March 7, 2012. (Romereports.com) The Holy See has invited the most important Anglican Choir to the Vatican. The Choir of Westminster Abbey will sing alongside the Vatican's official choir of the Sistine Chapel. They will perform in St. Peter's Basilica on June 29th for the feast day of St. Peter and Paul.

Fr. Federico Lombardi
Vatican Spokesperson
“It's a good sign of ecumenism, of moving in the direction of exchanging rich liturgical and cultural traditions of the Christian world.”


The Choir of Westminster abbey sings at many State events with the Royal Family, such as the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton last year.

The invitation was made to the Anglican choir after the pope's visit to the United Kingdom in 2010. He invited them in order to improve relations between the two Churches as well as celebrate St. Peter, who is the patron saint for the churches of both choirs. They will also sing chants from the Anglican tradition.

Fr. Federico Lombardi
Vatican Spokesperson
“There is nothing strange because we share our Christian faith in common, for this we look to the 'cantatas' of Bach that are always sung by our Church and it shows that they are a common treasure to all the Christian traditions.”

The two choirs will first sing together at First Vespers in Rome's Basilica of Paul Outside the Walls on June 28th, and then again the following morning at the Vatican Basilica.

In preparation, the two groups will offer a public concert in London's Westminster Cathedral on May 6th.



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