In a lighthearted and unexpected event, Pope Francis recently hosted over 100 comedians from 15 nations at the Vatican to celebrate the importance of humor [79d551db]. The gathering took place on June 14 and included well-known US comedians such as Whoopi Goldberg, Jimmy Fallon, Chris Rock, Stephen Colbert, and Conan O'Brien [79d551db]. During his speech, Pope Francis expressed his belief that comedians have the power to spread peace and smiles, especially in the midst of gloomy news and personal emergencies [79d551db]. He mentioned that laughter is contagious and when comedians bring smiles to the lips of even a single spectator, they also make God smile [79d551db].
After delivering his speech, Pope Francis individually greeted all the comedians, sharing laughs and jokes with some of them [79d551db]. The comedians expressed their happiness and gratitude for the experience [79d551db].
This gathering of comedians at the Vatican highlights Pope Francis' recognition of the power of humor to bring joy and unity. It also underscores his belief in the importance of spreading peace and smiles, even in unexpected and unconventional ways [79d551db].
In a related development, Japan has recently made it mandatory for citizens to laugh at least once a day [8c3ff3f7]. This rule is based on a scientific paper published five years ago in the Journal of Epidemiology, which states that laughter has numerous health benefits [8c3ff3f7]. The Japanese government has passed this rule based on evidence that laughter reduces the risk of heart attacks [8c3ff3f7]. Workplaces in Japan have also been directed to create an 'environment filled with laughter' [8c3ff3f7]. However, some politicians are opposing this rule, arguing that it infringes on constitutional rights and may adversely affect those who cannot laugh due to illness or other reasons [8c3ff3f7].
The combination of these two stories highlights the growing recognition of the power of humor and laughter to bring joy, unity, and health benefits. While Pope Francis emphasizes the role of comedians in spreading peace and smiles, Japan's new rule reflects a broader societal effort to promote laughter for its health benefits [79d551db] [8c3ff3f7].