The Schola Cantorum outside Santa Maria Maggiore
SUNDAY 17 FEBRUARY 2002
The members of the Schola attended the Angelus in St Peter's Square given by Pope John Paul II. A full text of the Holy Father's address before the Angelus is available here. After the Angelus the Pope addressed the boys of the Schola with the following words:
"I am pleased to greet the Schola Cantorum of the Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School in London. May your music, your studies and your lives always be directed to the praise of God and the growth of his Kingdom." AUDIO
Later in the afternoon the Schola sang Mass at Santa Maria sopra Minerva, the Titular Church of Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, Archbishop of Westminster. The Mass was celebrated by Fr Philip Whitmore and was attended by friends and family of the Schola. At the beginning of Mass Fr Philip read out a letter from the Cardinal to the members of the Schola. The full text of the letter can be seen here. The Schola sang the Kyrie from Haydn's Missa Sancti Nicolai, Christus factus est, Anerio (Offertory), and Tantum ergo, Andriessen (Communion).
MONDAY 18 FEBRUARY 2002
The Schola sang at the 5pm Mass at the Chair Altar in St Peter's Basilica. There were over a thousand in the congregation, including families of boys in the choir. The Schola sang Crucifixus, Lotti (Introit), Christus factus est, Anerio (Offertory), O salutaris hostia, Dupré (Communion) and Te lucis ante terminum, Balfour Gardiner (Recessional). The congregation burst into applause at the end.
TUESDAY 19 FEBRUARY 2002
The Schola went to Vatican Radio to pre-record a programme for transmission later that day. The programme included the Crucifixus by Lotti and Christus factus est by Anerio, and the Director, Charles Cole, was interviewed by Gilly Orr. The boys were given a guided tour of Vatican Radio, and later heard the programme going out on the local short-wave channel, 105 Live, from the studio. The programme was subsequently broadcast on the worldwide channel on Thursday 21 February at 11.10am and 5pm (GM+1) to a potential audience of 20 million.
Later on, the choir sang at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore for the 6pm Mass. The service took place in the Borghese Chapel, and the Schola sang Crucifixus, Lotti (Introit), Ave Maria, Dupré (Offertory), Tantum ergo, Andriessen (Communion) and Ave verum, Elgar (Recessional).
WEDNESDAY 20 FEBRUARY 2002
The Schola sang at the weekly Mass of the Beda College at St Paul's-outside-the-walls. Tony Pellegrini, former Headmaster of the Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School and Founder of the Schola Cantorum, is currently studying for the priesthood at the Beda, and it was he who arranged the service. The music sung was as follows: Entrance Hymn - Dear Lord and Father of mankind; Missa Sancti Nicolai, Haydn; Crucifixus, Lotti (Offertory); Miserere, Allegri (Communion); Final Hymn - God of mercy and compassion (with descant by Charles Cole); Te lucis ante terminum, Balfour Gardiner (Recessional).
SIGHTSEEING
Apart from a busy schedule which involved at least one engagement per day, the boys of the Schola also did a great deal of sightseeing, including visits to the following:
The Dome of St Peter's
The Colosseum
The Forum
Castel Sant'Angelo
The Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel
The Spanish Steps
The Trevi Fountain
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| St John Lateran | St John Lateran | St John Lateran | Lateran rehearsal | St John Lateran |
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| The Holy Father | St Peter's Square | Vatican Post Office | Santa Maria sopra Minerva | Santa Maria sopra Minerva |
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| St Peter's | St Peter's | Vatican Radio | Santa Maria Maggiore | Santa Maria Maggiore |
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| St Paul's | St Paul's | Castel Sant'Angelo | Colosseum |
The Schola Cantorum would like to thank the following people who have all contributed to the success of the tour:
John Studzinski & The Genesis Foundation, Father Philip Whitmore, Monsignor Jim Curry, Monsignor Brian Ferme, Monsignor Malone at L'Osservatore Romano, Kate & Louis Marcelin-Rice, Gerard Skinner, Patrick Coll, Veronica Scarisbrick & Gilly Orr at Vatican Radio, Temistocle Capone at the Vicariat of St Peter's and Tony Pellegrini and all at the Beda.
