Irish comedians to meet Pope Francis during special Vatican event this week

Irish comedians Ardal O’Hanlon, Patrick Kielty, and Tommy Tiernan are among 100 entertainers who are set to meet with Pope Francis at The Vatican this Friday, June 14.

O'Hanlon, from Co Monaghan, is perhaps most famous for his role as Father Dougal McGuire on the beloved comedy "Father Ted," while Kielty, from Co Down, took over as host of RTÉ's "The Late Late Show" last year.

Meanwhile, Tiernan, who was born in Co Donegal and later lived in Co Meath, has featured in the smash hit "Derry Girls" and also has his own talk show on RTÉ.

The trio of Irish comedians will be joined by several Irish American comedians as well - Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Fallon, Stephen Colbert, and Jim Gaffigan are also set to attend the event on Friday, according to Vatican News.

Jointly organized by the Vatican's Dicastery for Culture and Education and Dicastery for Communication, Friday’s event in the Apostolic Palace is intended to "establish a link" between the Catholic Church and such artists, a June 8 press release from the Holy See said.

The meeting aims to "celebrate the beauty of human diversity ... [and] promote a message of peace, love and solidarity" and "promises to be a moment of meaningful intercultural dialogue and sharing of joy and hope."

Reuters notes that the press release from the Vatican said Pope Francis “recognizes the significant impact that the art of comedy has on the world of contemporary culture.”

“Through the humorous talent and the unifying value of laughter, unique reflections on the human condition and the historical situation are offered today,” the Vatican statement said, saying comedy can also “contribute to a more empathetic and supportive world.”

Vatican News reports that the statement from the Holy See recalled Pope Francis during an interview with Italian TV channel TV2000 when he said that he prays daily in the words of St. Thomas More, asking the Lord to grant him a sense of humor.

In the past, Pope Francis has acknowledged the power the art of comedy has to contribute to a more empathetic and sympathetic world. He also observed, during his June 2023 encounter with artists in the Sistine Chapel, that, after all, Scripture itself is rich in moments of irony.

On that occasion, the Pope likewise expressed to the artists gathered under Michelangelo's frescoes, his belief that humorists, including actors, artists, cartoonists, and writers, have "the ability to dream up new versions of the world," and often do so "with irony, which is a wonderful virtue."

Pope Francis - who lived in Dublin for a period - made an official visit to Ireland in 2018.