the Pope.
"Architects and painters, sculptors and musicians, filmmakers and writers, photographers and poets, artists of every discipline, are called to shine beauty especially where darkness or gray dominates everyday life," the Pope wrote.
They "are the custodians of beauty, heralds and witnesses of hope for humanity."