The Palestrina Choir of St Mary’s Pro Cathedral in Dublin travels to
Rome this week to sing for Pope Benedict XVI. They will do so next Sunday for the Feast of the Epiphany.
Accompanied by Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin, the 32 boys and 12 men from the choir will sing with the prestigious Sistine Chapel Choir at St Peter’s Basilica while also singing some of their own repertoire to showcase the best of Irish liturgical choral music.
Palestrina Choir director Blánaid Murphy said they were delighted to accept the invitation.
It is the second time a choir from the Dublin archdiocese has been invited to the Vatican to perform before the pope.
In February 2009, Our Lady’s Choral Society and the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, under conductor Proinsias Ó Duinn, played Handel’s Messiah to mark the 80th anniversary of the Vatican city state.
The Palestrina Choir, founded in 1903, is the only Catholic choir of its type in the Republic.
One of the best known choirs in the country, it sings every Sunday at 11am Mass in the Pro Cathedral.