AWESOME AND AWE-INSPIRING CHORAL PRESENTATION

The Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Brian Udaigwe, St. Joseph’s Rector Rev. Fr. Ranjith Andradi with the choirs

Numbering over 300 singers, a combined choir of girls and boys rendered the glorious Jubilee Anthem “Gloria Te” to conclude the magnificent Josephian Holy Week Choral Presentation.

Choir master Francis D’ Almeida

The beautifully renovated historic chapel of St. Joseph’s College reverberated with majestic choral harmony rarely seen and heard in the country.
What preceded the concluding Anthem was a tapestry of chants, hymns and choruses capturing the final days of Jesus of Nazareth, leading up to his death and resurrection.

Apart from the 70 member strong St. Cecilia’s Choir of St. Joseph’s College comprising boys between the ages of 12 to 18, there were the choral ensemble of the Josephian A/Level students awaiting their much delayed results and the group of final year Josephians who as we speak are preparing for this year’s A/Level examinations. The Old Joes Choir of young and avid adults added immense richness to the programme. Choristers of Ave Maria Convent opened the service; leading the entrance procession by singing the chant and the chorus Lauda Jerusalem Dominum. The Senior Choir of Good Shepherd Convent Kotahena as well as the Past Shepherdians Choral Group added much splendour to the evening’s service.

The highlight of the Holy Week Programme were the classical renditions by St. Cecilia’s Choir of St. Joseph’s College which included master compositions from Handel – Worthy is the Lamb and the Hallelujah Chorus as well as William Byrd’s exquisite Ave Verum Corpus, Palestrina’s Adoramus Te Christe and several Sinhala and Tamil hymns capturing the passion, death and resurrection of Christ.

The choir of Good Shepherd Convent sang the hymns Gethsemane and Remember Me. The poignant song Above All was vocalized by the Past Shepherdians. The Old Joes Choir sang splendidly the polyphonic Regina Coeli Laetare as well as John Rutter’s evocative composition And Can It Be; whilst the past and present Josephian A/L students rendered the African favourite Baba Yetu and the beloved Sinhala hymn Jesuni Ai Metharam Mata Aadarei, respectively.

The visiting choirs of St. Sebastian’s College Moratuwa, Holy Family Convent Bambalapitiya and the Parish Choir of St. Michael’s Church Moratuwa joined the combined choirs of all schools in singing the congregational hymns – Old Rugged Cross and Jesus Christ is risen today as well as the final Jubilee Anthem.
The Chief Celebrant, His Excellency Archbishop Most Rev. Dr. Brian Udaigwe gave his message where he extolled the amazing performances of the choirs involved and stressed the need of working together – “when one walks alone, one can go faster – but when walking with others, all could go far”. He then imparted his blessing on the vast congregation that had gathered.

Rev. Fr. Ranjith Andradi – the Rector of St. Joseph’s College whose encouragement enabled the awe-inspiring choral event spoke of some salient features of the Chapel constructed by Rev. Fr. Maurice Le Goc, a past rector of St. Joseph’s College, Colombo. It is worth noting that the splendid Chapel is one of a kind – built in the style of the Lateran Basilica in Rome.
As the crowds dispersed into the darkening surroundings of the Josephian Chapel, the awesome strains of the evening’s choral music still seemed to float to all corners, as if continued in song by angels from above.
Indeed, the Josephian Choral event AVE VERUM CORPUS could be said to be unique and memorable.