Antonio Banderas tells Pope Leo how he was 'captivated by the spell of God'
Antonio Banderas | REUTERS/Danny MoloshokActor Antonio Banderas told Pope Leo XIV that he has been "captivated by the spell of God" as he reflected on his Christian faith, the role of art and the challenges posed by artificial intelligence during an event in Madrid.
The Spanish actor shared what he described as a personal reflection on Sunday before the pontiff and other cultural leaders during Pope Leo's apostolic visit to Spain.
Banderas recalled attending Holy Week processions in his hometown of Malaga as a child, saying the celebrations sparked an early curiosity about God that has remained with him throughout his life.
"A question was born within me when I was only 4 or 5 years old," Banderas said. "It consisted of a single word: God."
The actor said he gradually found answers through the faith of his family and the religious devotion of ordinary people in his community.
“Little by little, I began to find answers,” he explained. “Some were as simple as those I discovered in my mother’s eyes as she fixed her gaze and her devoted heart upon the virgin of hope as her throne passed before us in those distant years.”
Banderas also credited “the humble and good people” of Malaga who “took to the streets carrying their neighborhoods with them, bearing the sacred images that helped them seek themselves even as they sought God” with helping answer his faith-related questions. He noted that “they did so by leaving behind the self in order to embrace the we.”
“From the we, they moved to them, from them to all, from all to the world, from the world to the universe and from the universe to God before returning again to Earth with the intuition that God may be present in every particle, in every molecule of every drop of water, every sea, every rose petal, every heartbeat and every sigh,” he added.
Banderas turned directly to the pontiff as he insisted that they “share a common obligation” because they are “obliged to look to see and to seek to understand the complexities of the human soul.” He also expressed confidence that “I am here because of 'Godspell.'”
“'Godspell' is a musical theater work created in your homeland,” Banderas told Leo, referring to the United States, detailing how the play’s title translates to “The Spell of God” in Spanish. “I, too, have been captivated by the spell of God.”
Banderas also highlighted “the relationship between the Catholic Church and art,” which he described as one that “has not merely been fruitful” but also “decisive.”
“At the heart of this creative impulse stands the figure who transcends centuries, artistic styles and cultures and who has undoubtedly been the most frequently represented figure in the history of art: Jesus Christ,” Banderas said before referring to our Savior as “the great protagonist of the drama of life.”
Banderas added, “Across all the arts, Christ remains a constant presence, not as a repeated image but as an icon of peace, love and sacrifice surrounded by an inexhaustible mystery.”
“Just as Christ Himself did, the artist must act courageously and must never abandon the role of being a critical voice towards society, towards art itself and even toward religion itself,” he maintained. “In a world that rushes forward, fragments itself and, at times, oversimplifies reality, art helps us recover the depth and the soul that are in danger of being taken from us by artificial intelligences.”
Banderas’ remarks come less than two weeks after the pontiff published his first encyclical about artificial intelligence. The actor’s comments about AI correlate with Leo’s views on the matter, with Banderas proclaiming that the new technology “must remain at the service of the human person and never the other way around.” He shared his vision of AI as “a soul that whispers to us that there is something more” and “the constant whisper of hope in that something more.”
Banderas characterized the “encounter between the church and civil society” that he was speaking at as “not merely timely” but also “necessary.”
According to Banderas, “We need to continue creating and sharing. We need to continue asking questions. We need to continue seeking beauty, yes, but also truth. For wherever we dare to ask profound questions, a path always [begins], a path that can lead us towards the spiritual, which is nothing other than the fraternity that beats within the heart of every human being and within the mysterious heart of God.”
Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: ryan.foley@christianpost.com