The World Youth Day celebrations are taking place in Sydney this week. As I mentioned in an earlier thread, there were rumours that the Pope would attend my choir’s performance of Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis. This evening’s performance is specifically for the pilgrims, so if he’s going to come, it will be tonight. Nothing is confirmed as yet, but we’ve been given lots of extra security instructions, so I think the odds are in our favour. I suppose it really all depends on how tired he is at the end of the Stations of the Cross ceremonies that are taking place across the city this afternoon. But it will sure add an extra boost of excitement to the performance if he does come along.
Good luck! That would be quite a thrill. You will let us know, won’t you?
I certainly will.
Oh well - there was a veritable college of cardinals there, but sadly the Pope was a no show. He missed a very good performance.
Cunctator, I’m up late here in the Central USA. It’s a little past 1:15 AM here, which I see would be 4:15PM in Sydney. On EWTN a service is being shown at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney, in which the Pope is dedicating a new main altar. Rather an unusual image of Christ on the front of it I must say, reclining, covered in scars, prepared for burial
Would you by any chance be there?(Of course if you are you aren’t seeing this post now.) There’s a lot of choral music, are you by chance part of that?
Sorry to say, probably due to age, His Holiness doesn’t have all that great a chanting voice. I wonder if it would be better if he could speak in his native tongue, instead of English? His English reminds me of a German-born pastor we had at a church I used to belong to, d’s replacing th’s. Da Fader, da Son, und de Holy Speeret.
How long is the Pope supposed to be in Australia?
No, that would have been the cathedral choir.
He leaves Sydney early tomorrow (Monday 21 July).