In September 2025, the skies over the Vatican became more electrifying than St Peter’s Basilica. Drones lit up with the face of Baby Jesus, morphing into Pope Francis before vanishing like a fleeting halo. The show was staged by Nova Sky Stories, Elon Musk's tech-savvy younger brother, Kimbal.

The drone spectacle, described as part holy vision, part cyberpunk wonder, drew tens of thousands to Vatican Square. Andrea Bocelli and Teddy Swims sang ‘Amazing Grace’ from below, their voices joined by digital stars in the sky above.

‘Grace for the World’, the first concert on this hallowed ground, left many weeping. Kimbal Musk sees drone shows as a spiritual bridge; Pope Leo even passed him a note: 'I made Michelangelo proud.' But could these aerial spectacles be the new religious experience?

The origins of this fusion lie in Burning Man. In 2021, when fire was banned due to pandemic, artist Ralph Nauta used drones to create the iconic burning man figure. One year later, Kimbal founded Nova Sky Stories and brought his vision to the Vatican.

Although robotics researchers have been experimenting with drones for years, it’s now a global phenomenon. From Chinese Geishas to Saudi Arabia’s King, no celebration is complete without aerial lights. As Steph Curry put it: 'That's the wildest thing I've seen in a while.'