The choir of Hereford Cathedral will make history when it becomes the first Anglican cathedral choir to sing at a Papal Mass in St Peter’s Basilica since the Reformation, singing alongside the choir of the Sistine Chapel at the end of June. The Papal Mass will celebrate the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul and is one of the Vatican’s biggest services of the year. The service will take place on Friday, June 29th.

The invitation has been received as part of the Pope’s ecumenical programme of creating dialogue respecting each church’s diversity, while also celebrating common ground.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Revd Justin Welby said: ‘The invitation extended to an Anglican cathedral choir to sing at a Papal Mass demonstrates the strengthening of relations between the two Churches. It signifies a move towards fostering a greater unity and the continuing development of a warm ecumenical understanding.’

The Bishop of Hereford, the Rt Revd Richard Frith said: “I am delighted that our magnificent Hereford Cathedral choir are singing at St Peter’s Basilica and in such a symbolic service. The inclusion of our young singers in the performance is particularly fitting as we look to the youth of both the Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches, to work together in developing future closer ties.”

Her Excellency, Mrs Sally Axworthy, British Ambassador to the Holy See said: ‘I am delighted and proud that the Hereford Cathedral choir have been invited to sing at the Papal Mass for Saints Peter and Paul in June.

“There have been many exciting ‘firsts’ in the development of ecumenical relations between the Catholic and Anglican Churches.”

Mr Geraint Bowen, Director of Music at Hereford Cathedral, said: ‘This invitation is a great honour for our choir and we are all hugely looking forward to such a wonderful opportunity.

“We shall be performing works by composers including Byrd and Palestrina, and in particular it will be a very special way of commemorating the centenary of the death of the composer C H H Parry to combine with the Sistine Chapel Choir to sing his beautiful motet My soul, there is a country.”