A picture projected on St. Peter’s Basilica during the show "Fiat Lux: Illuminating Our Common Home," on Dec. 8 at the Vatican, part of the inauguration of the church's yearlong Jubilee of Mercy. (Photo by Tiziana Fabi/AFP)
The world's wealthiest Chinese person was one of the sponsors of a Vatican light show that was part of the opening program for the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy.
The three-hour event, "Fiat Lux: Illuminating our Common Home" saw the colorful display of images of people from various places, the natural world and climate change against the facade of St. Peter's Basilica on Dec. 8. About 1.5 million spectators watched the show.
The light show was staged by a conglomerate of social justice organizations under the umbrella of the World Bank Group’s Connect4Climate campaign and the Italian environment.
It was sponsored by Hong Kong-based Li Ka Shing Foundation along with Microsoft co-founder Paul G. Allen's Vulcan Inc., the digital projection group Obscura, and environmentalist tech company Okeanos.
Li Ka-shing, 87, is ranked the richest Chinese and the 17th among world billionaires with a net worth of US$33.3 billion, according to Forbes 2015.
He was the topic of a public opinion storm some months ago, being accused of dumping his investments in China.
His gesture was interpreted as casting a dim view on China's economic prospects and affected the way other rich people invested.
In the foundation's Dec. 9 press release, Li said he was honored to take part in the project, hoping it will "inspire reflection, rekindling our quest for spiritual and scientific wisdom, renewing our hope and steadfastness."
"While science and technology can broaden human perspective, it is only through love that humanity can prevail. That is why it is such a privilege to participate in this project here, at the very nexus of the philosophy of brotherly love," said Li, who practices the Buddhist faith.
