Mark Wahlberg Will Host “Festival of Families” Event for Pope Francis in Philly

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Mark Wahlberg is one of the world’s highest-paid actors, a family man, an avid New Englander—and a devout Catholic.

“I go to church because it’s what I should be doing,” he once told Vanity Fair. “It’s pointing me in the right direction, making me a better person.”

Later this month, the actor will welcome the head of the Catholic Church at an event in Philadelphia. On Saturday, September 26, Wahlberg will host the Festival of Families, which Pope Francis will attend during his highly-anticipated visit to the U.S.

The event, an “international celebration of family, community, and faith” that has taken place in different countries over the years, will culminate in a program of performances by world-renowned artists.

Andrea Bocelli, Juanes, and the Philadelphia Orchestra were announced as performers in June. Today, the World Meeting of Families, the organization behind the event, announced the addition of Aretha Franklin, The Fray, and Marie Miller.

Pope Francis himself will both attend the show and address the crowd during the event, which will be broadcast nationally from the Benjamin Franklin Parkway outside of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.