By Almudena Martínez-Bordiú
Vatican City, Mar 17, 2025 / 21:00 pm
A group of tango enthusiasts, the emblematic dance of Pope Francis’ homeland, gathered in the plaza in front of Gemelli Hospital on Sunday to express their support and closeness to the Holy Father through dance.
The melody of the bandoneon, the leading instrument in tango, resonated all the way to the 10th floor of the hospital, where the pope has been hospitalized for over a month. The initiative, dubbed “prayer tango,“ was a show of solidarity from Italy’s “tango community.“
Argentine dancer Daiana Guspero was responsible for promoting the event. In an interview with ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, Guspero shared the details of the moving gesture, performed March 16 in front of the statue of St. John Paul II, where many faithful have gathered to pray for Pope Francis.
“I am a true believer and I was sure that with our energy, dancing the tango and praying for him, it would reach him in some way. It was the least I could do for him, and I felt the need to do it, especially knowing that he loves tango, that he danced it when he was young, and that he listened to it at the Vatican,” the Argentine dancer explained.
According to the dancer, fans from different parts of Italy, such as Catania and Sicily, came to the gathering. “I danced with Massimiliano Varrese, an Italian actor with whom I’m also studying. He’s also a believer, and he immediately joined in to convey all our love to the pope,” Guspero added.
Although the initial idea was “a silent dance,” Mariano Navone, a dancer and musician who played the bandoneon live, eventually joined in. “Seeing that the pope was feeling better, we thought maybe he could come over to the window when he heard it.
