April 13, 2011. (Romereports.com) The Passion of Jesus is one of the most represented moments in the history of art. But it's not only paintings that have captured the last moments of Jesus. Music has also proven useful in this area. In this case it comes from texts written by Cardinal Giovanni Lajolo.



Card. Giovanni Lajolo
President, Governorate of Vatican City State
“Music and prayer are two supreme activities of the human spirit. Prayer is to open oneself to God, to give to Him, thank Him, to repent ones sins, to ask forgiveness ... And there's nothing better than music to express these feelings, this attitude of spirit. Prayer is not just talking to God, but it's also listening. The music that is inspired by this is perfect to convey the sense of the presence of God.”

In his book, Cardinal Giovanni Lajolo reflects on the Seven Words of Jesus on the Cross. It's a piece of work that was made for prayer, and was read during this concert at the Vatican, along with the work of Franz Joseph Haydn in 'The Seven Words.'

Card. Giovanni Lajolo
President, Governorate of Vatican City State
“I was inspired by the 'Seven Words of Jesus on the Cross', nothing else. What they suggested to me were these sublime words. I was thinking about what they suggested to me and thought they might also be true for others.”

Music and prayer. They make a nice combination to enter the atmosphere of Easter, to help expand the mind as well as the heart.

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