IMAGE: CNS photo/Jane Barlow, Dylan Martinez, Reuters, Jason Bell

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VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Proceeds from a Christmas concert at the Vatican starring Lionel Richie, Bonnie Tyler and Susan Boyle will go to help protect the Amazon and support indigenous communities there.

Sponsored by the Vatican Congregation for Catholic Education, the Dec. 14 concert will feature several Italian singers and musicians, including the Vatican’s police band.

But the headline performers, the Vatican said, will be: Richie, the U.S. Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter; Boyle, who was a 2009 finalist on "Britain’s Got Talent"; and Tyler, whose songs "It’s a Heartache" and "Total Eclipse of the Heart" are among the best-selling singles of all time.

Donations and proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to a Salesian project helping indigenous communities in northwestern Brazil and to a Scholas Occurrentes awareness-raising campaign in 450,000 schools around the world promoting reforestation.

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